Special Santa on display at local store

The Frame Shop has a piece of history on display — an authentic Harold Gale Santa.
The Harold Gale Santa on display at the Frame Shop was one of many animatronic Harold Gale Santas created in late 1940.
Originator Harold Gale and his wife started making Santas out of their home to display in department store displays throughout New York.
“I remember being a little girl,” said Frame Shop owner Jackie Price, “and people would line up at department stores such as DH Holmes and Maison Blanche on Canal Street just to see the animated Santa.”
Gale and his wife eventually started the Harold Gale Santa Co. by investing in a small factory. They grew his business for 10 years, during which the Santas became a Christmas staple during the holiday season.
The Harold Gale Santas are unique because the electric motors that powered the Santas were placed right where the heart of Santa should be. The Harold Gale Santa Company disbanded in the late 1980s, making the Santas a Christmas collectible.
The Frame Shop teamed with antique collector and jewelry maker Kirk Courtney to put on the inaugural display of the Santa for the store.
“I have been looking for this Santa for years, most of my working adult life, so about 30 years,” Courtney said.
The display in the Frame Shop includes the Harold Gale Santa, an antique working sleigh from Pennsylvania, old cypress and barn wood frames, and Swamp Kids children’s books.
“He still brings me a lot of joy and reminds me of my childhood,” said Courtney. “I just hope the Santa evokes in people the same joy that I have.”
“I hope it would be something that parents bring their little kids to see. They might really enjoy it as I use to as a kid and see all the lights of Main Street,” said Price.
Price said the Santa is on a timer and currently waves each evening 4:30-9 p.m. Price said the Frame Shop will also be open late on Thursday and play Christmas music so that people can enjoy seeing the Santa when they pass by.