A tradition that spans over three decades in the valley will be taking a break this year.
Santa’s Annual Christmas Dinner started in 1983, simply as a way for folks to get together over the holiday, especially if they had no other place to go, with no restaurants open. The dinner provided a venue to enjoy a hot meal in the company of others.
It has since grown over the years and has become a tradition. At the heart of the dinner is getting together and camaraderie with friends and family. For the last few years it was held at Yavis Family Restaurant. However, with COVID -19 restrictions, organizers have decided to take a break for 2020.
“The essence of the dinner was to provide an opportunity to be with others on a holiday. However, with the challenges of this year, we just don’t want to be responsible for anyone getting sick,” lamented Kim Suntjens, one of the organizers. “Last year, we served 504 meals. It’s incredibly disappointing to not be hosting it this year, but the logistics and out of an abundance of care and caution, it is the responsible choice.”
Organizers are committed to this not being the end of the event and are planning to take it up again for Christmas 2021.