30 Years of Firefighter Santas: A Family Christmas Tradition Celebrating a Career and Memories
For 30 years, I've been on a mission every Christmas: finding the perfect Firefighter Santa to add to our growing collection. Each one is a tribute to my husband's dedicated firefighting career, a dash of family holiday magic, and a story waiting to be told. Each season, these friendly firefighters welcome our guests in our entryway, brightening our home and sparking memories from holidays past. From the very first Santa to the final figurine marking his retirement, these colorful, quirky Firefighter Santas have become a cherished tradition. In this post, I'll share the history of our collection, how we display these festive figurines, and why each one means so much to our family.
The first firefighter Santa figurine
The very first Firefighter Santa came from my best friend, Amy, the year my husband graduated from the Firefighter Academy in 1995. She gave him a little Santa dressed as a firefighter, and from the moment he unwrapped it, the idea of a holiday tradition was born.
That single Santa sparked something that would grow into a cherished family tradition. Each Christmas for the next 30 years, I added a new figurine to celebrate his career, honor his service, and become part of our family holiday story.
I still remember placing that first Santa in a special spot in our home. The kids' eyes lit up and I realized that this was not just a decoration. It was the beginning of a tradition filled with memories, pride, and a lot of love.
Building the collection
After that first Santa from my friend, the tradition grew every Christmas. Each year I added a new Firefighter Santa figurine to honor my husband's career and celebrate our family holidays. Over 30 years, I collected Santas from many sources. Some came from online shops, others from thrifting, and a few were from different makers.
The figurines are all unique. Some hold toys or puppies. Others ride in fire trucks or wear full firefighter gear. Each one has its own personality and story, and together they form a colorful, festive collection.
Believe it or not, I somehow managed to keep track of every Santa without ever pulling them all out at once. Before buying a new one each year, I mentally cataloged which ones we already had. I honestly don't know how I did it, but it worked for 30 years. Last year, when my husband opened the final Firefighter Santa, I suggested it was probably going to be the last one (*sniff,*sniff). Yet another reminder of how fast time is flying by.
Now, with my husband retired after 30 years of service, the collection carries even more meaning. Each figurine not only celebrates his career but also holds a memory from every holiday we shared together.
Over the years, I've found our Firefighter Santas in all sorts of places - online, in stores, on eBay, and even thrifting. Most are from the Kurt Adler Fabriché Fireman Santa Collection. On the lucky years, I found vintage ones! Each one has its own story, just like the memories we've built around them.
What they mean to our family
These Firefighter Santas are more than just decorations. Each one represents a year in my husband's career and a memory from our family holidays. They remind us of the pride we feel in his work and the traditions we have built together.
Over the years, the kids have loved seeing what the new Santa will be each Christmas. They would peek at the figurines with excitement and even play with them a little under supervision. Now, I look forward to sharing the tradition with our grandchildren. I can imagine them helping to set up the collection and learning about their Pepere's dedication and hard work.
The collection also tells a story about family, love, and continuity. Even as we mark the end of adding new Santas, the memories they hold keep the tradition alive. Each figurine is a little piece of our family history, and seeing them all together fills our home with warmth, nostalgia, and joy.
The final Santa and our entryway display
Many of our Firefighter Santas find a home in the entryway on my vintage card catalog. Each drawer has a special spot for a Santa, and the top is always a festive display of several favorites. Over the years, a couple have been broken and, of course, it was "super glue to the rescue."
These figurines are not dolls and are not toys, but letting our children and, in the future, our grandchildren touch them and help set them up will make the tradition feel alive. Our granddaughter, Millie, is only 11 months old, so this is still far in the future, but I love imagining her discovering each Santa, noticing the little details, and learning about her Pepere's 30 years of service. Ray and I look forward to sharing this tradition with our grandchildren as our family grows.
Each figurine now represents not just a holiday, but a memory and a story from our family's journey. Seeing them all together in the entryway fills our home with warmth, nostalgia, and joy.
A closer look at our Firefighter Santa collection
In the end, this post about this collection is not just about holiday fun. It is also a way to celebrate my husband's 30 years of heroic service as a firefighter, the lives he saved, the support he gave to the community, and the hard work he did for our family every day. Each Firefighter Santa is a small tribute to his courage, dedication, and the love he poured into both his career and our home. We are super proud of him!
Do you have a special holiday collection or a fun decorating tradition that makes the season feel extra magical? I would love to hear about it! Whether it's something handed down through generations, a quirky family tradition, or even a favorite decoration that always brings a smile, share it in the comments. I can't wait to read about your treasures.
Happy holidays friends!
Stephanie these are absolutely fabulous! I just adore this collection, wow!
Thank you! We've enjoyed collecting them!