How WWE Hall of Fame legend Mick Foley found the spirit of Christmas—and why Annalee dolls have been part of the journey for more than half a century.
If you happened to be strolling through the Annalee Gift Shop this past June, you might have done a double-take. Sitting comfortably in a massive wooden Santa throne, right next to a six-foot-tall Annalee Santa doll, was a burly man with long, flowing silver-streaked curls and an unmistakable, radiant smile.
He looked exactly like Santa Claus on summer vacation. He wore a festive, bright flowing Christmas-themed shirt over a vibrant T-shirt from Santa’s Village theme park, paired with bold red pants.
To the uninitiated, this jolly, soft-spoken man is Michael Francis Foley. To millions of pop-culture and sports-entertainment fans worldwide, he is Mick Foley, “The Hardcore Legend”—a world wrestling hall of famer who built a terrifying legacy by surviving Hell in a Cell matches, being thrown into beds of barbed wire, and walking through physical chaos. He is the man who inhabited the Three Faces of Foley: the bloodthirsty Cactus Jack, the masochistic Mankind, and the tie-dye-wearing hippie Dude Love.
But on this sunny afternoon at the Annalee Dolls headquarters, there were no trash cans, steel chairs, or barbed wire in sight. Instead, Mick was surrounded by felt dolls full of smiles and pure holiday magic.
At first glance, the pairing seems completely at odds. How does a man who gave his blood, sweat, and teeth to a grueling physical career become a passionate, lifelong collector of Annalee dolls—celebrated for their whimsical characters, nostalgic family traditions, and delicate, flexible felt designs?
If you look closer at the man behind the personas, you quickly realize: Mick Foley has actually been this way the entire time.
A Childhood Tradition Born in New Hampshire
Long before he was headlining WrestleMania, young Mick was just a kid eagerly anticipating holiday visits to his relatives in New England from his family home on Long Island.
“I think my earliest memories of Christmas would be when I was three” Mick says, leaning back into his Santa throne with a nostalgic gleam in his eye. “Just getting to the point where I could understand the concept of who Santa Claus was. I always appreciated that most people tended to be kinder, gentler, and more patient around the holidays. It brought out the best in most people, and I know it brought out the best in my mom and dad.”
That family warmth was scored by a very specific soundtrack, which still resonated with Mick today. “My dad especially loved Christmas music,” Mick recalls. “That’s when the stack of records came out. One would drop and you’d have Perry Como replaced by Nat King Cole. These were really worn and well-loved records. In my memories, the scratches and pops were just as beautiful as the music.”
It was during those childhood family road trips to New England that the Foley family first discovered Annalee dolls. Every year, Mick’s parents would stock up on the distinctively joyful felt creations. By the time Mick grew up, he inherited a massive, cherished assortment of vintage 1970s Annalee pieces from his parents.
“Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly what storage units they’re in right now,” Mick chuckles, ever playful. “So, I decided it would be in my best interest just to build a brand-new collection!”
Today, his Annalee collection stretches from vintage finds discovered on eBay to the newest handcrafted creations from Meredith, New Hampshire. His emotional connection to Annalee designs is immediate and unmistakable. Foley understands exactly why.
“It’s whimsical,” he said. One word. Then he smiled. “I don’t know if you need to say anything more.”
Whimsy is difficult to manufacture. It comes from authenticity. Foley believes that’s exactly what Annalee founder Annalee Thorndike created more than nine decades ago—not by trying to be different, but simply by following her own artistic vision.
“She had an incredible style,” Mick states firmly.
Whether it’s an elf, a mouse, a Santa, or a sleepy-eyed reindeer, each carries its own personality. Each design isn’t simply a decoration. It’s a memory. He describes Annalee’s expressive faces “as beautiful works of art.” A combination of craftsmanship and nostalgia that continues to resonate and catch his attention. They’re also what continue to capture his heart.
From the Wrestling Ring to Millionaire’s Hot Seat
While Mick spent the 1990s dominating the wrestling world, his private passion for Christmas and Annalee never waned. In fact, his love for the dolls accidentally became national television news in 2001.
Mick was a celebrity contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, sitting across from the legendary host Regis Philbin. When Regis asked him about the rumors of a dedicated “Christmas Room” in his house, Mick proudly defended his favorite collectibles on prime-time television.
“I found myself saying the words, ‘I’ve got these Annalee mobility figures.’ I said, ‘They’re mobility figures, Regis, they’re not dolls!’” He grins at the memory. “Even though, you know, they are dolls,” Mick laughs, shaking his head. “I admit it now—I play with dolls!”
The folks at Annalee happened to be watching that night. Thrilled to see a WWE champion championing their brand, they reached out to send Mick a care package.
“What’s crazy is that at the time, I wasn’t actually crazy about the elves,” Mick confesses with a grin. “I ended up giving away or donating a few of them. And now? The elves make up a huge, massive part of my year-round winter scenes!”
Step Inside the Annalee Santa Claus Cabin
Mick doesn’t just collect Annalee dolls; he builds immersive worlds for them. His ultimate holiday canvas is an authentic, early-1800s log cabin located in the appropriately named town of Santa Claus, Indiana. Yes, it’s a real town!
Mick had long been fascinated by historic log homes, and Santa Claus, Indiana, was the only town in America where he kept regular real estate alerts active. When the 1,200-square-foot historic oak cabin popped up on the market, Mick bought it sight unseen.
