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It's a busy time of year up at the North Pole ... actually, the busiest time of all. But children in town will get a special treat this week. The jolly man with the long, white beard is taking time out of his hectic December schedule to drop in on the kids of Los Gatos.
That's right, Santa Claus is coming to town for the first weekend of December ... just as he has for the last 46 years.
Santa will be the main attraction on Dec. 6 when the 47th annual Los Gatos Children's Christmas and Holidays Parade returns to Santa Cruz Avenue and Main Street.
Actually, he'll be here on Dec. 5 for the Los Gatos Tree Lighting ceremonies at town plaza, visiting with the town's children a night before being featured in the parade.
Santa will be waiting at C.B. Hannigan's on Friday night for his annual ride in the old fire truck to the town plaza.
"Patty Hannigan makes sure I look presentable before they pick me up," says Santa, alias Chris Benson.
Santa is introduced each year by former mayor John Lochner, and "then I sit up there on my little throne to greet the children," he adds. "It's more than just a Kodak moment."
And not for just the children—there have also been a few special moments for Santa himself.
"One of my favorite parts is when I call the kids by name and their eyes get as wide as snow saucers," he says. "When they come up I say, 'My name's Santa, what's yours?' I remember a 7-year-old girl named Lindsey who was dressed to the nines. I asked her, 'Have you been a good little girl?' She thinks for a second, then says, 'Today!' "
Benson, a 1966 graduate of Los Gatos High School, grew up in town and attended many of the Christmas parades as a child.
"The great thing about being in the same town ... sure, it's changed, and we all grumble about the normal stuff," he says. "But it's still a great town."
"It's an honor to be able to do this," he adds.
That honor has been shared by others through the years. Benson follows in a long line of Los Gatos Santas that also includes Paul Straub, Floyd "Bus" Benson (no relation) and Brother Norbert Korte. Chris Benson took over the ho, ho, ho's in 1994.
"It was one-stop shopping," says Benson. "I came with my own Santa suit—belly, beard and suit."
Straub rode in the first parade back in 1956 after arriving by helicopter that landed on the high school football field. There were a handful of children, high school majorettes and a police officer who led Santa through town as he threw candy canes to kids on the sidewalks of town.
The first parade was actually an impromptu march through town, according to an historical account by Alastair Dallas. Gene Goldberg, then of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation Department, and Bus Benson had discussed the idea for such a parade, and Goldberg took the idea to fruition on a chilly Friday night in December when he led the group through the streets of downtown.
It would be the beginning of a Los Gatos holiday tradition.
The first official parade was held Dec. 6, 1957, when 200 children and dozens of pets took part in the evening event that included eight floats.
The first daylight parade was held in 1960, and thanks to the efforts through the years of the Los Gatos Lions Club, the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce and the Los GatosSaratoga Recreation Department, the event is still going strong 47 years later.
And, yes, Santa Claus still comes to town on the first weekend of every December.
Something for everyone in town's holiday parade
Camels, zucchini and bagpipes are certainly not a traditional part of a the holidays, but in Los Gatos anything goes as the town celebrates the festive season with its 47th annual Los Gatos Children's Christmas and Holidays Parade.
Beginning at 11 a.m. on Dec. 6, a veritable who's who of town notables and organizations will join together and take to N. Santa Cruz Avenue, decked out in a variety of holiday-themed costumes. Among thousands of visitors, parade participants will travel by car and foot through the main strip, turning onto E. Main Street and continuing until Los Gatos High School.
The parade lineup includes:
1—Youth Citizens of the Year: Sally Stanton, Gabriele Gray, and Courtney Schembri
2—Boy Scout Troop 539
3—Grand Marshal Paul Dubois
4—Los Gatos High School Marching Band
5—Los Gatos Mayor Steve Glickman
6—Los Gatos Vice Mayor Mike Wasserman
7—Los Gatos Council members
8—Town Treasurer
9—Town Clerk
10—Santa Clara County Supervisor
11—Los Gatos Lions Club President
12—Los Gatos Recreation Department Board
13—Los Gatos Christmas Foundation
14—Santa Clara County Fire Department
15—Los Gatos Community Foundation
16—Los GatosSaratoga Community Education and Recreation Department
17—Los Gatos High School Italian Club
