Mickey Johnson has been playing Santa Claus for decades, but the role took on a new meaning after his daughter’s cancer diagnosis and treatment.
FOREST GROVE, Ore. — Let’s go outdoors and discover the spirit of the holiday season that’s alive and well in Forest Grove. You are sure to discover the meaning of the season when you meet the man who embraces a spirit of giving so that others may live.
The rain falls in buckets on a freezing winter’s night and landscapes are awash with a bone-chilling cold, but in Forest Grove there are waves of good cheer and a unique holiday spirit
Forest Grove’s Santa Mickey warms with friendly greetings for those who stop by with, “Well, hello there – how are you tonight? Come to see Santa Claus?”
Mickey Johnson has carried off the white-bearded role for nearly 30 years, and in his annual yard performance since 2005.
The rehearsals began weeks ago when family and friends lent a hand to the retired drama teacher and built his North Pole.
A dozen wooden, 8-foot tall “ghost trees” — plus a full sized hardwood snowman — each adorned with hundreds of twinkling lights, surround the central piece: a large wooden sleigh. The sleigh is painted in brilliant red with two large initials, SC, on either side.
There is little doubt to the casual passerby that Johnson owns a massive holiday yard extravaganza. Plus, he built all the set pieces, including Santa’s Sleigh.
Nearby, his daughter Cheryl Aamodt gave special care to a sign of the season that holds memories of a time not so long ago. The sign read: “Donations gladly accepted for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.”
“Well, I was feeling tired – just tired, but that’s not unusual for a mom of four and my full time job as a nurse,” Aamodt explained. “So, I went in to have a lab test and they were like …’Uh, Cheryl, your white blood count is through the roof, you need to see an oncologist tonight.’”
Aamodt was diagnosed with leukemia in 2000. The diagnosis led to dark, uncertain times, until OHSU doctors developed a cancer drug that saved her life.
“And that’s what’s kept me alive the last 20, almost 23 years,” added Aamodt with a smile.
Aamodt is in remission, feeling well and her prospects are good.
But her father, Mickey Johnson, wanted to do more. He called it “payback.”
“So, I decided to come up here with this idea,” said Johnson. “It is free for anybody who wants to come and if they want to, they can make a donation to the Leukemia Society.”
His idea seemed right at home, since he’d built plenty of sets for high school plays.
For the role of a lifetime that honors his daughter’s life, Johnson becomes Santa for five nights before Christmas.
“Well, it was already in his wheelhouse!” Aamodt said. “He already had the Santa suit and he had built a lot of sets because of his ties with community theatre in Forest Grove. As a high school drama teacher, he had done many, many productions.”
“It doesn’t take much motivation,” said Johnson. “As long as I have the kids that come and they apparently have a good time — I josh with them a lot … not the typical Santa.”
He asked a youngster what he’d like Santa to bring on Christmas. The youngster was silent and Santa replied, “Oh, you don’t know? Well, you know what I bring if you don’t know: socks and underwear.”
It’s all good fun and the smiles break out as Santa Mickey enjoys time with the young ones – who are filled with wonder and grace.
“I was a teacher for 28 years and I always liked working with the kids. That’s just a part of my make-up, just a part of my nature!”
You can visit Santa Mickey at 1901 Willamina Avenue in Forest Grove on Dec. 19 through 23, 5 to 6 p.m.
Be sure to follow my Oregon adventures via the new Grant’s Getaways Podcast. Each segment is a story-telling session where I relate behind the scenes stories from four decades of travel and television reporting.
You can also learn more about many of my favorite Oregon travels and adventures in the Grant’s Getaways book series, including:
The collection offers hundreds of outdoor activities across Oregon and promises to engage a kid of any age.
You can reach me: Gmcomie@kgw.com
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