Santa Train Celebration

One of my new libraries is just a short walk from a Santa Train stop. The CSX Santa Train is a passenger train that runs through central Appalachia (hitting parts of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee) with Santa on the back, throwing out toys, backpacks, and coats.

It's been a Christmas tradition since 1942. A country music star rides on the back with Santa--this year it was Marty Stuart. Patty Loveless, Elkhorn City native, has a song about it.

Anyway, the whole thing only takes about 30 minutes, but there's a big crowd. So the library hosts an after-party of sorts.

We hired a Santa and photographer to take pictures. Each child also got a book.

Downstairs we had breakfast. This year it was Pop Tarts and milk, hot chocolate, and coffee.

Pop Tarts, milk, and cups were all donated.

We also had games and crafts. One was Decorate a Christmas Tree - a big green triangle with stickers.

We had rhinestone stickers, foam star stickers, and round Christmas picture stickers, as well as star office stickers.

There was also Snowflake Ornaments, which required a blue construction paper circle, Q-Tips cut varying lengths, and Elmer's glue.

We kept the Q-Tips in cups to keep the mess down. The kids could arrange them however they liked to make their own unique snowflake.

And the classic Santa Beard.

Half a paper plate, popsicle sticks, cotton balls, and glue.

All of our games this year came from Oriental Trading. We had Santa's Cookie Toss (the bean bags looked like chocolate chip cookies!).

A Candy Cane Toss, and

Christmas Tree bowling (which might've been the favorite).