18—Los GatosSaratoga Observation
Nursery School
19—Redwood Middle School Marching Band
20—Red Hat Society
21—Los GatosMonte Sereno DARE Program
22—Los Gatos Parks Commission
23—Los Gatos Police Pipes and Drums
24—Los Gatos Meats and Smokehouse
25—Indian Guides—Sundance Tribe
26—Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad
27—Kindergro Preschool
28—Los Gatos Education Foundation
29—Community Hospital of Los Gatos
30—Dennis Varni
31—Critters by the Bay/Bay Area Bears
32—Dancers are Forever
33—O.C. McDonald Company
34—Leigh High School Marching Band
35—Center Stage Productions of Leigh High School
36—Peter & Sherry Van Der Veen
37—Erickson Family
38—Southwest YMCA—California Expedition
39—Furry Friends
40—Goodwill Industries of Santa Clara County
41—Homesteaders 4-H Club
42—Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club
43—Los Gatos Brewing Company
44—Los Gatos Dog and Cat Hospital
45—Los Gatos Yacht Club
46—Peppertree School of Los Gatos
47—Lauri Gray's School of Dance
48—C.B. Hannegan's
49—Los Gatos Meadows
50—Rotary Club of Los Gatos
51—Primary Plus & Action Day Nurseries
52—Los Gatos Elks Lodge
53—Boy Scout Troop 501
54—Classic Clean of Los Gatos
55—Cub Scout Pack 234, San Jose
56—Canine Companions for Independence
57—Humane Society of Silicon Valley
58—Los Gatos Weekly-Times
59—Los Gatos High School New
Millennium Foundation
60—Circuit Sisters
61—Blossom Hill Farm
62—Cucuzza Squash Drill Team
63—South Bay Triplets
64—Rolling Hills Middle School Marching Band
65—Southwest YMCA—El Gato Expedition
66—America's Best Karate
67—Bella Rosa Boutique
68—American Cancer Society
69—Ameri Kids
70—St. Mary's School
71—Southwest YMCA—Sierra Expedition
72—Southwest YMCA—Big Bears Expedition
73—Stanford Marching Band
74—Ernie Marks
75—Southwest YMCA—Wilderness Expedition
76—Pala Marching Panthers Band
77—Togo's of Los Gatos
78—Kiwanis Club of Los Gatos
79—Allie Barry
80—Yellow Cab Company
81—St. Francis Cabrini Junior Scouts 465
82—Girl Scout Troop 1460, San Jose
83—West Valley Clean Water
84—Westmont Warrior Marching Band
85—West Valley Gymnastics Club
86—Testarossa Vineyards
87—Girl Scouts of Los Gatos—Blossom Hill
88—Kristina Barry
89—Union Middle School Tiger Marching Band
90—Shafer's Income Tax and Real Estate
91—Los Gatos Museum Association
92—Girl Scout Brownie Troop 160, Los Gatos
93—Girl Scout Daisy Troop 915, Saratoga
94—Girl Scout Brownie Troop 915, Los Gatos
95—Landsystems Landscapes
96—Cub Scout Pack 577 Los Gatos
Christian Church
97—Jiffy Market
98—South Valley YMCA—Adventure Guides
99—South Bay Children's Urgent Care
100—Fisher Middle School Marching Band
101—Fisher Middle School Club Live
102—Northwest YMCA—Adventure Guides
103—Oak Grove AFJROTC
104—Los Gatos Rowing Club
105—Los Gatos High School Robotics
106—Friends and Family of Carlton Court
107—The Healing Paw
108—Sizzling Seniors
109—Saratoga High School Marching Band
110—South Bay Deutscher Schuzverew
111—Valley Baton Club
112—San Jose Water Company
113—Santa Clara County Guide Dog Puppy Raisers
114—Rotary International Youth Exchange
115—Santa Clara Dog Training Club
116—Studio Kicks Demonstration Team
117—Los Gatos High School Student Council
118—Dartmouth Middle School Marching Band
119—Cub Scout Pack 505, Marshal Lane School
120—Cub Scout Pack 333, Campbell
121—Bear Creek Stables
122—Lakeside Elementary School
123—Rose Cleaners
124—Harriman Family
125—Students of Diane Egli
126—Cub Scout Pack 317, Campbell
127—Cub Scout Pack 213, South San Jose
128—Saratoga School of Dance
129—Family of Freemasonry—Mt. Moriah Lodge
130—DeMolay
131—Mt. View Bethel
132—CampbellLos Gatos Rainbow Assembly
133—Eastern Star
134—Order of Amaranth
135—Ankh Court
136—Shrine Color Guard
137—ASIYA Shrine of San Mateo
138—Section Crew
139—ASIYA Arabian Oriental Band
140—ASIYA Greeters
141—ASIYA Clowns
142—ASIYA Brigade
143—Redwood City Shrine Club
144—ASIYA Zouaves
145—ASIYA Comics
146—Los Gatos Camel Herders
147—Los Gatos Camel Herders
148—Prince Charles Jr. Bag Pipe Band
149—Cub Scout Pack 502, San Jose
150—Loma Prieta Fire & Rescue
151—J.W. Fair Middle School Marching Band
152—Cub Scout Pack 374, San Jose
153—Frame Company
154—Dance Attack Performing Company
155—Kiwanis Club of Los Gatos
156—Pete Castonguay
157—Valley Christian Marching Band
158—Valley Christian Jr. Drill Team
159—Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club
160—Los Gatos Morning Rotary Club
161—Big O Tires
162—2myeasyloan.com
163—Eric M. Quesada Passions Foundation
and Alive ... and Loving Life
164—Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce
165—Santa Clara County Sheriff's Posse
166—Los Gatos Horseman's Association
167—Jury Ass Kick Ranchette
168—Ann & Rich Waltonsmith
169—Cub Scout Pack 556
170—Santa Claus
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