WEST ALEXANDRIA — COVID-19 made it different this year, but the West Alexandria Celebration Committee’s Christmas in the Village event was held Sunday, Dec. 6, and included a socially distanced time for children to visit with Santa during his annual stop at Santa Villa.
Several of the businesses held open houses and those who visited had the opportunity to win prizes by turning in a completed punch card, verifying they had stopped in at the participating locations.
According to WA Village Administrator Adam Beneke, businesses who participated included Heartfelt Attic Crafts, Lynnie’s Salon and Spa, Kierston’s CoffeeStop, Meraki Lane Boutique, the Shell station, Jim & Dan Comics, and Bratt Tasties.
The usual holiday event, which has been held in various forms for over 30 years according to organizers, was switched up last weekend for safety reasons, including extending its hours from 2-8 p.m. to allow for less crowds in businesses at one time.
Anyone who missed Santa last weekend will have two more chances this weekend.
This Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 12-13, Santa will return to Santa Villa for visits with the children from 5-7 p.m. Children will receive a gift from Santa. There is a one-way flow of traffic, with only one family entering the front and leaving through the back at a time. For safety purposes, children will sit next to Santa on a bench, and after families visit, everything will be sanitized, according to organizers. The gifts are bagged this year as well.
Continuing with the Santa Villa activity was very important, according to Beneke.
“It was important to get families out to see him,” Beneke said of the jolly old elf. “A lot of places canceled Santa and stuff this year.”
