Joe Kline / The Bulletin Doug Ward, or Mani Pureheart, the name he prefers, has been Santa for over 20 years around the country and is writing book on his experiences. He is pictured in his home in Bend. "I was born to be Santa," Ward said.

Of the numerous stories Doug Ward tells from his 25-year career as a professional Santa Claus, there’s only one that’s sure to make him tear up.

Ward was at the Gateway Mall in Springfield when a disheveled couple stepped to his chair.

The woman told him the two had been saving money for months to get their picture taken with Santa because her partner was sick with a terminal illness. Ward insisted the couple’s photo be taken for free, causing everyone in the vicinity to break down in tears.

“There’s something about being Santa that allows me to bring joy to people in a very special way,” Ward said as he wiped his eyes. “I see people transform; their lives transform.”

The 68-year-old stepped away this winter from his Santa-training job at The Noerr Programs, which is based out of Colorado and assigns “all-natural” — read: no fake beards or bellies — Santa Clauses to posts around the country. He said he was born to represent the jolly man in red. It’s hard to disagree; his rosy cheeks, long white beard and ample midsection equip him for success. Two stints at Noerr’s Santa University in 2001 and 2012 propelled Ward to gigs as the resident Santa Claus across the country.

“I’ve always cared deeply about people,” Ward said. “Santa isn’t about a religion or commercialism. Santa is all about love.”

Ward’s role as Santa defines much of his life apart of his time inside malls or community centers.

He and his wife, Kim Plummer, have matching Mr. and Mrs. Claus baseball hats they wear out on the town. They started dating shortly after he began his career as Kris Kringle, and they possess a rapport honed over two decades of holiday cheer — Ward heard her let out a joyous “ho-ho-ho!” from the kitchen and responded, “Hey, that’s my line.”

Christmas memorabilia decorates the couple’s home in tandem with spiritual relics from around the world. Central to their collection are a number of novelty Santa hats they’ve collected during their travels. There’s Rastafarian Santa with white dreadlocks in place of the beard and Whoville Santa’s hat with a springy attachment instead of the usual fluffy topper. Even the living room carpet speaks to the holiday: green with red accents.

“He’s Santa Claus all the time, around the clock,” Plummer said. She gestured as Ward put on a German cap, which bobbed to Otis Day’s “Shout.” “He’s flamboyant enough for the both of us.”

Even in retirement, Ward expects to continue functioning as Bend’s native Santa, year-round. Despite his usual summertime attire of shorts and a tie-dye T-shirt, people of all ages flock to him as they would a week before Christmas, he said. It’s the best part of his lifestyle, the “unexpected Santa moments” without the pretense of shopping or pageantry.

“We’ll go to the movies or somewhere and people get what I call ‘Santa eyes,’” Ward said. “It doesn’t matter how old people are, when you look how I do and have the personality I do, people who grew up with Santa make that connection.”

Just because Ward has hung up his official suspenders doesn’t mean he’s finished spreading joy to Central Oregon. He plans to volunteer his services at a few events around Bend this month, such as Sunday’s Operation: Elf Box fundraiser at McMenamins. He’s also writing a book called “Surviving Santa.” It’s part instruction manual, part anecdotal retrospective meant for the next generation of jolly men in red, velour suits staffing the month of December.

“Santa has to be able to think on his feet and make sure everyone leaves happy,” Ward said. “Santa — there’s no ‘I’ but only Santa — and Santa has to be perpetually innocent. If someone points out my belt buckle is round instead of square, I might explain it away by asking if they own more than one shirt.”

Pointers such as the ones above will be mixed in with the tales only a quarter-century of Santa-ing can tell. There’s a message of joy in every one of them, Ward said, even the time a Springfield woman asked if she could have a picture taken of her being spanked by St. Nick. (He didn’t mind, but mall staffers weren’t so accommodating).

Above all, Ward takes pride and comfort in the knowledge he’s put smiles on thousands of faces during an often stressful time of year. Age can dampen his ability to work long hours, and his body’s tolerance for lap-sitters, but it can never take away the joy in his heart.

— Reporter: 541-382-1811 wrubin@bendbulletin.com