After the Hope Christmas parade had run its course through the Hope downtown, a special event took place on the western side of the Hope Visitor Center and Museum.

A tall cedar tree decorated in dozens of blue and violet pastel globes stands in that spot. At exactly 7:00 p.m. Hope Mayor Don Still introduced Hope’s guest for the evening, a jolly old elf white-bearded and decked out in a red and white. He led the crowd in a verse of “Jingle Bells” and then said, "Ho-ho-ho-hoooo. Let’s light this tree. Want to do a countdown?”

After everyone counted down from five, the tree lit up with orbs of glowing green.

His task completed there, Santa Claus sat down in the space beside Tailgaters, with Mrs. Claus at his side, began seeing children one-by-one to learn what each wanted for Christmas. The line to see him extended south down the west sidewalk of South Main all the way down to Western Home and Auto. The cookies were provided by JA of Hope.