Town Center becomes Winter Wonderland

BY Dawn Rankins

The Canyon Lake Town Center became a Winter Wonderland on Saturday and Canyon Lakers and their families and friends enjoyed all the festivities of the afternoon and evening.

The City of Canyon Lake event was ushered in with Santa arriving on the fire truck. The day’s events followed including free train rides, sledding, snowball fights, rock climbing and other carnival activities. Eventually, the crowd of participating families and children gathered around Santa and the Christmas Tree for the annual tree lighting ceremony.

Mayor Jeremy Smith spoke briefly, thanking the City of Canyon Lake and the Canyon Lake Family Matters Club for their hard work in putting the event together. The mayor did a countdown and the tree’s lights were turned on.

Families gathered around the Christmas Tree, Santa and all the lights for family photos.

The Canyon Lake Family Matters Club provided a craft table and a letter writing table. The club, sponsoring its annual Letters to Santa event, had children write letters and place them in a special Santa mailbox. The club will send letters back to the children from Santa with reindeer food to leave out Christmas Eve. Canyon Lake children will receive a gift delivered to their doorstep.

“This is the best spot to be,” Patricia Mills, one of the Family Matters Club’s volunteers who was sitting at the letter writing table, said. “Kids don’t come across as greedy. In fact, they are writing letters asking Santa to help someone else. This is so awesome to see.”

Young Tatum Tolibas, 9, was excited to get his tattoo.

“I don’t know which one I want.” Tatum said. “I’ll go with Santa, yup, Santa.”

Children were busy playing the games in an effort to win little prizes, while some anxiously waited to meet Santa and tell him what they were dreaming of for Christmas this year.

Food vendors were also on hand, serving up a variety of offerings to those in attendance.

Snow blows on excited Canyon Lake kids during the City of Canyon Lake’s Winter Wonderland in the Canyon Lake Town Center on Saturday. Carnival rides and games coupled with a visit from Santa gave Canyon Lakers much to do at the annual holiday event. Photo by Dawn Rankins

Photo by Marissa Charest

Photo by Marissa Charest

Photo by Marissa Charest

Photo by Marissa Charest

Photo by Dawn Rankins

Photo by Dawn Rankins

Photo by Dawn Rankins

Photo by Dawn Rankins

Photo by Dawn Rankins

Photo by Dawn Rankins

Photo by Dawn Rankins