[0:01] For nearly 20 years, the city of Blaine [0:03] has welcomed families together to [0:05] celebrate the season at breakfast with [0:07] Santa. Um, we started out with doing a [0:10] continental breakfast and now we have [0:11] them do a menu so [music] that we can [0:13] actually have their food already at [0:15] their table and it makes it more [0:16] personal and family style. [0:18] >> Over the years, the event has continued [0:19] to evolve. The focus has shifted toward [0:22] making the experience more personal, [0:24] more comfortable, and more meaningful. [0:26] It is a way of actually [music] coming [0:27] and seeing Santa in a setting that is [0:29] not like a mall setting. And so they [0:32] have their own table. They have their [0:33] own family. They can bring um as [music] [0:35] many people as they want. We do family [0:38] pictures. We have staff here that can [0:39] take all the pictures. [0:42] >> By offering a quieter session with fewer [0:44] people, Breakfast with Santa becomes [0:45] [music] a place where every child and [0:47] every family can feel welcome and at [0:50] ease. our last [music] session has fewer [0:52] people so that if there's any sensory [0:55] children, then we're being able to [0:56] [music] [0:57] um accommodate that whole entire family. [1:00] It is super exciting [music] to see [1:02] their faces light up. Um we see the same [1:04] families a lot every single year. So, we [1:06] watch these children grow. After [music] [1:08] years of hosting this event, the moments [1:11] that stand out the most are often the [1:13] simplest ones. The smiles, the [1:15] excitement, and the families who return [1:18] year after year [music] watching their [1:20] children grow while building traditions [1:22] together. For parents like Adam Woods, [1:26] breakfast [music] with Santa is more [1:27] than a meal. It's a precious memory [1:30] being created [music] of his family. [1:32] >> Uh Blaine does such a great job of [1:34] putting this on. Uh the kids [music] [1:36] love to come and have some snacks here, [1:38] uh some breakfast items, and get to sit [1:40] on Santa's lap and tell them what they [1:42] want for Christmas. Uh and it's such a [1:44] great uh picture opportunity, uh and [1:46] excitement for [music] the kids to be [1:47] involved. [1:49] >> Events like Breakfast with Santa are [1:51] made possible through thoughtful [1:52] planning, community support, and a [1:54] shared commitment to giving back. [1:56] [music] [1:57] >> All my events in the whole entire city [1:59] throughout the whole entire year are [2:00] either sponsored or reg um by [2:02] registration fee. No taxpayer money is [2:05] in any [music] event for park and wreck [2:07] for the events and programming. So all [2:10] the money that [music] we see um in park [2:13] and wreck, we make sure it goes back [2:14] into the community [2:16] >> during the holidays and all year long. [2:18] It's moments like these that remind us [2:21] how special it is to gather, celebrate, [2:23] and enjoy our community together.