The Heart Behind the Red Dress

Willowa French Sprinkles Holiday Magic at Billings’ Brightest Tradition

In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, Willowa French undergoes quite the transformation. With Holiday Nights as her backdrop — the Christmas experience that transforms ZooMontana into a winter wonderland with millions of lights and large-scale displays — Willowa quietly puts on a velvet red dress, grabs her wire rimmed glasses, her white wig and, of course, her smile. At this moment, she’s no longer Willowa. She’s Mrs. Claus, spreading cheer with a twinkle in her eye and a heart full of love.

“My favorite thing is seeing the smiles and happiness it brings to not only the kids, but the adults as well,” Willowa says.

It was a chance encounter at ZooMontana that sparked her Claus calling. Holiday Nights had just launched at the Zoo in 2022 and its director, Josh Benson, met Willowa as she came to volunteer. He mentioned offhandedly that they were looking for a Mrs. Claus to pair with their jolly Santa volunteer. “I thought, ‘why not?’” Willowa says with a laugh. “I’ve always loved working with kids and spending time with my grandkids. This felt like it was meant to be!”

Willowa grew up in Colstrip, the daughter of a road construction worker who traveled with his family all over the state of Montana. She spent time living in Oregon and eventually returned to Montana with her three sons and their families. It was here that she reconnected with her high school sweetheart. They married in 2024, and her husband, is tickled with her holiday side gig. “He thinks it’s pretty cool that he’s married to Mrs. Claus!”

That first season, Willowa arrived at the Zoo on a frosty November evening, fully dressed in her costume. The next year, she got ready on site, and last year Mrs. Claus even had her own personal dressing room. Her costume is classic Christmas, with a long red dress, fur collar, and a perfectly coiffed white wig. Unlike the sometimes-stiff portrayals of holiday icons, Willowa embodies Mrs. Claus as a warm, approachable matriarch with a Montana twist. From tiny babes in strollers to grandparents seeking holiday magic with their grandkids, Willowa welcomes each one.

“It just melts my heart. I do it for the kids,” she says.

One family formed a particularly special bond. Her first year as Mrs. Claus, Willowa remembers greeting a young boy with his family. She noticed the boy looked distracted and sad. After asking what was wrong, the tears started to flow. “I didn’t get to tell Santa what I want for Christmas,” the boy told her.

Expecting a list filled with toys or games, Willowa was moved to tears herself when the youngster said, “My mom has cancer, and all I want for Christmas is for her to be okay.” Willowa glanced over at his dad, who also had tears in his eyes. In true Mrs. Claus fashion, she held the young boy’s hand and said, “I’m going to talk to Santa for you, and we will pray that your mom is going to be okay!”

The next year, the family returned with news that outshined the brightness of the holiday lights. Mom was in remission. “I still get goosebumps,” Willowa says. And, the boy promised to come back every year to visit her, no matter how old he is.

Over the years, Willowa’s role has evolved with the event. Mrs. Claus now has her own craft room, where younger visitors will find crayons and coloring pages and older kids can create beaded necklaces to bring home. Guests of all ages are invited to decorate a sugar cookie, and Willowa makes sure the whole family gets involved.

“It’s a great way for families to spend time together during a busy season,” she says. Many of the children think Mrs. Claus baked the cookies just for them, telling her, “You’re such a good baker,” as they’re captivated by the array of sprinkles and frosting before them.

Every evening at Holiday Nights ends with Santa thrilling the crowd from his bright red sleigh. And there, by his side, Mrs. Claus helps him sprinkle a little holiday magic with every wink and wave, a reminder that Christmas lives wherever hearts believe. With her ever-present smile, Willowa keeps the Magic City glowing, one wide-eyed child at a time.

Capture the Magic

Holiday Nights kicks off November 28

Holiday Nights draws more than 24,000 visitors annually, and runs from Nov. 28 through Dec. 31. To learn more or to buy tickets for this year’s event, go online to visit holiday-nights.com