Santa Claus coming to town, and needs help

Covid has cancelled a lot this year – with Santa’s lolly scramble the latest to fall – but it can’t cancel Christmas all

together.

There’s a distant sound of jingle bells ringing, and if you’re in Blenheim, you can help usher in the festivities with a little giving tomorrow.

For the past two years, the Roadhouse Breakfast crew of automotive enthusiasts have filled the Salvation Army’s van with toys collected during their annual drive.

This year, they are once again asking members of the public to dig deep into their pockets and buy some gifts for needy families.

Then it’s as simple as taking a ride through Lansdowne Park’s car park between 8.30am and 10am tomorrow, and dropping the gifts on the table next to the Salvation Army van. Donated toys and gifts should be new and left unwrapped.

Blenheim Salvation Army Corps Officer Emma Howan said that up to 100 local families were expected to benefit this year from the Salvation Army’s Operation Gifts for Kids.

‘‘We know that these Covid times are challenging for everybody with constant change, and the community’s generosity really does make a difference for families at Christmas,’’ Howan said.

The donations will be displayed in a festively decorated hall over four days during the second week of December, and needy families identified by various agencies in Blenheim will be invited to ‘‘shop’’ for gifts for their families, and will also be provided with wrapping.

Anyone who is not able to make the event but who wants to donate can also drop off their donation at Auto Electric City on the corner of Opawa and Kinross streets.

In Picton, Santa will be ramping up the festivities with an early tour of the town on Sunday afternoon.

A red letter box will be at each venue on the tour (and at Harcourts Real Estate during the week), where the children will be able to post their wish list to Santa.

Every letter will receive a personal reply from Santa, so kids should make sure to include their home address.

Santa will kick off the tour at Nelson Square at 1.30pm with the Blenheim District Pipe Band and then proceed to the library car park on the corner of Dublin and Auckland streets about 2pm, where he will be joined by the Belles singing Christmas songs.

The tour will then take him to the Port Marlborough Endeavour

Park Pavilion top car park around 2.30pm, and he will wrap up the tour at the Waikawa Bay car park aroud 3pm with the pipe band.

Santa will continue his tour the following week, in collaboration with Marlborough 4 Fun.

Marlborough 4 Fun manager Taylor Keen said they would be working with the Blenheim and Renwick fire brigades, which would escort Santa on his sleigh as he toured the suburbs of Blenheim, accompanied by loud Christmas music.

‘‘Unfortunately due to Covid restrictions, we’ve had to cancel the majority of our holiday events this year which is unfortunate for everybody, and Santa on Tour is our effort to spread some Christmas cheer around the community,’’ Keen said.

There won’t be any lollies for health and safety reasons, just a drive-by and wave, she said.

‘‘We just encourage people to listen out for the music and to wave from their driveways or homes.’’

Santa will be out and about on his sleigh from 6pm on Tuesday, December 7, in the Springlands, Mayfield and Riversdale areas.

On Wednesday evening, look out for him in Blenheim Central; and on Thursday in Omaka, Redwoodtown and Witherlea.

He will wrap up his Blenheim tour around the streets of Renwick on Friday evening.

The tour will be weather dependent, so members of the community are advised to keep an eye on Marlborough 4 Fun’s Facebook page for updates.