Santa’s house a popular Christmastime tradition in Monongahela
Right: Santa Claus waves at motorists in downtown Monongahela in this file photo. Observer-Reporter file photo Right: Santa Claus waves at motorists in downtown Monongahela in this file photo. Observer-Reporter file photo
Scott Beveridge/Observer-Reporter
Santa Claus, portrayed by Les Pemberton, listens to the Christmas wish list of Stephen Rura III on a cold December morning in downtown Monongahela.
MONONGAHELA – Santa Claus spends his downtime spreading Christmas cheer by telling motorists they don’t need to feed the meters when they park near his little house in Monongahela.
At other times, he waves at drivers who honk their vehicles’ horn to show him some love on Friday nights and Saturday mornings in the city’s downtown during the weeks leading up to Dec. 25.
“I’ve had truck drivers toot and holler; kids of all ages,” this jolly old elf said while waiting for children to stop by on a lonely and frigid Friday night in the plaza outside a Community Bank branch at 235 W. Main St.
There used to be similar Santa houses with regular hours in most of the towns up and down the Monongahela River in this area. The houses in nearby Charleroi and Donora now only have a Santa appearance on one day during light-up night celebrations.
Santa remains a hit, though, in Monongahela, where he was welcomed to town Nov. 16 on a Lions Club float featuring a fireplace and club members wearing elf costumes. He passed out 300 treats to children that night.
“We had a blast on light-up night,” he said about the city’s holiday celebration, otherwise known as Santa Claus is Shopping in Town.
During his day job, this Santa is the real-life Les Pemberton, who works for the Monongahela street department and serves as a part-time code enforcer in the city and neighboring New Eagle. He’s been doing the Santa gig for 10 years and is married to Dorothea Pemberton, executive director of the Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce, host of the Santa House.
This Santa draws children from as far away as Pittsburgh, Uniontown and Washington, and he will hand out at least 600 treats before this holiday season is over, Dorothea Pemberton said.
Last year, someone brought a goat to visit him, she said.
She said “people would be up in arms” if the chamber decided to end this tradition. Many residents were equally upset last year after the little red and white house with twinkle lights was vandalized while in storage, she added.
Children who drop off their gift lists even get a reply from Santa if they leave a return address.
“It’s awesome,” Dorothea Pemberton said.
“Santa is cool,” said Ashley Coulter of Monongahela, who brought her two young children to visit him Dec. 8.
“He just stands around here in the cold waiting for the kids,” Coulter said.
The Pembertons are great assets to the small city because of the many hours of volunteer work they perform throughout the year, said Terry Necciai, executive director of the Monongahela Main Street Program.
The house is a lawnmower shed that was decorated and given windows, Necciai said.
“I think it’s wonderful,” he said.
Necciai said the first known mention of Santa’s house in Monongahela appeared in an announcement in the Daily Republican newspaper that the house would open Dec. 10, 1966, at the same location, not long after the bank building was constructed.
Santa will make a special appearance from 3 to 5 p.m. today when pop-up stores will open in the chamber building, 211 W. Main St., and Main Street Barber & Supply, 105 W. Main St.
“I go back to the North Pole December 22,” Santa said.