Santa lives in Mountain Park

There are many great things about living in Mountain Park, Georgia, but I'm going to say the very best thing, is the annual Santa Run.  Each year, Santa and his elves deliver Christmas presents to all the kids in our small community and the surrounding subdivisions.  This goes on all day, starting at 8am and going until 5 or 6pm.  The volunteer fire and rescue department coordinates the entire event, and it is an enormous logistical task.  We are usually the first or second stop of the morning.  The fire truck is followed by the ambulance, followed by 4 or 5 additional car/trucks filled, filled, filled, with presents.  Santa and the elves are transported in the ambulance, and Mrs. Claus sits in the fire truck.  The sirens blare and we go outside to wait for Santa and his elves to stop in front of our house.  When everything finally comes to a stop, out pops a crew of 15 to help Santa deliver the gifts.  Photos are hard to take because of the commotion.  We need to be highly involved in getting the kids to sit on Santa's lap and not get run over.  Lucy likes it, but the sirens and the huge crowd make her a little nervous.  This year we finally wised up and let her wear her ear muffs to drown out the sound.  Eli scrambled up into Santa's lap with hardly a pause.  It is truly a sight that brings tears to your eyes, each and every time. It never gets old.

Santa brought Lucy a box full of accessories to help her take care of ALL her babies.  Eli received a toy with lots of buttons.  Of course, he likes Lucy's gift more.