Tempe, AZ – It seemed appropriate that Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmas Time” was playing on the radio station in my car as I drove to the first holiday event of the season.
The Tempe Marketplace has not decorated yet for the festive season ahead, but in the Kid’s Section of Barnes and Nobles the children and adults were ready for a visit from Saint Nick.
A wall of Christmas books was the backdrop to a table filled with coloring pages, letters just waiting to be filled out for Santa and other arts and crafts. The young woman behind the table – Jessica – made sure to greet everyone and make sure no one felt left out.
First on the little stage was Bill Goodykoontz, the Arizona Republic’s movie critic. He read 2 of the Rise of the Guardian’s story books to an attentive audience as he filled them in on the back story of the characters and even added in some movie trivia.
As he finished Santa arrived with a familiar laugh, hot chocolate and candy canes! The children crowded around him with the letters they had written to him, each one receiving a present from the red sack he carried. A coveted spot at Santa’s side was claimed by a little girl as he settled into the chair to read the story of Jack Frost.
Below are some pictures of the event:
Shannon is an independent Media Manager who specializes in web series and independent films. She has also been a Script Supervisor, on set Photographer, Editor’s Assistant, author for Web Series Today and is the proud owner of an IMDB credit as “painter”. An avid photographer and classic camera collector she often can be seen at events with her 1969 Polaroid Land Camera and quite possibly at least 3 other cameras in tow.
You can contact her at shannon.shea@geeknewsnetwork.net and find her on Twitter @shannon_shea
