Joy of Christmas

Santa Claus has visited The Marketplace mall many times before but never with such a grand entrance.

On Saturday, Kris Kringle arrived at the mall via helicopter, touching down at the north parking lot. Dressed in his traditional attire of black boots and a red suit lined with white fur with a matching cap, Santa waved a white-gloved hand at the families gathered to greet him.

Stepping out of the helicopter, he bellowed out a hearty “Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!”

The Marketplace annually hosts Santa’s arrival two weeks before Thanksgiving, and wanted to add a special attraction this year, said Kara Selke, the mall’s marketing director.

“This was kind of a fun way to bring him down,” she said.

Santa, a.k.a. Richard Garling of Canaseraga, Allegany County, then climbed into a horse-drawn wagon provided by Heberle Stables. Inside the wagon, he sat with 10 children who won the chance to ride with Santa via a contest sponsored by WRMM-FM (101.3). Children yelled with delight as the wagon took a spin around the parking lot, then dropped Santa off at the mall entrance.

A large house for Santa, coupled with sparkling Christmas trees and other decorations, stands near the east entrance of the mall. A line of about 80 people had already formed there waiting for him to arrive to take pictures with children.

For their picture, Cassie Glende, 5, of Chili sat on Santa’s left leg while her brother Alex, 8 months, took the other leg. While his sister smiled for the camera, Alex — dressed in a miniature Santa suit — took great interest in Garling’s long white beard and decided to pull it. Garling is one of four Santas who will be at The Marketplace through Dec. 24.

Tom Glende has taken his daughter to see Santa before, and Cassie let Santa know that, this year, a Hannah Montana guitar is high on her Christmas gift list.

There are some other toys she hopes to get “but I always forget stuff,” Cassie said, smiling.

Devon Hillman, 4, and his brother, Key’ontae Doughtery, 3 months, also took a photo with Saint Nick on Saturday. Devon uttered two words when asked his first pick for a Christmas gift: “Spiderman toys.”

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