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SANTA

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El Campo 2021

Brought to you by: the City Development Corporation of El Campo – Thanking you for Shopping LOCAL! Presented by:

On Page 7,984,326 of the 2021 ‘Naughty’ & ‘Nice’ list, Santa had to pause. “Here’s a little one who must have their Christmas wishes granted,” he said. “But HOW???” Little Suzy’s family was hit hard in June when Momma lost her job trying to care for Grammie & Grampie after they got COVID. Then daddy got laid off in January. Everything had let her down, she figured Santa would too. No big wishes, but supplies were low – on EVERYTHING.

Something to make Mom smile again, new cookware for Grammie – she’s baking cookies again – a new halter for Bubba’s horse – maybe flowers or a cross for Grampie ‘cause she missed him so. Work boots for Daddy, who doesn’t get to work in an office anymore. “Please, Santa,” she wrote. “I don’t need anything. Grampie used to make all my toys ....”

The request knocked Santa clean off his feet ...

“I’ve GOT TO make all this little girl’s wishes come true!” Santa said, crawling to his feet. “But how?? The Parts Department shelves’ are bare, the elves are exhausted and Rudolph got ahold of some bad reindeer chow.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO???” “Tsk. Tsk. SANTA! Shame on you ... you’ve completely forgotten,” Mrs. Claus said. Santa looked up, wiped a tear ...and then... then the twinkle returned ....

“EL CAMPO will save Christmas!” he said.

Just like that : THE SUN CAME OUT. Santa ran to his sleigh, skidding to a halt when he realized Rudolph couldn’t fly and lurched for ... the “Mack Phone.” AWWWWRRRWWW! AWWWRRWWW! AWWWRRRWWWW! The sirens sounded as a very special group of volunteers raced for their gear half a world away. “Quickly now, quickly now, Santa’s calling,” El Campo VFD President Kenny Socha shouted. Fire Chiefs Jimmy George Jr., Kevin Bubela and Bill Morris quickly divided up crews and got the Mack , the retired pumper converted for Santa, rolling before the sun came up in El Campo too...

...And away they went ... Soon Santa was behind “the wheel” and headed back to the Pearl of the Prairie

Right away, Santa grabbed a copy of the El Campo Leader-News to catch up on all the happenings in the city – and, if he was lucky, there just might be a sale or two somewhere. The North Pole money trees wouldn’t bloom without the Christmas spirit, and so many people were just like little Suzy, they found it hard to believe. Sigh... “Why so glum?” Santa asked himself seconds before a thunderous roar echoed through the city. “Ahhh... that’s why,” Santa said, rubbing his tummy and quickly following his nose to Jalapeños where owner Ruben Castillo was grilling up fajitas.

“YUMMY!” Santa said. “I’m ready now.”

Starting over at DNJ, Santa placed a few custom orders and received assurances they would indeed be ready for Christmas, then there was a stop at The Screen Stop to share the business before he took a moment to lounge on the outdoor offerings at Millhouse Furniture, settling on a last-a-lifetime patio set and a few decorative pieces. A quick visit to TSC got one pair of work boots for Suzy’s daddy. Another came from The Shoe Dept. just in case, the man had a preference on type and color. Santa was about to look at gifts for moms, but he noticed a sign for pet care on North Mechanic. “Maybe I ought to schedule the rest of the Reindeer Corps for a little pampering while Rudolph’s under the weather,” Santa said, “And, ooohh look at the pretty puppies! Hmmmmm. That’s got me thinkin’.... “Oh, no! I almost forgot septic fit tabs for the ol’ homestead and Chlorine tabs for the hot hub from Aquafit!””

Heading over to the West Loop next, Santa moseyed into The Shed, finding it all decorated for Christmas. “I bet I can find something here to make little Suzy’s mom smile,” Santa said as he bumped into Beverly Supak, an undercover decorating elf. “There’s all kinds of gifts here, Santa. Grab a few things and try some of the places downtown,” she said. That sounded like a great idea, so Santa made his way over to Holy Cow Emporium, Laila Rose Boutique and then Paint Perfection, where Molli Bodungen had added a new line – and still had those wonderful desserts – and coffee too.

Referring back to little Suzy’s letter, Santa found a picture of what must be her ‘Bubba’ inside. “Yep, that boy needs a halter for his horse,” Santa said. He quickly raced over to United Ag Hardware Store for the equipment, loading up a few bags of feed while he was at it. Sutherlands had a few items too that a young cowboy might want for Christmas... “Hmmm.. horse feed.. and maybe some people chow too?”

Santa found the Breakfast Nook on the West Loop open for a quick bite, topping off the breakfast with a snack at The Feed Store. “Balanced meals are important – aren’t they?” he said and winked.

