On Saturday, Dec. 7 and Sunday, Dec. 8, Downtown Auburn hosted a long-awaited Santa Claus. This Christmas celebrity made his annual stop by Toomer’s Corner to meet some of the kids from town.
Sunday morning brought a special opportunity to the Auburn community. Getting brunch, starting Christmas shopping and meeting Santa was a popular plan among families.
The event this Sunday started at 10 a.m. and concluded at 1:30 p.m. During these hours, families stood in line and children awaited sitting in Santa's lap.
“It's a tradition we've done since [my daughter] was nine months old," said Michelle Davis, an Auburn local.
The weather was perfect for the children to play, and many played hide and seek throughout downtown.
“I think it's awesome because everyone's kind of running around and excited, and when you get to see Santa, it's all special. So, I think it's a cool event that they do, and it's appreciated that it's free too. So that’s awesome for families,” said Taylor Shirley, a worker for Auburn University's athletic department.
Santa sat in a holiday-decorated chair with Samford Hall in the background so that the Auburn spirit would be reflected in the photos. Parents take pictures of their kids meeting the same Santa each year.
“We love Auburn. This is the best way then to have Christmas here at Auburn on Toomer’s Corner and have Santa and Samford Hall in the background,” Shirley said.
This event was one of many created by the Auburn Downtown Merchants Association to raise funds for the United Way. This event not only fosters community spirit, but also inspires charitable actions.
“It just brings everyone together. It's like a community, because everyone comes out, you get to spend time with your family, and so it's just, I think it builds a lot of relationships. I think it's really important,” Shirley said.
For the kids, they get to meet their idol in person. The event offers an opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime.
Evan Harsh, another Auburn local, commented on how special these types of events were for his daughter. He said that kids get to see Santa on TV often, so seeing him in person was a very original idea.
The event wrapped up with Santa’s farewell. He ended this Christmas event by waving goodbye to the children and taking notes for his naughty and nice chart before his long journey back to the North Pole.
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