Boyd Applegate’s job is driving big-rig trucks. But his passion is Santa Claus.

Each Christmas Boyd dresses up as a “real-beard” Santa. He does it for love, not money–in more than 20 years he has never accepted payment for his services.

At StoryCorps, Boyd told his sister, Rhonda Dixon, how he got his start.

Boyd won the Goodyear Highway Hero Award in 1993 for saving 3 people from auto accidents.

Originally aired December 21, 2012 on NPR’s Morning Edition.