Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Santa Claus

Matt and Amy Clark, with Santa, 1968

I don't remember being afraid of Santa, I do remember our yearly visits and getting our pictures taken with him.  Mom would take us to Randhurst Mall in Mount Prospect, Illinois.  I remember the center court had penguin statues that my brother and I would climb on.  The Santa's set up with the elves was always fun.

I wonder if being taken to Santa's Village while growing up quelled any fear of Santa - to me Santa always meant fun, fun, fun.  Santa's Village was an amusement park in East Dundee, Illinois.  The park was Christmas all year round.  It even had a North Pole that was ice in the park center.  The park closed in 2006.  I remember taking my eldest daughter Jessica to the park in 1986, that was the last time  I had the pleasure of being at the park.