For more than 30 years, the Hokendauqua Park and Playground Association (HPPA) and the Hokendauqua Fire Company have hosted Operation Santa Claus.

Two fire trucks with helper clowns, one rescue truck pulling Santa's sleigh and a supply van carrying more than a thousand oranges and bags of candy journey 12 miles, beginning at the fire company, winds its way through the streets of Hokendauqua. Throughout the trip, the caravan stops at the Hokendauqua American Legion and the Zephyr Senior Apartment complex before returning to the fire company.

"It's a tradition," said HPPA Secretary Bill Sabol. "If you see the smiles on the kids' faces, you'll know why we do it. We once had a thank you note from a senior citizen along the route who appreciates this yearly event and looks forward to it with anticipation and prays we keep it going."

This year's Operation Santa Claus, held Dec. 22, was bittersweet. Jerry Matika Sr., aka the "man in the big red suit," officially retired from playing the role of St. Nick, passing along his legacy to his son, Jerry Matika Jr. After playing Santa for 30 years, Matika Sr. felt it was time to hand over his Santa bells to his son.

"Thirty years is a long time for any event and Jerry's been our Santa for 30 years," Mike Frana, president of the HPPA, said.

Matika Sr., originally from Hokendauqua, started out as a clown in the event while he was a baseball coach and his sons were active in the association. After a few years, the gentleman who played Santa decided to trade in his suit to go deer hunting and needed a replacement. The association asked Matika Sr. and another coach if either one of them wanted to take over. Since the other coach knew the route, Matika Sr. became the next Santa.

"Jerry Matika was Santa Claus for as long as I can remember," Sabol said. "When Jerry is on that fire truck or in his sled behind the fire truck, he is always in character – he is Santa Claus, waving and wishing season's greetings to everyone he sees. My wife, who manages supplies organized in the van, always remembers what Matika Sr. told her one year. He said, 'You never know when a small child may see you … you never know when they may be looking out a window … you need to be ready.'"

Much like his father, Matika Jr. started out playing a clown in Operation Santa Claus while his father was Santa. As an adult, Matika Jr. became the route navigator, in charge of directing Santa's crew. This year, the Matikas swapped roles. Matika Jr. played Santa and his father navigated the trucks and crew.

This year is actually Matika Jr.'s second performance as Santa Claus. When Matika Jr. was 16, he stepped in for his father and wore the red suit at Operation Santa Claus.

"There were only two years in the past 30 where my father did not play Santa. One year my parents were given tickets for their wedding anniversary to see a show and I needed to step in and I've wanted to do it ever since, but Pops just didn't want to give it up," said Matika Jr. with a smile.

There was a year in the 1990s when Matika Sr. did not play Santa. Sadly, Operation Santa Claus was canceled that year, devastating Matika Sr.

"The adult clowns weren't going to be in the parade and I had no helpers," Matika Sr. said. "Without the clowns it was impossible to do. After the event was canceled, I heard that they would have helped me find some people to help out but by then it was too late. I swore that the next year I'd have the children, who were mostly preteens and teens, in the association, be the clowns and we would never skip again. It broke my heart to skip it. I told them, 'You enjoyed it when you were young, now it's time to give back to the little ones.'"

Matika Sr. has 30 years of great, funny stories and special memories to share. Years ago when they rode in the older fire trucks, Santa would ride on the top of the truck instead of inside the sleigh.

"There was this one time when I was waving at the children and the clowns were all snickering and laughing and pointing behind me," Matika Sr. said laughing. "I looked down to find my red pants around my ankles. With all the layers of clothing on that cold day, I never even noticed that my pants fell down. After that day, I never left home in my suit without a belt."

