With the holiday shopping season starting earlier every year, Santa Claus must also get a jump on his visits with children. The jolly fat man crossed off two places from his list Saturday with stops at the McCreary Community Building Saturday morning and the Woodward Community Center Saturday night.
Santa Claus made a big splash at the MCB, where free day passes also brought many visitors, who nibbled on holiday cookies while working on holiday crafts.
After spending the afternoon in an undisclosed location, Father Christmas visited Woodward for the city tree lighting and stayed around to meet children at the Woodward Social Center, where members of the Woodward Lions Club served hot chocolate, lemonade and yuletide sweets.
Woodward Lions Club President Paul Thompson, sporting reindeer antlers for the occasion, greeted Santa Claus and his manager, Nate Samples of Madrid, who has been assisting the northern gift giver for 10 years, donating Santa’s wages to a different charity every year. Last year’s beneficiary was Habitat for Humanity, and this year’s has yet to be determined, Samples said.
