North Las Vegas employee gives the gift of Christmas

It started with a miracle.

It was 1976 and Serafin Calvo’s large family had moved from Mexico to Las Vegas the year before. His siblings told him Santa Claus didn’t know their new address.

“So they were kind of preparing us that we weren’t going to have a Christmas,” Calvo said.

Calvo, then 6 years old, knew from school and movies what Christmas was supposed to look like — the tree, the presents, the visit from Santa. His family, however, braced for a Christmas without.

Then came the knock on the door on Christmas Eve. Members of a local church carried in a decorated tree, food, clothing and gifts.

The next day, a young Calvo wondered if it was a dream, but everything was still there. As he looked outside, he saw bags of gifts for his family.

Calvo doesn’t remember what he got, but he does remember how it made him feel.

The presents came from an elderly neighbor on a fixed income named Helen Trexler.

She continued the tradition of buying the family presents for a few more years until she died, Calvo said.

What he saw and experienced that Christmas stuck with him, sending him on a decadeslong mission of giving to others.

“Her act of kindness has been the seed of all of this,” Calvo said.

Nearly 30 years of giving

By day, Calvo heads the parking services department for the city of North Las Vegas. But when the Christmas season comes around, he suits up as Santa, giving presents to those who could use a little extra cheer.

Calvo started his charitable tradition in 1992 after returning from a mission in South America on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The presents from Trexler had a lasting impression. He decided to help families who weren’t going to have a Christmas. It varies by year, but generally he tries to help about 10 families every year.

And he doesn’t exclusively help low-income families. Sometimes his family visits those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Sometimes it’s someone who has experienced trauma.

“So we’ve had a little bit of everything throughout the years,” he said.

Calvo solicits referrals for the families he helps. Sometimes they come from church, and other times from school. He accepts donations from generous people and organizations, but most of it comes from his family’s own pocket.

On average, he spends $800 to $1,000 a year, he said. And when his children were younger, they would voluntarily give up their big Christmas presents to help pay for the Santa visits.

‘Miracles within themselves’

Inevitably, Calvo’s visits draw attention.

“So we get rushed with all kinds of neighborhood kids,” he said. He brings extra presents for them, too.

He calls some of his experiences throughout the years “miracles within themselves.”

Like the boy who didn’t immediately rip into his present because receiving a wrapped gift was awesome enough. Or in 1997, when he visited the children of his best friend, who was gunned down weeks before Christmas.

“Because for that moment, they weren’t thinking about the loss of their dad,” he said.

Calvo has kept a low profile throughout the years, having never publicized his actions.

“It’s like Batman exposing himself or something,” he said. “I just didn’t feel comfortable doing it.”

This year is different, he said, because he is hoping to hear from someone who experienced a Santa visit in the past.

His privacy and modesty caught the attention of North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee.

“I just think it’s amazing,” Lee said. “I’ve never heard about this until this year.”

For Calvo, passing out presents was originally about helping his nieces and nephews understand the meaning of Christmas.

And Christmas is about the “ultimate gift,” according to Calvo.

“The gift that Christ gave us of life, love, hope,” he said. “And I really feel that it’s not just putting on this Santa suit, I really prepare mentally and spiritually before we go out and visit these families.”

Ask Calvo how long he plans to do this and he’ll respond without missing a beat.

“Until I pass away,” he said.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.