You better watch out. And don’t even think about pouting.
Beginning Saturday, Dec. 6, Santa will be in town — on the Riverwalk, specifically, in his community digs at the site near Jackson Avenue and Webster Street that on regular days is home to a waterside pavilion.
The Sun wanted to know if there are good children waiting in line before he even arrives from the North Pole each December.
“Ho-ho, yes there are — every day and every night, there are people that are there,” he said. “They seem to figure out what my schedule is going to be.”
Sometimes it takes a bit of doing to work in every visitor, but he and any helpers on hand that day always make sure each one of them has had a chance to spend some time with the jolly old elf.
“We’ll just stay there until we visit with everybody who comes to see us,” he said.
Santa said his favorite part of being on the Riverwalk during the holiday season is the kids who stop in, and their moms and dads. The reindeer enjoy the yearly trip, too, he said. They’ll be relaxing in a comfortable spot not far from downtown Naperville.
More Top Picks Best Spice Grinders
“I use some along the way,” he said. “We don’t have to have everyone who’s involved go along to every event.”
The longtime holiday tradition is clearly near and dear to Santa’s heart. He doesn’t expect to change course any time soon.
“Santa’s been in Naperville a looong time,” he said. “There’s been a couple of decades that Santa has been able to arrange time for Naperville.”
Santa will arrive Sunday downtown as part of the Hometown Holidays celebration during the Little Friends Parade of Lights. It will feature lights, festive floats and, of course, Santa’s big debut. This year’s parade will begin at 5 p.m. Line-up and staging will begin near 500 W. Jackson Ave. For more information, visit www.littlefriendsinc.org.
If you go
In its 13th year, Santa House is a favorite tradition in downtown Naperville, where the pavilion at the corner of Jackson Avenue and Webster Street is magically transformed into Santa’s Naperville headquarters, hosting visiting hours with Santa for children and families.
Santa House opens to the public Dec. 6. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 21. Santa House also will be open from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, Dec. 15-19, and Monday, Dec. 22.
Admission to Santa House is free, with the option of purchasing photos with Santa for $8 each.
The Park District will host special evenings at Santa House by reservation only, including: Special Needs Nights on Dec. 2-4, Military and First Responders Night on Dec. 10, and Pet Night on Dec. 11. Reservations may be made at http://www.napervilleparks.org/santahouse or by calling 630-848-5000.
In addition to Santa House, the Naperville Park District offers a variety of holiday events and programs for the community. Program descriptions can be found at www.napervilleparks.org in the Virtual 2015 Winter Program Guide and in the print guide.
Some of the holiday events for children include Elf Creations on Dec. 4, Skating with Santa on Dec. 6, Candy Cane Lane on Dec. 12 and Gingerbread House Decorating on Dec. 17.
Adults can enjoy a variety of culinary programs to prepare for the holidays, including Quick Holiday Appetizers on Dec. 7, New Recipes for Hanukkah on Dec. 14, and Holiday Cookie Exchange on Dec. 21. These programs are in the culinary arts kitchens at the 95th Street Center, 2244 W. 95th St., third floor.