A Christmas not forgotten
There were Santas to spare at the Bayside Expo Center yesterday, where nearly 3,000 Boston-area children - most of them homeless - rushed in for a Christmas celebration that organizers insisted not be muted by a winter storm or financial heartache.
Heads turned and expectant eyes shot toward Santa's sleigh as he rode into the packed exhibit hall for the unveiling of a playland of amusement-park rides, crafts, and games that an army of volunteers had spent the last week preparing.
Nine other Santas queued up along a wall to accept individual Christmas wishes from the children.
There also was a Santa named Jake Kennedy of Hingham, who, with his wife, Sparky, was leading his 20th annual Christmas in the City celebration.
"We want every little kid to believe in Christmas, so they open up a present and see what they asked Santa for," Kennedy said yesterday.
There also were all the Santas wearing green shirts and red shirts, the 1,000 volunteers from teenagers to senior citizens who trekked through snow and slush to hand out trays of hot dogs, pizza, graham crackers, and candy canes; escort children from craft stations to carousels; and organize a gift-distribution system that ensured every child received the specific gift he or she requested and a bag of generic gifts appropriate for his or her age and gender. The gifts, including dolls, toy trucks, strollers, and winter accessories, all were donated by individuals and businesses who contributed an estimated $300,000 worth of presents.
And there was a Santa named Victoria Brown, a 46-year-old grandmother who lives in the Griffin House - a residential substance-abuse treatment center - after getting on probation and turning to drugs. Despite her personal troubles, she brought her three grandchildren to a Christmas celebration where they were showered with gifts, attention, and sweets.
"It's good for Christmas for my family, because I really didn't have any money to spend this year, and I've never experienced taking them out like this, so it means a lot," Brown said. "This year is tougher than other years . . . but as long as they're happy, I'm happy."
For about four hours yesterday, thousands of families who live in shelters or temporary housing in Boston, Somerville, Chelsea, Cambridge, and Quincy set aside concerns to watch their children or grandchildren dance to Christmas music and hug their favorite costumed cartoon characters.
The need is as great as ever. Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who dropped by the celebration, said the city conducted a homeless count last week that showed an increase in homeless families even as the number of individual homeless people has apparently fallen, a trend he said can be attributed directly to job losses.
But the sight of yesterday's celebration shows "volunteerism is alive and well in the city of Boston," he said. "It's about giving. It's about charity. It's about giving kids hope and making sure nobody gets forgotten at Christmastime."
For Aaron Thomas, a single father who lives with his 7-year-old twins, Aaron Jr. and Sharon, in transitional housing provided by The Dimock Center of Roxbury, Christmas in the City brought joy in what he said has been "a mediocre year."
"It's been kind of tough, really, being a single parent, raising twins, you know, but I'm dealing with it, handling it," said Thomas, who has brought his family to the event for the last three years. "They had fun today. It adds joy and happiness for real, and some gifts. They got more coming, but it brings a lot of joy to my family."
Many families have made Christmas in the City an annual tradition, said AnnMarie Powell-Hicks, a case manager for the Hildebrand Family Self-Help Center, which has sites throughout Greater Boston.
"This is something that once they've been, they always want to come back," she said. "This is the only place they go where they really get catered to."
For Yasmarie Valentin, who lives in Boston Family Shelter in the South End with her two children, ages 11 and 4, Christmas in the City was their one opportunity for a family holiday celebration.
"It's been tough the last few years, this year probably a little tougher than others," she said. "We don't have the funds or even the means available to us to get out on the holidays and do special things. This is something special we got to do as a family."
John C. Drake can be reached at jdrake@globe.com. 