By ED PILOLLA

Staff writer

The children began arriving at 10 a.m. at the library Saturday. A smiling Santa Claus welcomed the kids next to a decorated Christmas tree.

“What do you want for Christmas?” asked Santa.

“A toy driving car,” said Sivert VanHorn, 7.

“That’s better than a Ford Focus,” said Santa.

“And a squirrel!” VanHorn said.

“Ookay,” Santa said.

Children visited with Santa and also made crafty Christmas ornaments at the library. The ornament making was fun, but the show was Santa, for kids suddenly stricken with stage fright and others quite comfortable saying exactly what they wanted for Christmas.

“I want a Spiderman scooter!” said Miles Tajchman, 3.

Brooklyn Beery, 4, told Santa she forgot what she wanted for Christmas, then after leaving Santa’s presence, she suddenly remembered.

“I want an iPad!” Beery informed Santa from a safe distance.

Treygan Miesse, 3, told Santa he wants a snake.

“This big!” Miesse said, holding his arms out as wide as possible.

Al Ash has been playing Santa for four years. His wife Gloria assisted as Mrs. Claus. Ash has visited nursing homes and also worked as Santa at the Tunnel of Lights at the county lake in previous years. This was the first time he interacted with children as Santa.

“I was very apprehensive,” Ash said during a quick break when no children occupied his lap. “But it’s fun,” Ash added.

It was a lot of fun when children wrapped Santa in a warm hug. For children less comfortable with Santa, Ash conveyed compassion.

“What do you want?” Santa asked a shy girl stiff with fear.

“You want this to be over, don’t you?” Santa added.