Christmas Party Draws 500 Children

Although every child who showed up was guaranteed a chat with Santa and a gift, some families lined up at a local church three hours early Saturday to wait for the start of a popular holiday event.

The annual Children’s Christmas Party at St. Paschal Baylon’s Catholic Church was started more than a decade ago as a holiday treat for a few dozen of the city’s underprivileged youth. Saturday’s party drew 500 children.

“It’s been a tradition every year, but this year we had the most people,” said Yvette Renner, director of Hispanic ministry at the church. “They started lining up by 8 a.m. I guess they were concerned about the children getting gifts.”

With the sound of carols in the air, guests filed into the church’s decorated Aquinas Hall about 11:30 a.m. to enjoy a lunch of hot dogs, potato chips, ice cream and sodas.

Sitting around two decorated Christmas trees, which were later given away to two families, the children watched cartoons and a holiday movie before Santa arrived, Renner said.

Shortly before 1 p.m., a member of the church’s Men’s Club, which hosted the event, came through the door in a red velvet suit and took his place on a chair in front of the room, Renner said.

The children took turns talking to Santa--or crying, in the case of a few babies--before receiving a wrapped gift, Renner said.

Some children received dolls or stuffed animals and others received miniature race cars and electronic games. Each new gift was donated by a member of the parish.

“The people of the parish are great. Every year the event has grown and every year the parish responds,” said Tom Henderson, chairman of the party.