As the toy making industry has hit the dog days of the offseason, Santa Claus thought now would be a good time to take a vacation and visit some of his favorite places in the world.
One of the many stops on his itinerary includes Eudora.
Santa will make a special appearance at Main Street Scoops and Sweets from 6-8 p.m. Aug. 10 at an event hosted by the Eudora Times.
Eudora Times Publisher Teri Finneman said she is thrilled her friends at St Nick Services put in a good word about Eudora to Santa.
The event will be open to the public to take pictures and talk with Santa, but The Times is asking for a $10 donation for the newspaper and one item for the food pantry from those who attend who can afford it to help support the newspaper and those in need.
“We’re glad that Santa appreciates the importance of local news and is helping us with this fundraising event to help the newspaper,” Finneman said. “In turn, we also want to give back and spread the Christmas spirit by helping the food pantry.”
Santa said he is excited to see all the Eudora children and their families this summer as well as help the community any way he can while he is in town.
“It feels great to be here. I’ll be other places as well. As Mrs. Claus is fond of saying, ‘Santa is always somewhere, but Santa is never everywhere, and you never know where he is going to be,’” Santa said. “It’s almost like Eudora chose me. This is a wonderful town with wonderful people. They were having a gathering and someone let us know at the North Pole and my scheduling office said, ‘Santa, you ought to stop and see them when you’re going across the Midwest.’”
Main Street Scoops and Sweets owner Stacie Blubaugh said she was thrilled when she got word Santa was going to make a stop at the ice cream shop.
“I guess he is needing something cool while he’s on vacation to keep him cool, so we’ll do our best to accommodate that,” she said. “We’re very excited. We’re looking forward to it.”
Santa said he enjoys ice cream in the summer just about as much as he enjoys cookies during the winter.
“My ice cream flavors are much like my cookies,” Santa said. “I have a very favorite one and anytime somebody asks, I tell them it’s all of them. They’re all my favorite. Ho ho ho!”
Due to the summer heat, Santa won’t have the same look as he typically does when he is delivering toys.
Santa said he will trade in his heavy red coat and pants for a Hawaiian shirt and shorts along with a Cabana version of his red stocking cap. His beard will be trimmed shorter as well.
The reindeer and sleigh will remain in the North Pole as Santa likes to be more inconspicuous in the summer.
“I don’t often use the reindeer for travel. I use more conventional means because often in the offseason I’m not undercover, but I’m incognito,” Santa said.
Santa said he is excited to learn more about Eudora while he is in town this summer because he is only used to being in Eudora during the winter.
“I do know when I deliver toys here in the winter, they decorate very well,” Santa said. “Anybody who goes to that much trouble must have the spirit of Christmas flowing all year round.”
Blubaugh wants Santa to see all the growth and progress Eudora has made since his last visit on Christmas Eve.
“Our theme is ‘a place to grow,’ and we are definitely becoming an exciting place for people to come in and live or visit, and come in and see what’s all happening down here,” Blubaugh said.
The most important thing for Santa, however, is getting a chance to spread joy and happiness during a time when he usually doesn’t get to.
“I’m sure it’s going to be lovely,” Santa said about his upcoming visit to the ice cream shop. “It will be wonderful to meet some more citizens of Eudora and especially the young ones. They make me smile. I’ll try to bring some candy canes.”
Reach reporter Jack Denebeim at [email protected]
