ROCHELLE — As Dave Carlson puts it, seeing children’s eyes light up is magic — quite literally.

Carlson and wife Cindy, as Santa and Mrs. Claus, have been spreading the Christmas spirit to boys and girls of all ages for over a decade.

The Rochelle community has visited them inside the Flagg Township Museum during the Old Fashioned Christmas Walk for the last several years.

The Carlsons make a great pair, visiting several schools, daycare centers, hospitals, and businesses. They also make an appearance at the Toys for Tots at Rockford Airport each year and have greeted travelers as they arrive on their flights.

“It’s love you can’t buy, that’s what I think makes it special,” Carlson said. “I’m in it for the kids.”

As the children tell Santa what they want for Christmas, Carlson said one wish stood out in particular from a child who visited during the Christmas walk in Rochelle a couple years ago.

“I had a youngster who listed off just about every toy that could be bought in the toy store…the list went on and on. As I set him down, the boy next in line sat on my lap and said all he wanted was for the homeless kids to find a home that year,” Carlson said. “I asked him if he wanted anything else and he said no, that was his only wish. That just broke my heart. That’s the true spirit of giving, and this little boy had that.”

Cindy, as Mrs. Claus, says their schedule quickly fills in shortly after Thanksgiving, with weekends filled as well as weekdays. Being Santa’s helpers is a labor of love for the pair.

“We come in to entertain people while they wait for their flight. Dave will greet incoming travelers and tell them their plane took a wrong turn…he’ll welcome them to the North Pole,” Cindy chuckled as she explains their visits to the airport.

Cindy also shared a memorable moment, which so happened to be at the Christmas Walk in Rochelle.

“Every year there is a girl who visits us. All she ever asks for is for her mom to get well and be healthy again,” Cindy said. “She wants her mom to be well and to feel better…it is touching.”

Special calling

Carlson said he found his calling after helping a friend, playing Santa each year at their restaurant. He fondly explained his friend’s daughter, born with special needs, survived for years against all odds.

“That little girl built a fire in my heart that roars now…it was a calling and a need to do something for kids,” Carlson said. “She went to Rockford Memorial Hospital, and one year Santa couldn’t make it and I found out about it. Ever since then, I’ve been going with my wife.”

The passion to help children and see the joy in their eyes is what Carlson enjoys and does best. He has also attended Santa School, known as the Charles W. Howard Santa School in Midland, Mich., that captures the spirit of Santa Claus and teaches people from all over the world in a three-day course. Attendees learn the history of Santa, reindeer habits, making toys in a workshop, singing, voice, and presentation skills, and Santa sign language for children with hearing impairments.

For Carlson and Cindy, being Santa and Mrs. Claus is something they plan to do for a long time. Even when not in his suit, Carlson has people tell him he looks like Santa. Carlson has the classic white beard and the voice to match.

“When people tell me I look like Santa I lean in and whisper, I am Santa. I am a Santa that believes ,” Carlson said. “To see the excitement in the kids and the excitement I can get out of the big kids…you cannot buy that.”