With bells on his boots and curls in his beard, Santa Claus sang his way into the Vicksburg Convention Center Saturday morning for the 16th annual Breakfast with Santa.

Before sitting down and hearing the Christmas lists from the children gathered, Santa led the more than 600 attendees in a rendition of Jingle Bells and wished them all a Merry Christmas.

“I think it is awesome,” Taylor Mardis, who attended with her daughter, said. “They have a lot of interaction and a lot of games. It is pretty neat. He (Santa) is pretty awesome. When he started singing we were set. He is really personable and he went up and talked to the kids and its not like he went up and just sat down. He spent time and talked to each child.”

Attending Breakfast with Santa was extra special for Mardis as a portion of the proceeds from the event go to support the Ronald McDonald House, which supported Mardis and her family after her daughter was born prematurely.

“The foundation it is supporting, my daughter was a pound seven when she was born and I had a lot of complications so it was hard for me to come from Vicksburg to Jackson everyday. The Ronald McDonald House was really a lifesaver for us,” Mardis said.

The breakfast featured pancakes and sausage provided by McDonalds and children had the chance to play a variety of Candyland themed games before visiting with Santa and having their picture taken. 

“I started last year because my aunt got tickets from her work so I decided to come and it was really fun. I like doing the arts and crafts and all the games,” Jordan Polk, 10, said.

The events also featured door prizes totaling more than $1,000 worth of gifts provided by Walmart including a princess bike won by Polk and her dad.

“It is a great family event. It has become a Vicksburg tradition and we are always excited to do it for the community,” Annette Kirklan, the executive director of VCC, said. “We have had a lot of events going on the last 14 days and the elves are a little worn, but they still have smiles on their faces.”

The convention center had to be quickly changed over following the conclusion of the Christmas Caroling event that took place throughout the week and concluded on Friday. The late night was worth it though as the annual breakfast has become an annual tradition for families such as Roger Arnold and his wife and two children who have attended for the past seven years.

“He gets to see Santa, sit down with him and tell him what he wants,” Arnold said of why he brings his son back every year. “He got a decent breakfast in the morning and they give gifts away.”