Meet Nick L. Klaus: Amberlight Valley’s Very Own Santa
There’s something about Nick L. Klaus that feels both familiar and extraordinary. The kind of presence that makes you wonder if what you just witnessed was pure coincidence… or a touch of magick.
Nick didn’t just arrive wrapped in red and ready for Christmas. He came to life while I was writing Hashtag Blessed and The Christmas Witch, becoming a foundational figure across the Amberlight Valley stories. I wanted someone who could exist in both worlds — where the magick might be metaphorical (Hashtag Blessed) or fully alive (The Christmas Witch, Lost in Time, The Secrets of Starlight Lake). Nick stands right in that liminal space, walking the line between wonder and reality.
James Kirkland as Nick L. Klaus and Paige Freeman Hoover as Cerridwen Baelfyre in The Christmas Witch.
The Santa Who Evolved With the Times
Nick isn’t your typical bowl-full-of-jelly Santa. He’s tall, healthy, and timelessly handsome… a mix of Victorian nostalgia and hipster steampunk flair. Think of a man who understands tradition but isn’t afraid to move with the times. He’s joyful and jolly, yes, but grounded and human too.
Unlike the Santa we grew up with, Nick doesn’t have a Mrs. Klaus waiting by the fire. In Hashtag Blessed, he shares a sweet connection with Grandma Maribel, full of warmth and playfulness. But his true love? Lady Befana Rathcroghan — the woman who truly captured his heart.
For Nick, generosity isn’t just about gifts… it’s the pulse of his world. He can sense intentions, feel energy, and yet he chooses to see the best in people. He’s an idealist in the truest sense: believing that a little good can go a very long way.
Joel Christopher Payne as Nick L. Klaus in Hashtag Blessed.
The Name Behind the Legend
“Nick L. Klaus” came from a spark of humor and homage, a playful nod to the name Nikolaus and St. Nicholas himself. When I began outlining both Hashtag Blessed and The Christmas Witch back in 2018, the name appeared and simply stayed. It felt right… a little wink to tradition, a little magick of its own.
If I could describe his heart in three words, they would be: Golden. Vast. Fatherly.
Lux Elizabeth as Mary Lassner, Jayde Martinez as Morgan Asarligt, Brooklyn Summer as Brigid Baelfyre, and James Kirkland as Nick L. Klaus in The Christmas Witch.
The Soul of Amberlight Valley
Like the valley itself, we don’t truly know how long Nick has been around… only that he’s woven into its very fabric. He’s part secret, part guardian, part friend. A quiet constant. The kind of presence you can rely on, even if you can’t explain why.
If someone were to tell Nick they’d lost their holiday spirit, he’d probably smile and say something like:
“Even a string of lights with all but one bulb working can still bring light into the dark. But it’s up to us to let it shine.”
That’s his way — gentle, wise, and cryptic in the most comforting way.
Avery Lynn as Avery, Isabella Blake Thomas as Jessi and Joel Christopher Payne as Nick L. Klaus in Hashtag Blessed.
The Scenes That Define Him
During filming for The Christmas Witch, we shot a moment that captures Nick’s essence perfectly — a scene where he’s browsing the Apothecary, searching for something special, for a special person. It’s funny, charming, tender, and layered, leading into a beautifully tragic scene later in the film. That quiet compassion, the depth behind his eyes… that’s 100% Nick L. Klaus.
And his tenderness isn’t limited to The Christmas Witch. In Hashtag Blessed, Nick’s heart shows up the moment he meets Jessi outside the grocery store. Her bag rips, groceries scattering across the pavement, and while she’s venting about how expensive life has become, he simply kneels beside her and helps gather everything up. He walks her to her car with that warm, knowing energy he carries, then gently asks where her Christmas spirit has gone.
When Jessi admits she lost it the day she lost both her parents, Nick offers one of his quietly profound truths… that the people we love never truly leave us, and that our Christmas spirit can always be dusted off and shined back up. It’s a small moment, but a deeply defining one.
That’s Nick L. Klaus: compassion wrapped in wisdom, always arriving right when someone needs him most.
Creating Nick has deepened how I see Christmas, and community. He reminds me that even in the darkest moments, there’s always a spark of magic waiting to be found. Hope still lives in the small things: in laughter, kindness, and the belief that light can return.
✨ Nick L. Klaus isn’t just Amberlight Valley’s Santa… he’s its heartbeat. A reminder that faith, magick, and love all come from the same place: the courage to keep believing.
🕯️ Wander into Amberlight and beyond—sign up for updates, secrets, and the occasional enchanted surprise.
