Earlier this month, Foyleside Shopping Centre rolled out the red carpet for a very special visitor. The centre welcomed none other than Santa Claus himself, as the loveable man made his annual trip from the North Pole to set up his Christmas grotto so that he could meet all the boys and girls from the North West eager to tell him what they want for Christmas.
While Santa’s arrival has already begun to spread Christmas cheer, what many people might not know is that Santa has been visiting the centre for over two decades.
Throughout the course of the past 20 years, many families have brought their children to see him, and this year is no different. Such is the excitement, many of them have been taking part in some of the fun activities in the centre that Santa has asked his elves in Foyleside to prepare, such as candy cane making and decorating gingerbread men.
To celebrate 20 years of Santa coming to Foyleside, the centre has asked parents to share their photos and memories on social media of their visits to see Mr. Claus down through the years.
Fergal Rafferty, Foyleside Centre Manager, said he is delighted to see parents and children once again enjoying the festive cheer. He said:
“It has been such an honour to welcome Santa to Foyleside for over two decades. So many parents have told me that that they can remember when they came to the centre themselves as a child to pay a visit to Santa, and now they are bringing their own children to see the man that makes Christmas so special. It has been fantastic to see people sharing photos and memories of these visits on our social media channels and we look forward to seeing more as the big day approaches.”
This year Foyleside Shopping Centre is running a ‘Santa Through the Years’ feature, and we would love to see your photos from past Santa visits at Foyleside.
Whether you have a collection from years gone by or have one from a year that was memorable for you – Foyleside Shopping Centre is excited to take a trip down memory lane!
During the month of December, we will be sharing all your favourite Santa memories.
There may even be a prize for the oldest photo shared!