With sleigh bells in hand and bellowing a hearty “Ho-Ho-Ho!” Santa Claus descended upon the first house on his list in Alameda. With his trusty Elf in tow, they were scheduled to make a special delivery for Xuan and Vyla at their home on Sherman Street at 5 p.m. sharp on Saturday evening. Overjoyed at Santa’s arrival, the two children took seats on either side of Saint Nick and hastily opened their presents. Adults snapped photos as Santa belted the lyrics to “Holly Jolly Christmas,” goading all around to join in on the fun and caroling. Too soon, Santa announced his departure with seven more houses to visit in the evening.
Santa’s home visits in Alameda are part of an annual tradition organized by the Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD). For nearly 50 years, families have been able to schedule a visit on the weekend before Christmas, when Santa Claus will drop by, deliver gifts, and pose for memorable pictures. This past weekend, ARPD staff dressed as the beloved Christmastime figure paired with a cheerful Elf to conduct 31 home visits and bring presents to more than 100 children.
For Tristan Wiley and Heather Demarest, Saturday night was not their first “sleigh ride.” Both have portrayed their respective roles as Santa and Elf before, though this was the first time they had been paired together. Wiley, a lifelong Alamedan and recent graduate from California State University, Chico, said he sought out the chance to dress up again this winter. “To be able to bring smiles to children’s faces—it makes me smile, too!” Demarest nodded in agreement, and both expressed a deep gratitude at the chance to go above and beyond to bring joy and cheer to families of all ages and backgrounds around the city.
As Demarest navigated the sleigh—or, rather, the large ARPD van—to the next stop, Wiley memorized names and checked the appearances of both their outfits. At one of the largest gatherings of the night, 16-year-old Sith laughed as he was handed a roll of sushi in front of his family’s brightly lit Christmas display of inflatable cartoon characters. “We don’t get much sushi back home in Bakersfield,” quipped the teen as he explained his enthusiasm.
For some, this will be their first Christmas season to remember. Eighteen-month-old Sofia looked bewildered as she was placed on Santa’s lap, prompting Santa, Elf, parent, and reporter alike to make noise and sing songs to make her smile, but to little avail. Only when the entire family was posing with Santa did little Sofia finally feel ready for her picture.
ARPD will conduct Virtual Santa Visits on December 21 and 22 for eleven families. More information on the program can be found on the City’s Santa’s Virtual Visits web page.
Ken Der is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact him via [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Ken-Der.
