As it has for 45 years, the Carson Nugget Coffee Shop opened its doors Christmas morning to hundreds of diners for a free holiday meal of turkey or ham with all the trimmings.
Nugget restaurant manager James Chavez greeted them clad his St. Nick's uniform.
"We expect more than 1,500 people today," said Chavez before posing for pictures with a young woman's newborn.
Also waiting for a Santa picture and their meals were Carson City residents Barb Nesbitt and Sally Acome, decked out in holiday ensembles.
"Now, when will that be in the paper?" Nesbitt asked, smiling as her eyes sparkled.
In the coffee shop, Dwayne Snyder of Mound House, sporting a red shirt, red suspenders and matching tie, read a newspaper as he ate.
Nearby, hostess Susie Parker attended to her duties while wearing a red dress with white, furry trim and a red stocking cap with a white ball on top.
"It isn't as busy this Christmas as it was for Thanksgiving," she said. "We had more homeless people on Thanksgiving."
The Nugget offers free meals on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Diners order their choice of food and sign their checks with "I'm a guest of the Nugget today."
Chavez said it appears more families drop by on Thanksgiving, while mostly individual diners come on Christmas.
Casino marketing chief Doug Brown said he was pleased with Wednesday's turnout and the festive air in the coffee shop.
"They were lined up outside before 10 this morning," he said.
