FOR THE KIDS : Moorpark Arranges Home Visits by Santa : City is inaugurating new program where families will pay $20 for 20 minutes. Reservations are filling up.

Listen up Moorpark residents: Santa is coming to your city this year. Not only that, he’ll come right into your house if you want.

Moorpark’s recreation department is offering Santa visits to residents this holiday season. For $20, you get a 20-minute visit from the old man. He’ll chat with the kids, make them feel special, ask them the traditional “what-do-you-want?” questions and toss out a few candy canes.

The city is already taking reservations for the visits, the first the city has tried. Santa is available from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Dec. 18 to 23.

Some of the days are already booked, said Shelly Shellabarger, the city’s recreation supervisor. If the demand gets heavier, she’ll add another Santa.

Johnnie Casillas, a city employee, is filling the Santa suit this year, and he has more to offer families. Casillas, who lives in Somis, is bilingual.

“There’s definitely a need for that,” Shellabarger said. “Moorpark has a large Spanish-speaking population.”

Santa is a busy guy in Moorpark. He’ll make an appearance at a Christmas party Dec. 18 at the city’s community center from 2 to 4 p.m. This is for kids 4 years and older and costs $2 at the door.

He’ll also be on hand Dec. 20 for a workshop for kids age 4 and older who want to make their own holiday gifts. The session runs from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at the center and costs $16.

To reserve Santa or register for the workshop, call 529-6864.

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Santa will be in Ventura too. He’ll make a stop Saturday at the Barranca Vista Center, 7050 E. Ralston St., during a “Santa’s Workshop” for kids ages 3 to 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. Kids can do holiday crafts, sing songs and get their picture taken with Santa. Cost is $10.

He’ll swing back to the center Dec. 18 for a workshop for kids interested in making holiday ornaments. Sponsored by the city’s recreation department, the session for children 5 to 8 years old will be from 9 to 10 a.m., and for kids 9 to 12, it will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Cost is $7.

To register for either, call 658-4726.

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Shall we dance? Not us, but the students of Linda Strangio-Hedberg. The noted ballet soloist’s students will perform an original ballet at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 at Mound School, 455 S. Hill Road, Ventura. Admission is free.

Strangio-Hedberg teaches ballet to kids in grades one through seven at the Mound School of Ballet, a program offered through the city’s recreation department.

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In Thousand Oaks, families can take in a free Christmas puppet play today at the main library, 1401 E. Janss Road. The play, “A Baker’s Dozen,” is about Colonial America, unconditional love and unexpected rewards of generosity. Show time is 7 p.m. (This is for kids 5 years and older.) Families also can join in a Christmas carol sing-along. For information, call 493-4468.

Details

* WHAT: Santa visits homes in Moorpark as part of a city-sponsored program.

* WHEN: Dec. 18 to 23. Available times are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

* WHERE: Available only to Moorpark residents.

* COST: $20 for a 20-minute visit.

* FYI: For reservations, call 529-6864.