The Newmarket Optimist Club is bringing Santa Claus to your home a month ahead of schedule with a photograph opportunity Nov. 28 and 29.
The non-profit service club, in partnership with John’s No Frills, is offering free photos with Santa Claus outside your home over the weekend, on a first-come, first-served basis. Santa Claus will arrive at a designated time for photos with your family, visiting up to 60 households in total.
Optimist Club spokesperson Cindy Crone said the group wants to help connect kids with Santa, with families who may not be comfortable with seeing him at a mall location right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve had a lot of time where they’ve been locked down, and not been able to see their friends and family,” Crone said. “This is just a happy experience for them to be able to have that one-minute or two-minute visit with Santa, to have that magic come back. We lost some of that magic over COVID.”
The club usually runs a free Breakfast with Santa event, but that is not happening this year, or last year, due to the pandemic.
Crone said the club will contact participants to schedule a time and send the photo directly. Santa will also be providing goodie bags for the children.
She said it fits into the club’s mandate of community service.
“That is what we focus on, that is what the Optimist Club mantra is,” she said.
Slots are limited based on the time available for Santa Claus, running for up to six hours each day. Registration is available at www.newmarketoptimists.club/photo-with-santa.
“The kids get to meet Santa,” Crone said. “Lots of people don’t want to walk in the mall right now. It’s an opportunity with COVID protocols in place to be able to have a picture with your children and Santa Claus.”
