By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

PELHAM— While Anna, Elizabeth and Charlie stood in line waiting to see Santa Dec. 16, they all knew what they were going to ask him for. It was less than 10 days until Christmas, and each child had a special request.

Anna wanted an electric scooter and a trampoline, Charlie was going to ask for Rapunzel dog panties to help potty train their new puppy and Elizabeth wanted a baby Hello Kitty.

They all stood in line patiently at the Pelham Public Library until it was finally their turn. Rushing up to Santa, they each told him their wish, high-fived him and took their green candy canes to a table where chocolate milk and donuts were waiting.

Dozens of children behaved similarly at the library’s annual brunch with Santa Claus, asking for special gifts and posing for pictures.

“It’s just a nice holiday event for our, mostly preschool, children because school is still in session,” said Mary Campbell, the youth services supervisor. “We do have some homeschooled families that come every year. It’s just a nice way to ring in the season.”

The brunch was held Wednesday morning during the library’s story time programs. Campbell said many of the regular story time attendees were there to welcome Santa from the North Pole.

In addition to snacks, all the kids got to create a craft while they waited to get their photos taken.

“It’s always entertaining to watch them,” Campbell said. “One nice thing is that some of the kids that are terrified at the beginning, they’ll have a snack, they’ll eat and the children watch. By the end, if they stay long enough, a lot of them will go talk to him.”

Brunch with Santa was originally created by the library as an alternative to visiting the mall to see Santa. Campbell said the mall used to be the only place to take photos. Parents would have to wait in a long line and pay $20 for the photo.

“We started it as a free service, as a way to help families,” she said. “It’s a little better for kids because they don’t have to wait in line as long.”

Now that the options to see Santa are numerous, Campbell said the crowds at the library have gotten smaller, but everyone still has a good time at the event. It’s a more casual setting that at the mall, according to Campbell, and it’s fun to see the kids from year-to-year.

“It’s fun to see them over the years,” she said. “We have a lot of families who have been doing this as long as we have.”