THEN, it was time for SANTA TO APPEAR!

SOOO...the kids were gathered up, and their parents held cameras...and suddenly, there was a big racket on the roof! What or WHO could it be????

Then, down the stairs came SANTA CLAUSE HIMSELF...carrying a bag with apparently something GOOD in it.

NOW, everyone seemed 'game' to get close to the big guy...all except Emily that is.

She's never warmed up to Santa over the years, so the thought of sitting on this big guys lap was obviously a source of worry for her.

Now, Will's nephew Anthony had no problem standing close to Santa eyeing that box of candy.

Then EAN marched up right after BEN (a true believer) got his treats...and sorta found SANTA familiar, but he wasn't too positive about it...

...but BEN, now he was just showing up in a lot of pictures cause he wanted to stay as close to SANTA as possible...mostly staring, but also smiling a lot too...

THEN EMILY, finding it somewhat safe to approach SANTA, sort of stood back a little...just in case he moved suddenly and she had to run fast to somewhere else... yet, being a candy addict wannabe...there was candy to be had from this mysterious stranger...and it was worth the gamble...

Now, there are going to be 'stories' about Sierra in the future...because at ten years old...she is a true Santa Believer herself...and this familiar face merited some quick explaining by Dad, David...

ONCE ALL THE WEE ONES received their treats and hugs and talks from SANTA...they got in there for a GROUP PHOTO pretty happily methinks...

BUT HEY, wasn't SANTA missing someone????

LIKE JORDAN NICOLE, for example...

...and what about JON? He's been a good boy all year!

SOOO...that was it, wasn't it. Well, not quite!