Santa a big hit in Gardnerville

There’s one rock star this time of year who people line up to see and that’s Santa Claus.

On Monday, around 450 cars packed with children lined up in Gardnerville to see the jolly old elf, and get a photo of him.

An estimated 1,000 cookies were handed out during the event that saw cars stretched around the Douglas County Community & Senior Center parking lot and across Waterloo Lane into Lampe Park.

Douglas County Community Services’ Liz Baumgartner said there were a lot of people from out of town who participated.

“(They) heard about our event and came because there was nothing going on for their kids where they lived,” she said. “We even had people from the Lake come down.”

Some vehicles had four or five children, who eagerly awaited their turn to talk to the big man.

“Kids were hanging out of their cars to see Santa,” Baumgartner said. “You would have thought they were coming to see a rock star.”

Some of the visitors waited almost an hour to get some face time with Santa, though Baumgartner said no one seemed to mind.

She credited the Parks & Recreation and Senior Center staff for their help, along with volunteers from the Parks & Recreation Commission and Senior Services and Public Transit Advisory Council for their help.

Senior Center volunteers and local teens also contributed to the effort to make the first drive-through Santa event a success, Baumgartner said.

The Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce announced three of the four winners of their holiday decorating contest.

Roy Nisja’s Bear House on 1366 Chichester Drive was judged the most creative. Nisja said his son and grandson add to the display, which is in its third year in Gardnerville, but has a decades long history in California.

Eddy Street Vintage Market at 1235 Eddy St. in Gardnerville won the prize for best of show and best holiday door belonged to Crossfit Ampersand.

Chamber Manager Alicia Main said that voting is still open for the People’s Choice Award. Make a selection by visiting the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce on Facebook through Dec. 28.

Kathie Jarboe’s “A Toy Story in History” won best of show at the Douglas County Historical Society’s Gingerbread House Decorating Contest.

The Gallery of Trees is still on display at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center in Gardnerville.