The Jolly Old Elf himself made a very special early trip to Manitoba’s Hot Spot Saturday afternoon after Gretna’s Delores Smith took it upon herself to invite Santa for an early visit to the community.

Smith says the idea started with her husband Bruce, and a conversation he had with another fellow, which ended with the comment, “Wouldn’t it be great for Santa to drive down every street in Gretna.”

“The idea was brought home, (and) I took it and ran with it,” explains Smith.

Smith adds an invitation extended to all families in Gretna to participate in the early present delivery, with Santa and his Elf dropping off pre-packaged bags of candy for the kids in each family. To keep things as contact-less as

Terrell & Janna Wiebe's family was all smiles after the early Christmas gift Saturday possible, and following all current public health orders, each family was asked to place a container at the end of their driveway, kind of like a stocking hung with care. The bags were placed in the containers much to the delight of the young ones.

“I asked Gretna Food & Video to assemble the candy bags, and asked the L.U.D. of Gretna and Gretna Hot Spot Festival Committee to sponsor financially,” says Smith. “On Saturday, Bruce drove the Dodge Ram Sleigh. with Santa and his Elf riding in the back. I drove behind the truck with all the goodie bags in my vehicle.”

Smith notes it was a team effort to make this happen, with Gretna’s other L.U.D. member Dan Dyck, and three Hot Spot Committee members Sandra Reimer, Ev Kehler, and Judieth Wiebe walking alongside each street with large gift bags full of goodie bags, placing the bags in the boxes and containers.

“Santa rang his bell along every street, some families were sitting outside waiting, while some watched inside from their window,” explains Smith. “Santa was given goodies, letters and a home made necklace.”

According to Smith, 156 goodie bags were handed out in one and a half hours.

 

“The idea was well received when it was first made public,” reflects Smith noting a mother messaged her prior to the special delivery expressing how excited her kids were, sending her pictures Saturday morning of the kids waiting by their window, hours before the drive by was to take place.

“We were happy to bring Christmas Cheer to Gretna, not in the traditional way, but who knows, this could become an annual event, one to build on and be bigger and better,” says Smith.