Santa's arrival kicks off fun

It was beginning to look like Christmas in Ralston on Sunday — though in fact it was a sunny November day, and Santa arrived not on a sleigh but aboard Engine 133 of the Ralston Fire Department.

Kicking off the holiday season, several hundred people gathered in Ralston's business district for the community's annual celebration.

Christmas music filled the air as people sipped hot chocolate, watched a group of local line dancers and waited for rides in a horse-drawn carriage.

A few reindeer also were on hand for the children to marvel at, though Santa clearly chose a much flashier ride.

Still, St. Nick's arrival highlighted the event and prompted a long line of children waiting eagerly for their turn to sit on the jolly guy's lap and detail their occasionally elaborate wish lists.

Mr. Claus was far too busy to respond to an interview request from The World-Herald.

But Paige Proksel, a 9-year-old Bellevue girl who said she has behaved very well this year, got his attention with a request for a computer and a couple of games for her Nintendo DS.

Andrew Nigro, also 9, asked the elves' main man for the Lego Batman video game.

The best part of the day, obviously, was “seeing Santa,” Andrew said.

Steve Eubanks, the Omaha Northwest High athletic director, said attending the event has been a family tradition for more than a decade. The family will show up rain or shine, he said.

“A couple of years ago, it was like a snow globe coming down,” Eubanks said.

Warm weather didn't contribute much to the holiday spirit, and Eubanks' 16-year-old daughter wasn't interested in visiting Santa this year. Still, Eubanks said the festival's atmosphere reflects well on Ralston.

“It's a fantastic place to raise a family,” Eubanks said.

Contact the writer:

444-1068, johnny.perez@owh.com

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