Every year on the day after Thanksgiving, Cohasset families look forward to seeing Santa and Mrs. Claus coming to town in nautical New England Christmas fashion — riding into Cohasset Harbor on a fishing boat.
“When they come in on the boat, the crowd goes crazy,” said South Shore Community Center program director Paula Murphy. “I didn’t realize how special a day it was until I saw the crowds myself.”
This happens every year during Cohasset’s Jingle Bell Walk. But this year, the event will be missing the Mrs. Claus who has become an institution in Cohasset.
After 16 years of serving the Cohasset community during the Jingle Bell Walk, Mary Brennock is hanging up her costume. Cohasset’s own Mrs. Claus spent even longer — six decades — playing the part alongside her late husband, Henry, spreading Christmas cheer throughout the greater Boston area.
“It’s very sad for me,” Brennock said of retiring as Mrs. Claus. “I enjoyed every minute I put into it. People referred to us and Mr. and Mrs. Claus a lot; we were just known that way.”
It is clear that Brennock’s presence will be missed.
“She epitomizes Mrs. Claus,” said Elaine Breslow, a friend whose children were babysat by Brennock and dressed as Santa’s elves during the Jingle Bell Walk. “And her husband was the best Santa.”
“All of us are really sad that Mary is unable to be ‘Mrs. Claus,’” said Murphy, “but we plan to honor the Brennock family by continuing this wonderful holiday tradition.”
Brennock’s tenure as Mrs. Claus began 61 years ago, said Brennock, when her children were little and she and Henry decided to dress up.
“My husband would get dressed up as soon as they went to bed,” Brennock recalled. “They were so little, they didn’t know it was him.”
After a while, requests from neighbors began pouring in, and Brennock and her husband began making house calls as their Christmas characters. The couple began acting as Mr. and Mrs. Claus for school events, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Elks Clubs and church functions from Quincy down to Plymouth. And, Brennock added, Santa and Mrs. Claus always performed for free.
“We never took a penny for it,” she said. “We did it for the love of Jesus and what Christmas was meant to be.”
Following Henry’s passing, Brennock relied on her children and grandchildren to continue the tradition. Her son Daniel and his son Daniel, along with her son-in-law William Taft, have all filled the Santa role a few times.
While Brennock will miss dressing up and playing the part each holiday season (and during a few special “Christmas in July” events in Humarock), her favorite part was sharing her joy with children, seeing “their little faces looking up at Santa.”
Brennock made all of the costumes by hand, from the Santa suit to her Mrs. Claus outfit and elf costumes for the children, all of which she has donated to the Community Center. “Mrs. Claus” especially loved leading the children in Christmas carols, Brennock shared.
Being Mrs. Claus “is so much a part of her heart,” said Breslow of Brennock. “She is an extraordinary person with a family of her own, but has always treated our kids as if they were her own grandkids… She’s the most unselfish person I know.”
Like the fabled Mrs. Claus, “You would never know her age,” Breslow continued. “She is so youthful and has an insatiable energy, whether creating amazing craft projects, baking or being available as a neighbor or friend… She has a capacity to get things done in a conclusive way.”
Breslow added that she is “really sad” to learn of Brennock’s retiring from the Mrs. Claus role “because I know what it means to her.”
And while her friend feels that Brennock “is so much more than a Mrs. Claus,” Breslow said, “She has such a twinkle in her eye. She just knows how to make people happy.”
As for putting so many years into making people happy, “It’s all about the kids,” said Brennock. “It’s a magical time of the year.”