Santa Claus and his loyal elves will make a special appearance for the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum at City Hall on December 5, at 4 p.m. Santa will greet all children, naughty or nice, and hear their Christmas wishes before he heads back to the North Pole to prepare for his big night.

The visit with Santa is free but reservations are required on LMMM’s Evenbrite page (click here). Event Location: City Hall Community Room, 125 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut.

Holiday treats, such as warm apple cider, hot chocolate, and cookies will be served while families may shop at the Mansion’s pop-up Gift Shop Corner featuring Christmas ornaments, museum-centric accessories, and more.

Although the legend of Santa Claus is steeped in ancient traditions dating back to the third century, and later re-interpreted by the Dutch with the story of Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus and the gift-giving Christmas tradition was popularized in America by renowned author Washington Irving in the early nineteenth century.

“Irving advanced Christmas as the festive pageant of presents and feasting that now dominates the American winter calendar.” (The National Endowment for the Humanities). Thomas Nast, a renowned Victorian cartoonist is credited with creating the modern image of Santa Claus.

2024 DISTINGUISHED BENEFACTORS

The Maurice Goodman Foundation, Inc.

Lockwood Mathews Foundation, Inc.

_{Illustration: Library of Congress O’Neill, Rose Cecil, 1874-1944, artist (publ. J. Ottmann Lith. Co., Puck Bldg., 1903 December 2)
Photos (2013-2020) courtesy of Jennifer Rose, Sarah Grote, and Gus Apazidis}