“It is impenetrable,” Mick explains, leaning forward with genuine awe. “The previous owner told me that to cut out a section of the log for a rear door, it took him six specialty saw blades and two chainsaws. The wood is so old it’s practically petrified. It won’t even burn. I believe it will stand for centuries to come.” You might say that’s the perfect place to house special Annalee collectibles.
Inside this indestructible fortress of holiday cheer, Mick’s floating shelves and table displays are completely dedicated to his Annalee collection. He has painstakingly built a massive, year-round winter wonderland.
“I want people to feel like they are engaged in an actual moment,” he explains. “In my larger scene, we’ve got two sledding hills and a skating pond. I have the hand-carved sleigh and seven of the 16-inch Annalee reindeer. The little creatures—the squirrels, the chipmunks, and the mice… oh, the mice are amazing! They aren’t anticipating Santa’s arrival; they are actively celebrating it. There are even cotton snowball fights flying through the air.”
Every era of Annalee history lives harmoniously in Mick’s cabin. A quick look at his recent eBay purchase history shows him bidding on 1960s skating mice, a 1992 mouse stocking, 2006 reindeer, and a 22-inch vintage 1971 reindeer.
“I love the faces, and I love the fact that they are all different,” Mick says, discussing the artistic traits of Annalee Thorndike. “And I just ordered that 22-inch reindeer because its eyes were closed, and it gives it such a gentle, different feeling. I also found a beautiful mouse angel from the late ’60s on eBay. The minute I saw that face, I knew I needed it for the top of my smaller tree. Annalee pieces work seamlessly with each other across generations.”
Mick is delightfully meticulous. “I’m the only person I have to please,” he says.
Yet the displays aren’t created simply because they look beautiful. They’re built because of how they make him feel. “When I open that door,” Foley said quietly, “I’m kind of in a safe place where I relive my childhood and think happy thoughts.”
That single sentence explains nearly everything.
Inhabiting the Spirit of Santa Claus
The contrast between Mick’s violent wrestling persona and his gentle holiday spirit isn’t a contradiction at all—it’s part of who he is. Throughout his career, much of Mick’s life has been quietly dedicated to bringing joy to children. From volunteering with Camp Adventure to help kids coping with cancer, to doing extensive work with the Make-a-Wish Foundation, visiting wounded troops in military hospitals, and helping fund schools in remote areas of the Philippines, Mexico, and Sierra Leone, Mick has always carried a servant’s heart.
After retiring from the physical toll of the ring, he decided to fully lean into that kindness. He went to a professional Santa school at the International University of Santa Claus and fully immersed himself in the traditions of St. Nick—a journey chronicled in his memoir, Saint Mick, and the documentary, I Am Santa Claus.
To Mick, there is an absolute parallel between the spirit of Santa Claus and the magic of an Annalee doll.
“Oh, yeah,” Mick says without hesitation. “As soon as I see Annalee, I think Christmas. They represent a nice reminder of how simple and kind life can be.”
He notes that his wrestling characters required him to be tougher, meaner, and scarier than he ever was in real life. Portraying Santa Claus allows him to do the exact opposite.
“Portraying Santa means inhabiting a character who is kinder, gentler, and more patient than I am,” Mick says softly. “I take that very seriously. Every visit I make has to be the best it can be. Part of my job when I go is to make adults feel like children again. I love the idea of creating some magic for families.”
Creating His Own Annalee Design
Near the end of our talk, Foley was asked what kind of Annalee design he would create if given the opportunity. His answer wasn’t a wrestler. It wasn’t Santa. It wasn’t even himself. He imagined a four-year-old child in pajamas, eyes wide with wonder, holding a Christmas gift. He’d like to see a design where “the magic of Christmas reflected in his eyes.”
In many ways, he was describing himself. The little boy visiting Santa’s Village. The child discovering Annalee for the first time. The father creating Christmas memories for his own children. The grandfatherly Santa continuing to spread joy long after the wrestling matches ended. Every version of Mick Foley traces back to that same childlike wonder.
Spreading Love, One Whimsical Smile at a Time
It was time for Mick to explore the Annalee Gift Shop to stock up on more dolls to expand his Christmas cabin displays. We let him go with one final, poignant question.
As a man who has entertained millions, sacrificed his body for his fans, visited countless children as Santa, and built a breathtaking collection of holiday treasures—what do his Annalee dolls remind him that Christmas is really all about?
Mick smiled softly, his eyes widening with that signature sense of wonder.
“Love,” he said simply. “Where you have Santa, you have love. And where there’s love, you find God. It’s just a reminder that this is a special time.”
Mick Foley may have earned his fame as a “Hardcore Legend,” but in his heart, he is a champion of joy, a protector of childhood wonder, and perhaps the biggest cheerleader Annalee Dolls has ever had. He isn’t just talking the talk—he’s walking the walk, one whimsical felt smile at a time.
Mick’s Advice for New Collectors
Thinking about starting your own Annalee collection? The Legend himself has a warning for you:
“Do it. But be prepared—it is highly addictive! My parents built their collection one piece at a time, a couple of figures at a time. Start small, find the faces that speak to you, and let the magic take over your home.”
“Nothing says Christmas like an old-fashioned Annalee Christmas tree!” says Santa Claus (aka Mick Foley) from the Annalee Christmas Cabin in Santa Claus, Indiana.
Want to bring a touch of Mick Foley’s favorite holiday magic into your own home? Explore our iconic Christmas Collections and find the perfect whimsical face to start your own family tradition today!
