It's hard to tell whether Idaho Springs man Bill Lee is the real Santa Claus. Certainly, he has the bushy beard of white whiskers. And his closet is stocked with red suits — five of them, to be exact. He has nine reindeer, too, all suitably named. So it's hard to say for sure whether Lee is the real Santa.

Lee certainly won't. After years of appearances as Kris Kringle at Summit County parties and holiday events, the man who may or may not be Santa has gotten pretty good at handling the question of authenticity.

“I never admit it,” Lee said. “No matter how much you get cornered, you don't admit to being the real Santa.”

Lee, who recently arrived by horse-drawn carriage to lead the lighting of Breckenridge, has appeared as Kris Kringle and his many variations for 31 seasons at locations all over Colorado. He might make more than 100 appearances in a given season, talking with and taking the Christmas lists of countless children.

Over the years he has fielded requests from kids for everything from ponies to good grades. Of course, even a gift-giving master like Santa Claus has his limitations, Lee said.

“What I always tell children is, Santa can't bring everything,” Lee said. “It's just like when the Bronco players that sit on my lap want me to bring them victory. (I) can't bring those kind of things. Some things, like victories and good grades, you have to earn on your own.”

Then, from time to time, there are kids who ask for gifts that would be impossible to manufacture in a workshop or pack into a sleigh. Lee said he has had children ask to have deployed parents home for the holidays, separated parents reconcile or sick loved ones recover.

“Almost every year there are some really touching things and sometimes it's hard to answer,” Lee said.

Lee's debut in the red suit was in a high school Christmas play when he was only 20 years old. Even then, he said, people commented on how perfect he was for the role, with his twinkling blue eyes. Years later, he began appearing at malls and parties around the holidays as a way of making a little extra money for his own son's Christmas. His first appearance as Santa in Summit County was at Keystone Resort, ice skating with children.

For some families, visiting “Santa Bill” became a tradition year after year and, eventually, the children grew up and began bringing their own kids to see him.

These days, Lee and his reindeer have settled down a little south of the North Pole, at a ranch in Idaho Springs. Lee named the property Laughing Valley Ranch, after the peaceful place in the Rocky Mountains where L. Frank Baum's book, “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus,” has Santa building his home as a young man.

Lee is well aware of the many legends as well as cultural and religious connotations that surround Santa Claus. But, for him, the idea of Santa is simple and universal.

“I have many different names, Kris Kringle, Papa Noel” Lee said. “Santa emphasizes that he's there to reward kids for being good kids. And (to) share love and give gifts to others.”

And the very best part of the job?

“Letting children really believe,” Lee said.

But, the question remains: Is Bill Lee the real Santa Claus? Those who are curious are welcome to pay him a visit and have a tug on his whiskers. But he says, no one ever really knows for sure until the gifts are unwrapped on Christmas morning.