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Dec 22, 2007 10:31 am US/Central
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Finding Minnesota: Does Santa Claus Live Here?
MILLTOWN, Wis. (WCCO) ―
We've all grown up believing Santa Claus lives in the North Pole, where his he and reindeer rest up for the big trek come Christmas time. But some recent findings may put the seed of doubt into your mind.
We first heard the whispers on a recent trip to northern Minnesota. People said there was a guy living somewhere up in the hills spreading Christmas cheer. It took some digging, but we found him.
Turns out this jolly old elf no longer lives up north, but just over the Minnesota line, in Milltown, Wis. He has a spread there, and one in Taylors Falls.
He says his name is Tom Scheib, a farmer who raises reindeer, and he claims he not a big fan of the media. An ex-marine, he hasn't shaved his beard since the day he retired. But all his rough edges soften quickly when you get him near his stock, or ask him to talk about Christmas and children.
"You could see their eyes would just get as big as saucers, you know," he reminisced about seeing the wonder in the eyes of kids when they got their first look at his reindeer pulling a sleigh, and the bearded guy taking care of them. "There's nothing like it."
He's seen that sparkle in the eyes of countless children. Since the early 1980s, he's hauled his beautiful beasts around Minnesota. He started at his home in Finland, Minn. with four reindeer and a sleigh. He'd swing down through Duluth, hit Highway 2, lighting Christmas trees, giving sleigh rides, and spreading the Christmas spirit along the way. He'd head all the way over to Michigan.
"And then we'd turn around and go a little bit south and then I'd come back on Highway 8," he recalled.
He got the idea to make a living at raising reindeer when he was stationed in Norway. When he started Dancing Reindeer Farms, he was one of the first to bring Reindeer to the U.S. There are more in the business today, and he's helped a lot of them get into the reindeer game. After all, Santa needs a lot of help come Christmas time.
Today, Scheib has about 80 reindeer. Most are spread out across the country right now, doing Christmas business from New York to New Ulm. Scheib has reindeer leased out to the Bronx Zoo, which they use in their parades.
"We've got reindeer at the Hershey plant in Pennsylvania. We got reindeer in Osh Kosh. We've got reindeer in La Crosse," he said.
You'll see his deer in movies, television ads, and your local holiday parade. You don't see him out as much anymore.
"I enjoy kids. And I always enjoyed what I was doing. It's the adults a guy has problems with," said Scheib, adding he gets a little heart-broken every time he hears a parent douse a child's dream of Santa Claus. "I don't know why that is. I would think if you were a parent, you would want ... I mean it's all going to blow up sooner or later. Why do you want a 33-year-old 3-year-old? I don't say much. I just kind of ..."
He shrugged and trails off, assuming his tough exterior, though the posture was difficult to maintain considering he has adopted animals all over his place. Furthermore, there is a rumor he once even raised one sick reindeer in the house with him. After initially dodging the question, Scheib confirmed the rumor.
So, is Tom Scheib -- blue-eyed, red-nosed, sporting a bushy white beard -- in actuality Mr. Santa Claus? Is the beloved gift-giver living right here in our midst? Jeanette Trompeter certainly felt like it, and told Scheib so.
"I don't know that you met him ... but I know a guy that knows him," Scheib responded with a sparkle in his eye.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)