Where's Santa? Track Him Live from Dormont and Brookline

The North American Aerospace Defense Command has a website that now offers a Santa tracker mobile app to follow the jolly man's magical flight.

Where's Santa? Track Him Live from Dormont and Brookline

The North American Aerospace Defense Command has a website that now offers a Santa tracker mobile app to follow the jolly man's magical flight.

They sent him their wish lists, sat on his lap, and left cookies and milk for his arrival. Now the only thing left for children to do is track Santa's progress as he delivers gifts around the world on Christmas Eve. Thanks to the folks behind the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) website, families worldwide can now follow Santa's Christmas journey in real time as he nears Dormont and Brookline on Christmas Eve. The tradition started in 1955 after an advertisement for Sears Roebuck & Co. misprinted a telephone number for a special "Santa hotline." Instead of reaching Kris Kringle, the number put kids through to the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Commander-in-Chief’s operations, according to a description on the NORAD…

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South Hills Village Santa Reveals Most Memorable Gift Requests

An exclusive one-on-one with arguably the most popular man of December—Santa Claus.

Patch: What have been the most popular gift requests this year? Santa: Electronics. iPods, iPhone 5s, mini iPads, everything. Patch: How have gift requests changed over the years? Santa: All the electronics have been the biggest change. Even the small ones are asking for iPhones. Patch: What has been your most unusual and memorable gift requests? Santa: One wanted me to bring the parents back together. Another one wanted his family to have a very happy holiday. The best was two or three years ago, a four or five year old wanted a phone. It took a lot of time for me to figure out why he wanted a phone at such a young age. He finally told me he wanted a phone for when he had to call his friends because his mother was always on the phone! …

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Erin Faulk

1:06 pm on Friday, December 14, 2012

Thanks for sharing, Stevie! Fun fact: Apparently it's actually quite difficult to get an interview with Santa. His time in public is mostly reserved for talking to the kids and hearing their wishes. We're really glad he was willing to sit down for an interview with Patch. Of course, he's quite busy this time of year!   more ›

Children with Special Needs Invited to Caring Santa Event

A private Santa Claus visit with no distractions is planned at South Hills Village.

Children with special needs are invited to a special, private visit on Sunday with the South Hills Village Santa Claus. The Caring Santa event will take place 9 a.m.—before the mall opens to the public—to provide a subdued environment to visit the Santa Photo Experience. Along with an early opening, many other steps are taken to reduce sensory triggers, creating a more comforting environment for the children’s magical visit with Santa. This environment is likely to include (specific elements or aesthetics may vary): This will be the second year for the Caring Santa program at South Hills Village. “Last year, we saw families who received a Santa photo with their child for the very first time,” said Sheryl Young, CEO of AbilityPath.org. “We …

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Meet Santa Claus at South Hills Village Mall

Holiday magic is returning to South Hills Village as the Santa Photo Experience opened to greet children with their wish lists.

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, it might be time to make a visit to  South Hills Village and let Santa know what's on your wish list. Children can be photographed with Santa weekdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Lower Level North Court. Click here for the specific dates and times during the season. “There is always a great deal of entertainment and fun at Simon malls during the holiday season but the Santa Photo Experience is something generations of families count on every year,” said Jennifer Carroll, South Hills Village Director of Marketing and Business Development. ABC Family is sponsoring the event for the eighth consecutive year. Another sense will be engaged this holiday season as Simon is teaming up with …

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Santa Visits Keystone Oaks Nursery School

Christmas came a few days early for some lucky students in the Keystone Oaks Nursery School program.

Santa Claus made an early stop—with gifts in tow—to the children in the Keystone Oaks Nursery School program on Friday. After a morning full of songs, holiday-themed bingo and special holiday treats at snack time, the children got to meet Jolly Saint Nick himself. Despite a long trip from the North Pole, Santa was prepared. He knew every child in the nursery school class by name and had gifts for all of them. We have a lot of photos of the event posted here. Please spread the holiday cheer and share your own! You can add them to the article or to our Neighborhood Gallery. Contact your editor if you have any questions. Happy holidays!

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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas in Dormont

Dormonters enjoyed cookies with Santa and a tree-lighting ceremony on Saturday evening.

We all know that Santa Claus is very busy this time of year. But, the big guy told us, he’s never too busy for his friends in Dormont! Santa stopped by the Dormont Park Recreation Center on Saturday evening for the borough’s light up night. Nearly two hundred people came out to have their little ones sit on Santa’s lap, get photos taken and enjoy crafts, snacks and various other activities. Popular Christmas tunes played in the background as kids constructed picture frames at the craft table and danced around the room. Cookies were provided by a donation from the Eat'n Park on Banksville Road, and juice pouches were provided by the Banskville Road Supercuts. Supercuts also donated the skill of its stylists. Two stylists were on hand at the…

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