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SANTA

Shops

El Campo 2019

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

Oh, my! Christmas is almost here, the elves are way behind and good little boys and girls are counting on me. What am I going to do?

Ahhh... here’s the answer. Boy, I sure am glad I have my subscription to the El Campo Leader-News! Look at all those sales! Let’s Go!

Did you get the latest edition? Santa’s coming to El CAMPO, TX! To SHOP LOCAL!!!!! Did you?

So Santa harnessed up the reindeer, got on his sleigh and set off for El Campo. Once here, Santa checked his list and got to work ... or, at least that’s what he planned on doing. Instead, he stifled a yawn and decided to look for a good cup of coffee.

“Hi Santa! Welcome to Molli B’s!”

store owner Molli Bodungen proclaimed while mixing up a nice hot cappuccino for Santa. “That will give you an energy boost. Just you wait and see.”

While sitting enjoying his cappuccino, Santa bumped into Ms. Carolyn Gibson of the City Development Corp. of El Campo. She told him all about El Campo’s Shop LOCAL! campaign and the wonderful gifts, food and activities to be found around the city of El Campo. “I remember now,” Santa said, “Last year, this little town helped save Christmas with all the gifts I found!” Racing over to Blue Creek Market, Santa found the fashions little Missy on Pecan Street had on her list, then on to First Street Bargain Center.

Then he checked his list once more. “Hmmmmm. Let’s see,” he said. “I’ve got to make a stop at Millhouse Furniture for their hand-crafted chairs and then it’s over to Sutherlands to pick up the do-it-yourself items for little Kyle on Norris Street.

At Tin Roof and Tough Country Sawmill, Santa found El Campo’s version of elves hard at work making Texas-shaped cutting boards and many more gifts. “This is just what Joshua had on his list!” Santa exclaimed. “And, he’s been a very good boy this year!” Santa then moseyed over to Rioux Hardware for some more items, before dropping by Professional Pharmacy for some special gifts. “Whew, shopping’s hard work!” Santa said, deciding a little snack might be just what he needed to fuel up for the next leg of his El Campo shopping trip. So Santa went over to K-Baby’s Food For The Soul for some tasty old-fashioned comfort food. Hoping Mrs. Claus might be able to duplicate the recipe, he dashed into Prairie Rose Emporium for kitchenware and then over to Gloria’s Crafts And More for little bits of this and that.

The Shed on the West Loop was the next stop. There Randy Matocha noticed how heavy Santa’s sack looked and offered him a U-Haul or even a storage shed, while Quala Matocha pointed out all the gift items and crafts inside made locally. “No worries,” Santa said with a twinkle in his eye, “You see, this is a magic sack. There’s plenty of room for more and I can easily lift the load.” Santa then dashed off to Southern Belle Boutique, LuLaRoe and Wild Bill’s Western Wear. He then went in search of electronics at the Computer Center & Radio Shack, and found hunting gear and reindeer feed at United Ag General Store. All of this went into his sack.

“Oh, No! I forgot the posters for the Sugar Plum Ball. What shall I do?” Santa exclaimed, but then he remembered he had met Donnie and Sherri Roddy during his last El Campo trip. Soon, the staff at R&R Printing had posters, invites and all the other printed material in the works. “They’re so fast, Mrs. Claus will never know,” he said. Santa figured that meant he had time for a little R&R of his own, so he headed over to the El Campo Bowling Center where his score card soon read XX00. After making sure Bobby, a good little boy, won the game, Santa took a dip in the hot tub at the El Campo Aquatic Center and had a walk around Legacy Park before visiting the game room at Mr. Gatti’s Pizza on North Mechanic. How about a slice of pizza? Well, why not?

That’s when Santa felt a rumble in his belly and said, “Oh my, I know it’s been hours since I dined. I can go see the fish at El Campo Seafood & Grill and get a snack.”

“Yummmmmy,” Santa said, but he couldn’t resist La Preferida, the BBQ Place, Jalapeno’s, Diamond W, Express Grill, Vintage Chica, Greek Brothers, Uptown Grill, Mikeska’s, Fathers & Sons and High Pin Sports Bar... for just a sample... or two... or maybe three... you know, little bites, just a nibble to explore all the variety they had to offer in the tasty El Campo eateries. Santa then snapped his fingers and proclaimed, “I forgot about Jr’s Texas Best, Heavenly Helpers, The Mercantile, Flowers, Etc., Tractor Supply Co., Floral Gardens, Prasek’s, Country Pets, Shoe Dept., New Beginnings, Cato, Shabby Chic, Sweet Tees, Collins Music Center, Palais Royal, Hibbett’s, DNJ Designs, Screen Stop, Tree House, Rice Farmers Co-op, Belly and Beyond, and ....

Santa stopped and realized he’d made a mistake... he hadn’t picked up anything for Mrs. Claus yet! So off to Gerberman’s Jewelers he went. “That’s the special something I was seeking,” he said. “She will love it!”

Figuring he’d earned a break after all the hard work, Santa then paused to take in a movie at Showplace 3, and some buttery popcorn too.

El Campo Cycle Center, El Campo Boating Center and Somewhere In Time came next. Then off to see Pearl the Prairie Dog at the El Campo Museum. Next he went to the Northside Education Center. “Keep up the Shop LOCAL! campaign,” he told the CDC Board. Then he decided to make a stop at City Hall to say, “Job well done!” to City Council and all the city staff. By then, Santa realized it was time for the annual Carol of Lights Christmas Parade sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. “I’ve closed the parade every year for as long as I can remember,” Santa said, recalling the year a cowboy covered in Christmas lights stole the show.

Then there was the year, the El Campo High School Derby Dolls were all the rage. “It’s always a great show!” Santa exclaimed. “What was your favorite this year?”

“That was stupendous!” Santa said. “I love a good parade. The only thing I missed this year was the KC Southern Holiday Express train. Oh, well, maybe next year.” Santa looked down and saw his entire shopping list was done – he had bought it all in El Campo stores! “This Shop LOCAL! is great,” he said. “I’m ready to make my deliveries to all the good boys and girls.” He jumped in his sleigh... and, as he flew out of sight, he proclaimed,

“HO! HO! HO! MERRY PEARL OF THE PRAIRIE CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!!!!” –Story by Shannon Crabtree, Photos by Emily Lincke

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!