This year's Operation Santa was scheduled for Dec. 15, but due to a snowstorm the event was postponed till the following Sunday. Unfortunately, with the postponement, all the sleighs that were borrowed in previous years from other fire companies were taken. As a result, if the HPPA and fire company were to use a sleigh, they would have to build it themselves. So Dec. 16, the fire company, association and other volunteers came together to build and paint Santa's sleigh for its maiden voyage around Hokendauqua. Instead of a bad snowstorm, this year's voyage was unseasonably warm with a prediction of rain all day.

"We did get spritzed on a few times here and there, but not complaining since the forecast wanted 100 percent rain," Matika Jr. said. "The warmth of the day did take away a little for me though, considering there were clowns in shorts."

Along with a new sleigh, some other firsts occurred this year. Matika Jr. found a Santa and Mrs. Claus outfit. Matika Jr.'s wife Sheila accompanied her husband on the sleigh.

Operation Santa Claus has always been a family event. Matika Sr.'s mother made the clown suits that are still used today and his wife Kathy made sure Santa had a nice warm dinner after the event. It became a tradition for her to serve her husband a delicious turkey noodle soup to which he looked forward at the close of the event each year.

"My Mom always made Dad soup," Matika Jr. said "I would drop Dad off at the end of the night and pick up Chinese food on my way home for me. So, I wanted to keep my tradition this year and get Chinese Sunday night."

Sheila and Jerry Matika Jr.'s children Matthew, 16, and Kayla, 9, also participated in this year's event. This year was Kayla's Operation debut, serving as a clown on the sleigh with her parents. Kayla knows her parents are Santa's helpers assigned the special task of delivering candy and oranges to children. Perhaps one day in the future, Matthew will become the next Santa.

Jerry and Sheila recalled a time when Matthew realized for the very first time that Santa might actually be his grandfather.

"He stood on the side of the road waving to Santa Claus and when Santa handed him a present, his sleeve rolled back revealing his wristwatch," Matika Jr. said. "He looked so upset and when we asked him what was wrong, he said 'I think that was Pop Pop, I saw his watch.'"

It looks like Matika Sr. still has some explaining to do even this year. He has a 7-year-old granddaughter who lives with him and she asked her grandfather to go out and greet Santa's sleigh with her this year.

"She told me before I left, that this year she wants me to be home to go out and see Santa Claus with her since I'm never there with her when Santa comes around in the fire truck," Matika Sr. said. "Guess I'll have to tell her I had to help out Santa again."

One of the saddest things for Matika Sr. was putting the suit away each year after Operation Santa Claus ended.

"It was always sad to say goodbye to Santa for a year, so I started finding ways to make the magic continue by volunteering at Christmas parties and events," he said. "I used to work for USAir and I often wore my suit Christmas Eve to spread cheer at the airport. I always had fun with it."

Like father, like son, Matika Jr.'s debut was quite successful. Matika Sr. was a great navigator and the crew even added a surprise stop at a local church where photos were taken with Santa Claus.

"One of the firefighters asked me to put a 'little scare' into his little guy that has been misbehaving," Matika Jr. said. "I am always nice to people so that was a little hard, but I think I did it well."

Just like his father, Matika Jr. was also sad to bid farewell to the suit for the year.

"I'm definitely bummed it's over," he said. "I'm sure as the word gets out I'll be asked to play more elsewhere. When I filled in at 16, my buddy's mom wanted me to play Santa at her family Christmas party because most of the kids knew the Santa the years before. We stumped them and they had no clue who Santa could be. All the uncles were accounted for. My wife and I decorate our house each year and we stood out last year on a Saturday night just waving to traffic. This year's schedule did not permit this, but maybe next year."

Both Matika Sr and Matika Jr. are thankful the HPPA and the Hokendauqua Fire Company allow them to continue the Christmas tradition, since they aren't technically members of either organization anymore.

"We are very lucky to still be a part of this," Matika Jr. said. "Passion has driven us to continue doing this for the children in the community. Christmas is such a major thing in my family and always has been a special part of our lives. To this day, I find that I'm that adult that still believes in the magic of Christmas and that having a Santa is really possible."