SAN MARCOS — With temperatures still on the balmy side, it was hardly traditional Christmas weather. This didn’t stop Santa Claus from making an extended visit to the San Marcos Civic Center on Dec. 6 to greet hundreds of eager children.
St. Nick was hardly the only attraction at the city’s 14th annual Santa’s Magical Village. Vendors lined the lot with offerings from kettle corn to avocados. Mission Hills High School operated a row of playhouses crammed with children decorating cookies and dipping candles. Inside the center proper, carolers in Victorian dress sang old standards.
In the evening, the stage was filled with band after band representing the city’s middle and high schools. The San Marcos Youth Orchestra, the pride of the city’s Youth Commission, kicked off the show.
Finally, at 6:45, Santa came out to illuminate the big tree, switching on thousands of twinkling lights.
“I worked at three different cities, and this is the only city where Santa arrives in style, on the back of the fire truck,” Community Services Supervisor Karen Warner said. “He climbs to the top of the ladder, does this magical wavy thing and the lights go up. It’s really cool.”
Festivities continued until mid-afternoon Sunday, with Santa taking a break in the middle to ride in the San Marcos Kiwanis Club Holiday Street Parade, the city’s annual Christmas pageant.
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