Christmas is the most universally celebrated holiday in the world, and for many people, seeing Santa is a family tradition that they can’t skip. In fact, even during the hardest years of the pandemic, families that followed health preventive measures were still allowed to see Santa through a glass. Luckily, restrictions are now lifted, and while the pandemic is still with us, the overall situation is less scary and harmful to all of us.
Here at Longo Lexus, we’ve compiled a list of the places you can meet Santa this holiday season. Just keep in mind that at the time of writing this post, there wasn’t much information available. For that reason, we suggest you regularly check the official social media accounts of El Monte, California, to learn about any new dates and locations.
The Shops of Montebello
The Shops of Montebello is a beautiful shopping center in El Monte that houses a wide variety of shops and restaurants. They are the go-to mall for many families in El Monte because of their good prices, offers, and options. This is a mall for the community and was one of the first establishments to announce a Santa meeting, which will take place every day from November 19 to December 24, except on Thanksgiving.
Santa will be waiting for you and your family Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Just don’t forget that Santa takes a one-hour daily break from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., except on Sundays when he only takes a 30-minute break from 3 p.m. to 3.30 p.m.
Santa will be located at the lower level at Center Court, and although walk-ins are allowed, reservations are highly encouraged. This is because walk-in customers will have to wait in lines, with wait times that could exceed one hour, while reservations have priority.
If you decide to make a reservation, it’s best to do it online, as you’ll be able to choose a convenient time. When you make your reservation, you’ll need to pay a deposit of $20 that includes your time with Santa and a $20 credit toward any digital photo purchase. In addition, you can purchase prints of different sizes, photo key chains, rustic wood frames, fiber optic frames, 5”x7” letter to Santa frames, holiday musical snow globes, lighted resin frames, and laser-cut wooden frames.
The mall has free parking, and you can reschedule your visit online if your plans change.
Santa in Town
Although there hasn’t been an official announcement yet, we’re all expecting the Santa Claus is Coming to Town show to take place with Santa and his elves traveling through our city as he has in the past.
We could expect a similar show to the one in 2020, when Santa and his elves sleighed down the streets in the neighborhoods of Kranz School, Arceo/Fletcher, Cherrylee, and Mountain View over four nights from December 10 to December 17.
If this event happens again, the kids of our city will be able to make their wishes and bask in the holiday cheer, especially as this always tends to be a free event.
Other Places to Meet Santa
As we already mentioned, we’re waiting for other establishments to announce their Santa meetings; however, based on past years, we can suggest some places you may be able to meet Santa this holiday season:
Malls
There are over ten shopping centers in El Monte, California, and, like The Shops of Montebello, many of them hire a Santa so that families can take pictures and celebrate the Christmas spirit. For example, the South Coast Plaza is known for its eccentricity, so we’re almost sure they’ll have a Santa there. The Shops at Santa Anita and Citadel Outlet are other malls worth checking out, as they also like to carry on this tradition.
Department Stores
Some major stores, such as Macy’s and Walmart, are known for hosting their own Santa meetings, so you should definitely check them out. Better yet, ask any customer representative whether the store plans to host a Santa meeting or not.
Bookstores, Parks, and Hotels
Christmas marketing is very important for many businesses, and most affluent establishments use this technique to drive more sales, so there’s always at least one bookstore, hotel, or supermarket hosting Santa meetings. Parks are also used for the same purpose, with events usually run by independent businesses. As you can see, it’s essential to keep up with local news and social media accounts to know which establishments are bringing Santa to town.
DIY Alternative
Did you know you can hire Santa? Well, there are freelance Santas who offer their services so that you and your family can have a more unique Christmas experience. This is perfect if you’re not sure where to take your kids and their friends to meet Santa or if you want a more personal experience. What’s more, there’s a ton of advertising online from these freelance Santas. Just make sure to read their guidelines before hiring one.
There you go, a few places in El Monte, California, where you can go with your family to meet Santa and rejoice in all the Christmas cheer. We hope this post gives you some good ideas for planning your Santa visit. If you’ve met Santa before, drop us a line, as we’d love to know where you saw him and hear all about your experience.
At Longo Lexus, we’re committed to helping our community become its most advanced version yet, and since the best way to lead is by example, we’re pleased to say that Longo Lexus is among the top dealerships in El Monte. We want everyone living in our city and adjacent areas to have access to quality auto service, including purchasing or selling a vehicle, and we will guide our customers on their journeys to their dream car.
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