A Tin Roof Kitchen & Home display stopped Santa in his tracks. “WOW! That table’s amazing!” he told Frank Schmermund and Jason Thurmond. However, little Suzy’s humble family would never accept it. Tin Roof worker Vincent Juarez had a suggestion. “How about a custom-made cutting board, Santa? We just got more wood from the sawmill,” he said, adding the final cut to one. “Great! Give me all you have and all you can make before Christmas,” Santa said, marking off one more name on hundreds of other lists.

Santa then decided to load up on some extras for Suzy’s mom and grammie along with a few thousand more when ELF Cellular reported a shipment of coal came in rather than magic cobbler dust. “Off to Flowers, Etc. I go....” he said. Then there was a stop at Heavenly Helpers to get that cross Suzy wanted and a whole bunch more, a swing into Shabby Chic, Tree House and the Second Time Around for a bargain. Gloria Marek had some truly exceptional items over at Somewhere In Time, but then his grumbling belly led Santa over to Greek Bros., The BBQ Place and Christine’s Seafood ... “You are supposed to eat a variety of foods after all,” he said. “Health’s vital. Most important though are Santa’s Cookies, so off to Amy’s Cookie Company we go!”

“Howdy , Santa! We sure are pleased to have you back,” Ms. Carolyn with the City Development Corporation of El Campo said. “I bet our stores have everything you need to fill your orders.” Santa showed Ms. Carolyn the letter little Suzy had written. “We can help with this. No problem. Our stores are the best,” she said.

Shop LOCAL!

Mercantile owner Cindy Macek looked up from decorating as they entered. “Look, Santa! It’s you!”

Southern Belle Boutique came next on the list, followed by a race over to Prairie Rose Emporium for that cookie sheet Suzy requested. El Campo police donned their blue Santa caps and helped fire volunteers transfer the load to the groaning Mack truck. “It’s getting mighty full, Santa,” Police Chief. Gary Williamson said. A spritz of North Pole bouncing spray, gave the truck some extra lift. Miller’s Lube made sure the oil was flowing, Rice Farmer’s Tire Store checked out the wheels and city crews looked over the motor just in case ... Mack fire trucks just didn’t make all that many trips to the North Pole, especially not fully loaded and this one had piles of presents two stories high packed in the back – even using a few bigger-on-the-inside Santa Sacks to hold most of what Santa found.

“WAIT a minute!” Santa said. “I still need to swing by Ruby and YaYa, Rioux’s Hardware, Professional Pharmacy, Gerberman’s Jewelers, Collins Music, Hibett Sports and Blue Creek Market....” Then suddenly, Santa skidded to a stop, raising his nose in the air. Snnniffff. Snnniffff. PIZZA! And off to Mr. Gatti’s he raced where Mr. Jake made him a pie to order. “That’s a GREAT appetizer,” Santa said. “But now I’m REALLY hungry!” Then he just had to have a burger at Father & Sons, some BBQ from Junior’s, a dish or two from Diamond W’s and maybe...hmmm....

Maybe just one tiny taste of sausage... Mr. Mike at Prasek’s had some, but Santa wondered if it would be enough for him. Belly finally content and a snack bag to go, Santa just had to swing by El Campo Cycle Center before going

home. It was the Schoeneberg’s 50th year, he recalled, pulling a photo from his billfold. “Mr. James, do you remember when your Hondas and Suzukis filled in when the reindeer were on strike?” Santa asked. “I sure do ... and we’re ready any year, any time, happy to help out,” Mr. James said.

Santa was heading out to fill his ECVFD sleigh when he decided to pop in on city council. “Thanks so much,” he said as John Eilts clicked a photo. “You have a great town with wonderful people and fantastic stores. Keep Shopping LOCAL! and keep them in business!”

“Wait! I’ve just got to get Suzy one more thing,” Santa said, dropping a half ton of pet food donations at the El Campo Animal Shelter. He set aside a year’s worth of chow to go with Suzy’s big gift too.

A puppy for Christmas – a rescue one at that. What could be better? Taken back to the North Pole to start his Christmas deliveries, Santa could be heard to proclaim. “Ho, ho, ho and thank you

EL CAMPO, the little Texas town that saved Christmas!!

–Story by Shannon Crabtree Photos by Frank Campos, Candice Robertson, Beverly Supak, Crabtree and help from all at the Leader-News & City Development Corporation of El Campo. Merry Christmas!

Give yourself a gift this holiday season!

SHOP LOCAL! It pays every time you do! WE’RE SERIOUS ABOUT EL CAMPO’S FUTURE. HELP US HELP THE CITY GROW!