Winchester's Mrs. Santa Claus

For the last five years a Winchester grandmother, her family, and friends have collected toys to help children in Clark and surrounding counties.

90-year-old Virginia Lois Thomas and her friend Lisa McCoy started Thomas’ Toy Chest when Covid hit Kentucky in 2020.

Thomas says, “We thought, well, could we do something to help? So, we started getting toys and talking to people about it, and everybody was enthused. And we had bicycles and everything, you know, on there for the people.”

The first year they gave children toys at the First Christian Church, and the following December the event moved to the Clark County Courthouse.

Thomas’ grandson, Tyler Montgomery offered to move the Christmas toy give away inside his business, Abettor Brewing Company in Winchester.

Thomas welcomed the idea. “We had a lot of people donate toys. And then we went to Tyler's, because it was warm, you know, it's warm in there and everything. And we locked the door, and at three o'clock, we unlocked the door and just let people go. And boy, they the place was full of toys. You wouldn't believe.”

When children arrived, they found Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus sitting in huge rocking chairs on a large stage surrounded by toys. Who you might ask was Mrs. Claus? Well, none other than Ms. Thomas, wearing the red and white Mrs. Santa costume.

She says seeing the smiles and joy among the children was special. “It's wonderful. We just love them all.”

Thomas who grew up in Clark County recalls as a child that her family couldn’t afford a lot of presents at Christmas.

“No, I was a little country girl, and we just didn't have a lot of money. So, we just had Christmas. Maybe one time you'd get one present, you know. I thought I was just like everybody else.”

Her grandson says his “gran” has a huge heart. “My grandma's one of the most wonderful people on the planet. I owe her so much that I can never, I'll never be able to repay it. And you know her always being there for me and believing in my dreams, and I think teaching me how to dream is something that's really important to me, and she's just a person that I think about daily and would really do anything for.”

Montgomery says his grandmother endured some health challenges in the last year, and the toy drive this year was not a sure thing.

“Gran has had some instances where she's fallen. And so even though she's in great health, you know, falls are hard on a 90-year-old, so we had to step in. Originally, we weren't sure how we were going to make it work. And then my staff here at Abettor (Brewing) was adamant that we didn't let this fall.”

With the help of the Winchester community Thomas’ Toy Chest is back again. A few weeks before Christmas retired judge Julia Adams stopped by the brewery to donate some toys.

“Christmas is about giving. It's about a gift that was given to us and the giving that we need to do for others.”

Adams praises the woman who dons the Mrs. Santa Claus costume. “Lois is a wonderful human being, kind, generous. She's also pretty forbearing. She knows how to forgive easily and move on.” Asked if the toy giving will continue next year, Mrs. Claus says “if things go good, we will. Yes, we will.”

Her grandson says Thomas’ Toy Chest is an important part of her legacy. “She pulls it off really well, the Santa Claus. I mean, I think there's an element of my grandmother that's always been Mrs. Claus, and she always wanted to be Mrs. Claus. You know, she always wanted to help people. And I feel like she feels like that was her purpose here on Earth is to be Mrs. Claus and be helpful to everybody that she can, you know, help.”

This year the toy giving celebration was held on December 21st.

On that note, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

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