It starts as 48x4x8 block of wood, but when Norman Altman sits behind his work bench in Syracuse, he sees Santa Claus in the raw material. Each year, Norman Altman hand-carves and paints wooden ...

Blake Lunsford sharpens his knives for Santa Claus. This woodcarver fashions Saint Nick figurines all year long, transforming bare wood into intricate faces of Kris Kringle with joy and delight ...

He's been carving Santa Claus figurines for 27 years. He also creates snowmen and angels -- all starting from a simple block of wood.

Mary Ida Doan, another iconic Mrs. Claus who has run the Bay City Santa House for the past 57 years, said losing Karen Pratt was "terribly sad." "She just glowed all the time," Doan said.

A lifesize Santa Claus is a figurine that is as tall as a child or adult. Typically, Santa decorations that are considered lifesize measure anywhere from 3-6 feet tall when standing.

QUESTION: My mom bought this Santa Claus figure in Illinois years ago. It once stood in the store front of an old department store that was in the town square.

Give Jim Calkins a piece of wood and a carving knife and he's a happy man. He's been carving Santa Claus figurines for 27 years. He also creates snowmen and angels -- all starting from a simple ...