When I was a kid, my eldest sister, Vicki, played a trick on me. She told me that the box on the wall in our foyer, the one with the chimes on the sides, was a microphone straight to the North Pole and that Santa’s use of microphones into people’s homes was how he knew if kids were good or bad.

Talking to Santa

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense! Every house I visited from then on had a box just like ours, in a convenient, middle-of-the-house location. What was more, no kid I asked had any idea what on Earth the box was for! So, in the sweltering Alabama months of July and August, I would worry that Santa must be bored. Surely he would enjoy having someone to talk to (or so I told myself). So I pulled up a chair under the microphone and started a conversation.

“Hey, Santa! It’s me…Sarah Lauren. I have been soooo good this year, just started Kindergarten and haven’t fought with my sisters in weeks. I really hope you will bring me the Scratch and Sniff Raggedy Ann and Andy book I’ve been wanting.”

(Go ahead and cringe. I don’t blame you. I have a direct line to Santa and that’s all I asked for??? I’ll give you a minute to shake your head before reading on…)

My mother would come into the foyer and wonder why her 5 year old had fallen asleep sitting on a chair under the doorchime. Maybe I was just waiting for someone to tell me that “Gullible” was written on the ceiling so that I could look up and see it. Sheesh…

A Huntsville Home

Little did I know that Santa lived just a short distance away, right here in downtown Huntsville! He even has a small village that magically appears every Thanksgiving night and stays visible until Christmas Eve when he must get on the sleigh to deliver presents to good little girls and boys.

Santa’s Village is on Gates Avenue at the location many of us think of as Alabama Constitution Hall Village, but how silly of us… Why, there are even reindeer on site!! Elves greet visitors as they enter the gates and there are carolers, musical acts, crafts, gingerbread cookie decorating and hot chocolate.

There’s even snow!!! All boys and girls can visit Mrs. Claus for storytime before going into the “Letters to Santa” mailroom for those last minute requests.

Every building is lined with lights, Christmas music lulls your every step and the fire of the blacksmith’s shop will warm you up if the weather gets chilly. The blacksmith will even show visitors how iron is made into horseshoes, nails and the like.

So, I guess it wasn’t the brightest time of my life talking to the doorbell box hoping Santa would be on the other end. Now I realize that no microphone was needed for me to talk to Santa. All I had to do was skip on down to Gates Avenue in downtown Huntsville and speak to the Big Man face-to-face.

Tickets

This year, you can get in to see Santa without waiting in line for tickets! How? You ask… By purchasing your tickets in advance. You have two options:

• Buy online on the EarlyWorks website
• Or in person at one of several local businesses

Buy in advance at these locations:

• EarlyWorks Children’s Museum
• Santa’s Village Gift Shoppe
• Huntsville Depot Museum
• Star Market (all locations)

Event Information

Dates: now – December 23, 2012
Time: 5pm to 9pm nightly
Where: Alabama Constitution Village 109 Gates Ave. Huntsville, AL 35801
Cost: $5 per person (children under one year old, free)
Purchase Tickets: Online here or at local businesses