Santa Claus

From the editorial page of The New York Sun, written by Francis P. Church, Sept. 21, 1897:   We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:   “Dear Editor — I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, ‘If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.’ Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Mark Greer Thompson has 17 years under his belt playing the jolliest of elves — Santa Claus. Six of those years, his sleigh has been parked in the JCPenney Court at the Glendale Galleria. What makes him special, JCPenney officials said, is he’s a singing Santa Claus and delivers holiday carols in a deep, resonant baritone. His singing is good for the employees as well as the customers, said Dean Cary, store manager of JCPenney. “If you’re folding clothes for hours on end, it breaks the monotony,” he said.

Claudia Peschiutta WHO COULD ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE? Some wishes are a little easier to fulfill than others. Pilar Dizon, 5, was a little shy about talking to Santa Claus at the city's 15th annual tree lighting ceremony Monday even though she knew exactly what she wanted. "A fish that is slippery and he jumps when you put him on the ground," she said. "It's my favorite toy." Strange as it may sound, Dizon assured the reporter that she did not mean a live fish and that there is such a toy. WAITING FOR SANTA Sometimes it's Santa Claus that needs to be kept under wraps.

Josh Kleinbaum When Chiyomi Hino Niwa looked through her window Thursday morning and saw Santa Claus walking down the balcony of her apartment building, she couldn't believe it. "She called me, 'Come quick, come quick,'" said Hideki Niwa. "I couldn't believe it." The next thing they knew, Santa Claus was knocking on their door, a gift in hand. "Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas!" said Santa, also known as Bill Capps, a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service.

Halloween might be just a day away, but Santa Claus couldn't resist making a cameo appearance at Jefferson Elementary School on Friday. And he wasn't alone. Santa Claus, along with witches, goblins and a few superheroes took a few laps around the school Friday as part of its annual Halloween parade. Students took another popular Christmas pastime and put a creepy spin to it when they broke out in a series of Halloween carols. The school's Parent-Teacher Assn.

A visit to see Santa Claus in a crowded mall is out of the question for many of the students with special needs at College View School, so an on-campus visit from St. Nick was the next best thing, Principal Jay Schwartz said. “Some of these kids can’t go to church because they’re just too noisy and disruptive and the parents get embarrassed,” Schwartz said, explaining that Thursday’s visit from Santa Claus was part of an event that gave the students with severe mental and developmental disabilities a chance to have the same holiday experiences as other children.

Gary Moskowitz Light rain and cooler temperatures didn't keep local and area residents from getting into the holiday spirit this weekend at the 27th annual Montrose Christmas Parade. Eric Oh, a seventh-grader at Rosemont Middle School, was ecstatic to march in the parade with the school's band, despite getting rain all over his clarinet. "It was kind of cold, but really fun," said Eric, 12. "I just like the feeling of it all. Everybody's happy and stuff."

The Glendale Civic Center's courtyard was a flurry of holiday activity Wednesday night, as city officials fired up about 10,000 lights strung around a 24-foot decorated Christmas tree. In addition to its lights, the city's Noble fir tree was adorned by about 3,000 ball ornaments and surrounded by brightly wrapped presents. Canopies of twinkling white lights also were strung through the trees of Parcher Plaza behind City Hall. Students from The Performing Arts Studio, the Character & Ethics Kids and the Crescenta Valley High School Charismatics -- and even Santa Claus -- entertained the crowd during the event.

Glendale children and adults with disabilities who participate in Easter Seals programs locally were treated to a Christmas party Thursday at the Glendale Easter Seals headquarters, 315 Arden Ave. Fourteen Easter Seals staffers -- and Santa Claus -- hosted the holiday party for 20 children and adults with disabilities. The party included food, Christmas carols and karaoke singing, and Santa gave gifts to the children and adults. Easter Seals in Glendale provides community- based programs that teach people with disabilities how to use public transportation, advocate for themselves, gain access to community resources like parks and shopping centers, and live more independently.

Tim Willert DOWNTOWN -- Children who want to dial Santa Claus directly can do so through Dec. 25 at the Sprint PCS Store at 301 N. Brand Blvd. All boys and girls who visit the store have to do is pick up the phone, use the voice command feature and say "Call Santa." They will be connected to Santa for free, and can leave him a message with their holiday wishes. Santa's messages will be in both English and Spanish, and everyone who calls will receive a free candy cane.