Meet Emerson Roth, he portrays Santa Claus in Stark County

Emerson Roth started portraying Santa Claus in 2019. His wife Kathy joins him as Mrs. Claus.

He always wanted to be Santa.

"We have found out, one must be very quick with wit and answers for some of the most honest questions imaginable," Roth said. "Children will ask Santa and Mrs. Claus questions that they will not ask anyone else, schoolteacher, parents, family, Sunday School teacher, or even their closest friend.”

He graduated from East Canton High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Malone University. He and his wife live in Louisville and have two children, Eric and Brandon.

Where is Santa? Here's when NORAD and Google's Santa Claus trackers will go live

Santa and Mrs. Claus have visited many local events over the years, including lighting events in Canton, Jackson Township, Alliance and Homeworth; Pro Football Hall of Fame; Akron-Canton Airport; Walsh University; various breakfasts and brunches with Santa and Mrs. Claus; schools; and nursing homes.

“We have over 1,500 children who greet us each year. And that’s not even counting the adults who sometimes act as children when they see us," Roth said. "We find that it is an opportunity for adults to escape the hustle and bustle of life and an ability to bring back their memories of when they were a child.”

5 questions with Ashley Hall: Mom creates nonprofit to help families, honor son who passed away

What do you bring to your Santa role when you visit with children and adults?

I didn’t know what to expect or what to bring when we started. It can be a very demanding and tiring venture. All venues are different. Some are city folk, some are farming communities, some are rural. People and children come from all different income brackets.

Since I was a child, I have seen a big change in family dynamics. Parental ideals have changed, and many more ingredients have gone into the recipes of parenting. It is a great solace to know the children in the families are being cared for and, most importantly, loved.

Why do you think Santa is so important to the holiday season?

Is there a Santa? I believe that question has been answered many times over through the years. The world in which we live forces children to grow up too fast.

As adults, we must meet quotas to keep employed and meet standards to maintain friends and social standing. As adults, we even keep score.

Children need the innocence of believing in something that gives them hope. A consequence of reward for good behavior helps give them that hope. As an adult, I hope I never lose the ability to daydream and to think of a better world. If believing in Santa helps accomplish that, Mrs. Claus and I are all for that vision.

Yes, the spirit of Santa Claus is alive and we see it in the faces of the children and the adults!

Share one or two of the funniest things kids have asked for as a gift for Christmas.

They ask for toys for Christmas that range from simple games, doll babies, and electronics; to even simpler items such as gloves and muffs, to keep their hands and ears warm.

I had a little girl ask me for a daddy because she never had one. I told her, “That is a little bit beyond my realm, but what I will do is include you and your request in my prayers tonight.” She was happy with my response.

I once had a little girl ask me if I had any questions for her. Knowing her family had a dairy farm, I said yes. I asked her if Guernsey cows gave chocolate milk. She was quick to respond, “Oh no Santa, all cows give white milk, you must add the chocolate yourself." I thanked her for her answer and that brought a smile to her parents’ faces.

The honesty and sincerity of children cannot be misjudged. What may seem simple to us, can be a life goal and challenge to a child and that expression cannot be passively viewed as childish; as adults we tend to forget they are children.

We can never mock their honesty.

How does Mrs. Claus help with the children when they come up to talk about their wish lists?

Mrs. Claus and I are a team.

While all children believe in Santa, when they first meet him, it can be very intimidating. The living personification of Santa is a lot for a child to process. The red suit and the beard can bring tears and vocal objections from some children.

And then, they hear the soothing, comforting sound of a mother-like voice calling to the child.

They come to her and sometimes grip her hand and arm, not wanting to let go of her. She introduces them to Santa with a smile and invites them to sit with her, opening the door for them to tell Santa their Christmas wishes.

It is a blessing to have Mrs. Claus, my wife, by my side.

What advice do you offer kids and adults to help them stay on the nice list?

When children ask what they can do to stay on the “nice list,” I tell them to keep on doing the things that got them on the list in the first place.

Being honest, fair, helpful, courteous, kind and listen to their parents. I tell them to do unto others as they would like to be treated. Think of others first and they in turn will be considerate to you.

Everything we do has a consequence. Some acts are bad, and some are good. We tend to think of consequences as only bad. But if we are good, we will be rewarded for good behavior.

Character makes and distinguishes the person that we represent.

Editor's note: Five questions with ... is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you'd like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to newsroom@cantonrep.com.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: 5 questions with Emerson Roth, who portrays Santa in Stark County