ALDEN, MN- It may not feel like Christmas outside today but one Minnesota town is taking the weekend to celebrate anyways. The small town of Alden is hosting it's first ever "Old Fashion Christmas."
It's a full weekend of events including decorating trees, singing carols, and a lighted parade. One of the biggest events for kids is a lunch with Santa.
It's a packed house in Alden's City Hall. The building is full of kids waiting to have lunch and talk with Santa.
7 Year-old Annika Riebe says, "I'm eating lunch with santa... I just like it."
Anika Riebe's mother and grandmother are both here hoping to show the kids what the holiday's are all about.
Annika's Grandmother, Mary Ryerson says, "it hasn't been done for several years and we wanna bring that back so the young children can have the memory and see santa..it just gets parents involved..it's a fun thing to do..bring back christmas."
It's more than just another Christmas event for this town. They say it's bringing back a tradition started a while ago.
Annika's Mother, Sheila Riebe says, "when my sister and I were young..we have the memories we used to gather here in city hall, watch the movie and santa would arrive and bring goodies...and at 38 years old, I still have those memories.
That's why it's called an Old Fashion Christmas..the Riebe Family say's it's meant to bring back that Yule Tide celebration that's been missing for decades.
Annika's Mother Sheila Riebe says, "I think it's totally important especially living in a small town like alden, we can do so much with the community we can have everybody pitching in and doing something and for the kids...that's the base of it..it's for our kids the children."
Events run through the weekend..it's one step closer to Christmas, the day Annika's pretty excited for.
She says, "getting the presents..I just can't wait to open them."
Alden community members hope to continue the "Old Fashion Christmas" tradition next year. They worked year round to put the celebration together.
