(Dec. 11, 2014) For the second year, Ocean Pines is collaborating with the North Pole on the “Letters to Santa” program.
Recreation staff at the Ocean Pines Community Center on 235 Ocean Parkway is inviting area children to drop their Christmas lists inside Santa’s mailbox in the lobby.
“The elves, with public works, helped make the box, and we have letters to go with it,” recreation staff Vicki Magin said. “We encourage parents to help children write letters to Santa, because otherwise Santa won’t know how to find them. We have been working in conjunction with the elves to make sure every child gets a return letter.”
Santa himself writes personalized return letters to each child, mailed to their homes.
Magin said last year’s inaugural Letters to Santa was a hit.
“I was surprised how well it went over because it was something new,” she said. “It wasn’t really advertised that much, so we’re trying to get the advertisement out a little more. Last Saturday we had Breakfast with Santa and Reindeer Lane, so the kids were all right by here.”
Magin praised the North Pole leadership during the two-year partnership with the community.
“Elves are very magical,” she said. “They twinkle – the boys and the girls. They are always singing and playing, and they like to dance when no one is watching. And they like for us to wear our elfin hats to get into the spirit of things.”
Santa, on the other hand, likes to keep it mysterious.
“Santa has been very busy,” Magin said. “Most of the time we know when he’s been here because there is a bite out of the cookies, and the reindeer do like the reindeer mix that’s left in the lawn. They like that it has sparkles in it.”
The sparkles, of course, are what make the reindeer fly.
“That’s what I understand,” Magin said.
Asked to provide advice for prospective letter-writing children Magin offered, “They should always keep Christmas in their hearts every day of the year, and they should always be genuine. Santa likes genuine.”
The center is open seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Magin said her staff has instructions from Santa to keep the box open until Dec. 23.
For more information call 410-641-7052 or visit www.oceanpines.org/recreation-and-parks.
Recreation staff at the Ocean Pines Community Center on 235 Ocean Parkway is inviting area children to drop their Christmas lists inside Santa’s mailbox in the lobby.
“The elves, with public works, helped make the box, and we have letters to go with it,” recreation staff Vicki Magin said. “We encourage parents to help children write letters to Santa, because otherwise Santa won’t know how to find them. We have been working in conjunction with the elves to make sure every child gets a return letter.”
Santa himself writes personalized return letters to each child, mailed to their homes.
Magin said last year’s inaugural Letters to Santa was a hit.
“I was surprised how well it went over because it was something new,” she said. “It wasn’t really advertised that much, so we’re trying to get the advertisement out a little more. Last Saturday we had Breakfast with Santa and Reindeer Lane, so the kids were all right by here.”
Magin praised the North Pole leadership during the two-year partnership with the community.
“Elves are very magical,” she said. “They twinkle – the boys and the girls. They are always singing and playing, and they like to dance when no one is watching. And they like for us to wear our elfin hats to get into the spirit of things.”
Santa, on the other hand, likes to keep it mysterious.
“Santa has been very busy,” Magin said. “Most of the time we know when he’s been here because there is a bite out of the cookies, and the reindeer do like the reindeer mix that’s left in the lawn. They like that it has sparkles in it.”
The sparkles, of course, are what make the reindeer fly.
“That’s what I understand,” Magin said.
Asked to provide advice for prospective letter-writing children Magin offered, “They should always keep Christmas in their hearts every day of the year, and they should always be genuine. Santa likes genuine.”
The center is open seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Magin said her staff has instructions from Santa to keep the box open until Dec. 23.
For more information call 410-641-7052 or visit www.oceanpines.org/recreation-and-parks.