Santa returns to Vestavia Hills

On Dec. 7, children and families in Vestavia Hills can meet Santa and have their picture taken during the annual Breakfast with Santa.

The event begins at 7:30 that Saturday morning and lasts until 10:30 a.m. in the Dogwood Room at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center, said John Henley, one of the event organizers.

Henley and other men will start cooking chocolate chip pancakes and bacon around 6 a.m. Henley said the same group of men have been cooking at the event for several years and are now getting their kids to help cook. The dads met through a group that included all four of their daughters, Henley said.

Coffee and other drinks will also be provided, and children can visit with Santa, tell him what they want for Christmas and have their picture taken with him. The Vestavia Belles and Rockettes will also be in attendance, Henley said.

The event is in its eighth year and always draws a few hundred people, Henley said.

While the event provides a great opportunity for the men cooking to enjoy their time together, it also provides families a chance to get in the spirit of Christmas, he said. The area will be decorated for Christmas by the city’s beautification board, Henley said.

The event is free, and families start lining up around 7:15 a.m.