Groton’s Santa Claus [VIDEO]

Maybe it’s the blue eyes, glasses and long white beard, but when Eldon Ivy goes shopping, children sometimes stare at him.

Ivy, 76, will dress in the red suit for 120 people and more than 50 children at the 8 a.m. annual breakfast with Santa on Saturday at the Groton Senior Center.

This is the first year he’s played the role, but strangers already ask him if he's Santa.

“I’ve had little kids turn around and look at me,” Ivy said.

Ivy's a retired machinist from Naval Submarine Base New London and has lived in Groton for more than 40 years. When his children were little, he played Santa at Mary Morrisson Elementary School.

Now he has seven grandchildren, ranging in age from 5 to 22.

“He’s got the white beard, white hair, he’s got everything,” said Irene Graham, who will take photos Saturday. “And we’ve got a beautiful suit for him.”

Three women from Groton Club 55 went shopping Tuesday with $300, and bought trucks, princess crowns, teething rings and inflatable sleds for the 50 children they knew were attending. The women picked up McDonald’s gift certificates for the older kids.

Julia Willis, one of the members of Club 55 who shopped, said she loves the children’s reactions when they see Santa.

“Some cry, some don’t. Some get boisterous,” she said. The senior center is serving pancakes, bacon and orange juice, but most of the children won’t eat, Willis said. The parents end up eating instead.

Linda Punsalan-Abdifar, 56, will play Mrs. Claus, also for the first time. She and Ivy don’t know each other.

Punsalan-Abdifar, also of Groton, said she doesn’t know exactly what she'll say as Mrs. Claus. But she’s looking forward to the role.

“I’ll wing it,” she said. “I love kids."