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November 22, 1999
Breakfast with Santa opens shopping seasonBy GUY PRIEL Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- To get a jump start on the holiday shopping season, the New Ulm Retail Association and the Marktplatz Mall will celebrate Breakfast with Santa Friday. "The day after Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day of the year," Mall Owner Bob Petroff said. "In the past we have held a wake-up Santa event, so we decided to try something a little different this year." The mall opens at 7 a.m. and the breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. Santa officially arrives at 8:15 a.m. The event will be held in the community center. The first 150 children under 10 years old will receive a free breakfast and a free Beanie Baby. Children must be present to get the toy. and must be present to get one. "We will not give parents extra Beanie Babies to take home to children who couldn't come to the event," Petroff said. "And they won't be given to children over 10." All the children will get a bag filled with other gifts provided by downtown merchants. Coffee and cold cereal will be available for adults. "This is a collaborative effort, and it should be a fun and exciting thing for kids," Petroff said. Mrs. Santa and the elves Tinsel, Dimples and Truffles will sing songs and read the "Night Before Christmas." They will hear Santa on the roof, who will arrive in a few minutes later and provide free coloring books and suckers for the children. "We think this will be a great event, and we have been fortunate that so many people are willing to help with the event," he said. "Santa will also ride in the Parade of Lights later in the day." It is a different concept for Mrs. Santa and the elves, who have been involved in the program for a few years, because they must organize the entertainment around a restaurant theme, Mrs. Claus said. (She asked to remain unnamed). "This is a fun way to kick off the holidays," Chamber of Commerce President Jeannine McKenna said. "We always do a lot of partnerships and look at a chance to work with the mall." The mall is chosen because it is part of the downtown business district and is a nice central location that is often taken for granted, she said. "The shopping activities and parade have become something a family can do together and this will help open the doors to the city for the holiday season in a fun way," McKenna said.
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