The jolly old elf arrived early this year at Meadowbrook Mall. He awaits in his chair at Marshall’s Court - surrounded by a magical holiday display -   greeting boys and girls and lending a listening ear for their Christmas wish list.

 

Santa’s arrival is the first of many activities coming to the mall this holiday season, said Robin Urquhart, marketing director.

 

The fanfare starts Thanksgiving Day, when the mall will host its annual Swag Bag Giveaway 6 p.m. through 1 a.m. It’s typical, Urquhart said, for lines to start forming between 4:30 and 5 p.m. There will be 500 bags distributed, each containing swag from various Meadowbrook Mall stores and a few containing mall gift cards – one valued at $250. Various Meadowbrook Mall stores will feature their own sales and discounts. There will also be family karaoke at JC Penney Court where shoppers can take a break.

 

“People aren’t shy,” Urquhart said. “We always have families going up together to sing.”

 

Though some stores, including JC Penney, will stay open all night long, most will be open through 1 a.m. Friday, then reopen for another shopping event, the annual Black Friday Chocolate Rush.

 

“We hand out candy bars which are numbered for different prizes. Someone will win $500 in mall shopping dollars,” Urquhart said.

 

Beginning at 6 a.m., 200 candy bars will be available for early bird shoppers. On Black Friday and Saturday, the mall will be open through 10 p.m. Saturday’s shopping hours begin at 9 a.m. Those interested in having breakfast with Santa that day need to pre-purchase tickets for $5 each at Garfield’s, where breakfast will take place 9:30 through 11 a.m.

 

Though online shopping has become increasingly popular, the mall still sees huge crowds pouring in for the holiday season.

 

“Our traffic patterns have changed a little bit,” Urquhart said. “Online shopping is a fact of life anymore, but people are still doing out to shop, particularly for apparel. It hasn’t been impacted the same way some other things have. Statistics show that only nine to 10 percent of apparel sales are done online.”

 

In addition to Santa’s festive Teddy Bear set at Marshall’s Court, a giant Christmas tree is up at the Food Court and a giant stuffed Teddy Bear awaits holiday shoppers at Annie Anne’s.

 

“I think everyone who walks through with a child stops and takes pictures there,” Urquhart said.

 

The Salvation Army Angel Tree is set up just outside JC Penney. Shoppers are encouraged to stop and get a tag, thereafter shopping for a child in need this Christmas season.

 

Though Santa is available for all children through Christmas Eve, he looks forward to visits by area pets Dec. 2 and Dec. 9.

From 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 and 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, locals are invited to bring their cats, dogs and other domesticated pets for photo opps.

 

See Santa's hours at the Meadowbrook Mall Web site HERE. To see holiday shopping hours, click HERE.