Kids join Santa and wife for lunch

By KATIE SEMINARA

Santa and Mrs. Claus brought the joys of the season to the YMCA.

YOUNGSTOWN — Eating candy canes doesn’t thrill Kaitlyn Helt of Girard, but that didn’t stop her from using them as decorations.

“I like the red ones,” said the 7-year-old while sticking both green and red foam candy cane stickers onto a gingerbread house.

Kaitlyn covered her gingerbread house creation with gumdrops, heart-shaped windows and lollipops during a lunch-with-Santa event at the Youngstown Central YMCA on Monday.

Santa, Mrs. Claus and about 40 kids attended the event, which was part of the YMCA’s Off School Program.

With Christmas just days away, lunch with Santa was one more way to get the kids and grown-ups in the holiday spirit. Favorites of the season were shared, and, of course, gift requests were made to the bearded man in red.

Decorating the tree and going to people’s houses are two of Kaitlyn’s favorite Christmas events, but Santa himself topped her favorites list.

“He brings presents and he has reindeer,” she said of the jolly old soul.

Kaitlyn asked for a Nintendo DS and posed on Santa’s lap for a picture with her 2-month-old sister, Autumn.

“What would Christmas be without the kids?” said their grandfather, Bill Varner, while watching the girls experience the mystery of Christmas.

“The best part of Christmas is the kids,” he said.

Varner, 62, of McDonald, has been a member at the YMCA for a year and thought the program would be fun for all.

Across the table from Kaitlyn was Brittany Christmas, 11, of Boardman, who was also decorating a gingerbread house. Brittany said that her last name makes the holiday even better.

With a last name like Christmas, it’s hard not to get into seasonal moods.

“We just came for the Santa lunch,” said Brittany’s mom, Christine Christmas.

“It’s really, really nice, and Santa takes his time with the kids,” she said, acknowledging both her children, Brittany and 4-year-old Nathan.

Anything and everything “Twilight” book-and-movie-related was the gift request Brittany made to St. Nick, whereas Nathan asked for some dump trucks and a new basketball.

Other popular requests included the Nintendo Wii, laptops, horses and American Girl dolls, said Santa and Mrs. Claus — represented by Van and Diane Bates, of Youngstown.

“We don’t have grandchildren so this is why we do these things,” said Diane.

Van has been Santa for the YMCA for about seven years, but Monday’s lunch was the first appearance for Mrs. Claus.

“Usually I’m home feeding the elves,” she said.

Even some YMCA staff sat on Santa’s lap to ask for gifts. A new car was the desire of Sonia Patton, day camp program director for the central branch.

“Who doesn’t want a new car?” she said with a laugh.

Jordan Shaver didn’t sit on Santa’s lap but did share the meaning of the candy cane with the kids at the lunch.

Candy canes were created to show the true meaning of Christmas — Jesus — said Shaver, youth program director for the Davis Family YMCA in Boardman.

The “J” shape represents Jesus, the white stripes are meant to show his pureness, and the red stripes are to remember the blood he shed to forgive sins.

“It’s good to see the kids having a fun Christmas celebration, and it’s nice to get the two Y’s together,” he said.