The format has changed, but everything else is the same as the Highland County Senior Citizens Center prepares to host its annual Breakfast With Santa, The Grinch and Frozen-like Friends on Saturday, Dec. 2.
Rather than one big event for everyone, this year there will be five 90-minute time slots for those attending to choose from – 8 to 9:30 a.m., 10 to 11:30 a.m., noon to 1:30 p.m., 2 to 3:30 p.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m.
“We’re only selling 100 tickets per time slot to reduce the crowd size,” Senior Center Executive Director Mechell Frost said. “The last three years or so we sold 500 tickets before the event started. This will allow 500 to still attend, but the lines to see Santa Claus will be a lot shorter and kids will have more ability to move around and enjoy different things.”
Because tickets went on sale Nov. 1, Frost said that as of Wednesday afternoon there were fewer than 20 tickets remaining for the 10 to 11:30 a.m. time slot, fewer than 40 tickets left for the 8 to 9:30 a.m. time slot, and some tickets have already been sold in all the other time slots.
The cost is $7 for children and adults, while kids 11 months old and younger will be admitted free. Since the event has several sponsors, all proceeds benefit the senior center.
The breakfast menu includes scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, and a drink.
Kids receive a 4-inch by 6-inch photo with Santa Claus, get to make a short Christmas video, can visit with Frozen-like characters in the Frozen room, make reindeer food and watch it be sent through a special elevator up to Santa’s reindeer, play games, help decorate a life-size gingerbread house, visit with Santa and the Grinch in a room decorated with 30 lighted Christmas trees, and decorate Christmas cookies. They also get to watch video of reindeer munching on the reindeer food they made (use your imagination freely, said Frost).
“It’s something unique about our event. Our roof is flat and it’s a perfect landing strip for Santa and his reindeer,” Frost said. “You cannot see them, but they will be there. It’s all part of Santa’s magic.”
For an extra fee there will be scoops of UDF ice cream for sale and raffles to enter. There will also be a Christmas tree decorated with sets of toboggans and gloves that have characters on them and can be purchased for $2 each.
Highland County Toys for Tots will be on hand for anyone who would like to donate an item. Toys and other items should be new and unwrapped.
The main sponsor for the event is Fifth Third Bank, with Walgreens, Heartland of Hillsboro, Wilmington Nursing and Rehabilitation, Wilson Realty and John Knechtly of Edward Jones serving as co-sponsors.
Tickets can be purchased from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the senior center, 185 Muntz St., Hillsboro, or online at highlandseniors.com with a 50-cent processing fee.
For more information, call the center at 937-393-4745.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522 or [email protected].
