Photography via Flickr/ Frohe Weihnacht
Seeing Santa at a shopping mall is almost a staple of the holiday season. Even recently as Facebook users shared a photo of a "sad" Santa in the almost-empty Chesterfield Mall. Along with giving that lonely Santa a visit, there are plenty of places to spot the big guy for a photos op. Here are some Santa sighting options between now and when he has to speed off on his sleigh.
Photos with Santa at the Kirkwood Train Station
Bring your own camera or smartphone to snap a shot with Santa at this free event, which will also feature a live reindeer on December 13. The average wait is 30 minutes or longer, so plan on arriving at least half an hour before an event’s scheduled end time. December 13, 5 –7 p.m, December 14, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Santa at the National Museum of Transportation
Santa and a helper will be checking gift lists at the National Museum of Transportation this Saturday. This Santa siting requires tickets to the museum ($10 for visitors 13 and up; $5 for visitors ages 3–12) where you can check out exhibits including the E. Desmond Lee Holiday Train Exhibit. December 15, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
St. Charles Christmas Traditions
See Santa during along a parade route that starts at 1000 South Main in downtown St. Charles and runs to the Jaycee Stage at Frontier Park, where the parade ends with a brief family-friendly program. Santa will make his final parade appearance on Christmas Eve before boarding a horse-drawn carriage with Mrs. Claus to head back to the North Pole just in time to deliver gifts.1:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through December 23; Santa send-off December 24 at 1:30 p.m.
Santa’s Magical Kingdom
Love lights? Then you may want to schedule your Santa sighting around a trip to Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Pacific, where he will be setting up shop nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Kringle’s General Store. Photo packages start at $16.95 and park admission for most family-size vehicles is $23. Hours of operation: 5:30–11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5:30–10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.
Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s
Both stores will offer free photos with Santa, crafts, and activities daily. Check store sites for schedules and details on how to see Santa.
Santa at Soulard Station
Santa will be making a stop at Soulard Station from around 6:30–9 p.m. where everyone can enjoy cookies, music, and other free and festive fun. December 14.
And here are a handful of options for those who want to share a meal with Santa:
- Dinner with Santa at Helen Fitzgerald’s | December 13, 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. 3650 S. Lindbergh.
- Breakfast with Santa at Eckert’s | December 15 & 16 and December 22 & 23 (Eckert’s Dinner with Santa seatings are sold out.) 951 S. Green Mountain, Belleville, Illinois.
- Brunch with Santa at the Boathouse at Forest Park | December 15 and December 22, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. 6101 Government.
