Retired school teacher Mike Foley is shown in this photo, taken in December of 2017, with some of the pieces of his Santa collection, which includes over 1,400 pieces. Foley, needing to disperse of the collection, took the suggestion of his wife, Rita, to give the pieces to the Camelot Theater Foundation. Sale of many of the pieces will help raise funds to continue theater renovations. Some pieces will also remain at the theater for decorative purposes. Every resident has the opportunity to buy a piece of Foley’s collection this holiday season and keep Santa’s spirit alive and well in Nevada. Read the story to learn about where pieces will be sold!
A precious Santa collection that started back when Mike Foley was 20 years old has now been handed over by the retired Nevada school teacher to the Camelot Theater Foundation.
“Rita and I are downsizing,” Mike said. “She will retire a year from now (November 2025) and our plans are to travel. There’s not a lot of room in our fifth wheel for the collection.”
Mike’s Santa collection, which was featured in a 2017 Nevada Journal article, includes over 1,400 pieces with everything from figurines, pillows, throws, pictures, cookie jars, collectors’ plates, framed puzzles, toilet seat covers, ornaments and more. Ornaments alone account for 500 or more of the collection pieces.
Foley, who often wore the red suit himself for community events and special gatherings, collected everything from “woodsmen” type Santas to Irish Santas. Many of the Irish Santas, dressed mostly in green, are the creations of Artist Pipka Ulviden, who was born in Slovakia and raised in Germany. After WWII, she emigrated to a small town in North Dakota and immersed herself in American culture and Santa, according to Mike. Did we mention he’s a retired “history” teacher!
Mike’s collection includes skinny Santas and hefty Santas. Mike explained that the robust version of Santa came about after Clement Clarke Moore wrote “Twas the Night Before Christmas” in 1822. It was after that when Thomas Nast, a famous cartoonist, published the book “Thomas Nast’s Christmas Drawings for the Human Race” in 1890, showcasing many illustrations of Santa with a great big belly. That would solidify the image of Santa that Americans have today.
As the Foleys were considering what to do with the Santa collection, Rita came up with the idea of donating it to the Camelot Theater to use for decorations or to sell for money that the Camelot needs for future renovation. Mike liked the idea. “The Camelot has lots of memories from Rita’s childhood, our kids’ childhoods, and my time in Nevada,” Mike said. “It just felt ‘right,’ and it keeps the collection and sale of the collection in Nevada.”
Mike admits he couldn’t have gone through the process of selling the collection piece-by-piece. “I would have felt like I was selling a piece of my soul each sale. Now I’m at peace.”
Melissa Sly of the Camelot Theater Foundation said the group is thankful for the generous donation. Members of the Foundation have been busy cataloguing some of the larger pieces, which will be sold online or through a “Santa Pop-Up” shop at 1120 6th St., next to the theater. They plan to have the shop open during the Nov. 9 weekend (when the WHO Craft Fair happens at the high school), and on select dates during the holiday season, including Christmas on Main, Dec. 14.
“Proceeds from the sales will go toward Camelot projects,” Melissa said.
The collection items that are not sold will be used to decorate the theater for the holiday season, and residents are invited to view those items during Christmas On Main and while coming to movies and special events at the theater during the holiday season.
The best source of current information on hours to view the Santa collection and/or come to these events is the Camelot Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/camelottheaterfoundation.
Back in 2017, Mike shared that Santa is special for two types of people — the very young and the very old. “To see the joy that Santa brings can be indescribable at times.”
–Written by Marlys Barker, City of Nevada
