The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1934-12-06
SANTA CLAUS
!: WELCOMED TO REDWOOD FALLS!
THE GAZETTE OFFERS PRIZES FOR
LETTERS

Well, Santa Claus, you can't S Y
Redwood Falls didn't make you feel
right at home.
With his cheeks rosy red and
with a twinkle in his eyes, Santa
Claus, dressed in all his fnery, rode
into town Monday afternoon to open
the Christmas season in gala style.
Old Santa, coasting along in his
sleigh behind his trusty steed, Major,
rode through the streets calling a
cherry Merry Christmas to everyone,
in heavy snowfall. Although the
weather man went a little too far in
making arrangements for Santa's
visit he, nevertheless, made the old
gent feel at home.
In spite of the weather, the streets
of the city were lined with an eager
populace waiting to greet the distin-
guished guest and following Mr..
Claus departure businessmen report
ed a brisk trade and looked forward
to the busiest and most profitable
Christmastide in recent years. Stores
have been decorated in bright yule-
tide hues and counters are piled with
attractive merchandise.
The city's streets have been strung
with bright colored lights which
when seen from a distance at night
give the appearance of cleaning
gems lowering over mass of ebony.
At the sound of the siren at 2:30
Santa Claus riding atop a billow of
clouds over Redwood Falls broke
through the snow filled sky to land at
the front door of the court house
from where he started his drive
through the business district ending
at the armory where he was greeted
by nearly thousand children, many
of them from the first six grades
which had been excused for the oc-
casion. Several hundred children, still
too young to attend school, were &C
companied by parent who got as
much "kick" out of the affair as the
youngsters. The entire crowd was es-
timated at 1900 persons.
The wide-eyed children crowded
about the white whiskered jolly gen.
tleman eager to press him with their
Christmas wishes and each was
promised his or her desire, pending
good behavior. Santa demonstrated
the good politician that he is by kiss
ing several "babes in arms.
Through the cooperation OF local
businessmen, a program was presen-
ted by the Jay Gould amusement
company of Glencoe. 1t was Mr..
Gould, a personal friend of Mr.. Claus
who prevailed upon him to visit the
city.
Featuring the entertainment pro-
gram was a troupe of performing
dogs which presented clever act on
revolving platform, in addition to
taking part in a mock wedding cere-
mony and individual acrobatic stunts.
Mr.. Gould acted as master of cere-
monies.
Thomas Reed welcomed Santa
Claus to the city and as reward was
promised "that scooter you've been
waiting so long for. Greetings were
extended by Ruth Ann johnson OF the
first grade, while Norval Tolle
pave a recitation on "The Christmas
Stocking. "Santa Claus Land" was
sung by a group of second graders
and "Jolly Santa Claus" by group
of third graders. Roger Hassinger
gave a recitation of "What I Want
for Christmas" as did Cora Neale on
'Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Following the program the children
filed past W. E. Paffrath and Joseph
Lauterbach who presented each with
an apple and bar of candy.
The program was to have been re-
peated in the evening but due to the
Indictment weather and because the
armory was not available, it was can
celled. A clown-cop visited the stores
in the morning talking to the children
and generally entertaining the shop
pers.