DeCorey Hale was destined to bring the gift of representation as a Black Santa Claus.
His childhood is filled with memories of his parents adorning their home with the holiday spirit in Sylacauga, Alabama. Their storage shed was filled with mostly Christmas decorations. About 100 pieces make up his mother’s ceramic Christmas town, which features an ice skating rink and an airport. Hale’s father Donald took pride in making sure the house was properly laced in lights and ornaments.
Even when lung cancer deteriorated Donald Hale’s health, he still tried to keep up with the seasonal traditions with a smile on his face all the way up to his passing on Dec. 12, 2000. The timing of his death wasn’t ideal – just two days shy of Hale’s mother’s birthday, with Christmas about two weeks away…