The Night Santa Came To Town

We moved to our new home in 2005, when our streets were unpaved and muddy, and MapQuest had no idea we existed as a little community, called Old Trail #9, in the hilly farmlands south of Pittsburgh. It was common to find delivery trucks wandering up and down our streets looking for a particular family, repair men knocking on doors asking for directions, and folks who knew each other by lot number instead of street address. As Christmas 2005 loomed before us, the kids in the 'hood were deeply troubled. How would Santa find us if FedEx can't? Mothers sent emails to the North Pole, with specific travel directions, but the absence of street signs to guide Santa's way was a persistent topic of conversation and concern. As children of all ages pondered this dilemma, an idea began to take hold: what if there was a Santa Sighting in the distant hills and fields, demonstrating Santa's commitment to make sure he knew where everyone lived? And who better to play this part than Chip Stevers? No kids in the house to bust his cover, and since we were all still getting to know one another, the kids in the 'hood would surely not recognize him from afar! In December of 2005, the first Santa Sighting in Old Trail #9 was born.

Our plans were great, on paper. Santa would tromp around in the snow, a safe distance from the houses, and the kids would be alerted by the sound of sleigh bells (with the added protection of cell phones ringing). Santa was so hugely effective that the completely unexpected occurred: little people in bare feet and pajamas were running out their front doors, following Santa as he tried to make an escape. The Pied Piper in Red. Sounds of clapping, shouting, running and laughing filled the air. Mothers and fathers scurrying behind, snatching up the littlest and slowest. Poor Santa slipping and sliding down the back hills, trying to get away without losing his pants or his beard.

We had to make some changes in subsequent years. Now parents are on-guard for escapees, but Santa actually knocks on front doors. He's accompanied by Rudolph, who helps him remember kid's names and distribute chocolate-covered pretzel rods made by Mrs. Claus. The 4th Annual Santa Visit occurred on December 22, 2008, and was a huge success: what started as a visit to less than 25 children for not more than 30 minutes has expanded to visiting close to 100 children in a period of about 2.5 hours. The shouts of glee and absolute delight on little faces is truly a sight to behold, creating a feeling of Christmas in the air that can practically be touched with your fingers.