SALISBURY — Christmas morning is a time for cheer, leisure and company, but Smart Start Rowan doesn’t think you should have to wait until Dec. 25 to start enjoying the holiday.

The local nonprofit hosted the annual Breakfast with Santa event at Trinity Oaks on Saturday. It’s only the second year it has been at the retirement community.

“Breakfast with Santa, historically, was at St. Johns (Lutheran Church), but a lot of things changed during COVID,” said Lorie Aldridge, director of marketing and sales at Trinity Oaks and board chair for Smart Start Rowan. “We decided that involving the Trinity Oaks retirement community would be a great venue because of the space and that it would allow the workshops for the children who come to visit.

“Last year was a big success. That is why we decided to do it here again.”

Upon entry at Trinity Oaks on Saturday, paw prints on the floor led visitors to the second story, where they were greeted by Smart Start Rowan volunteers and staff, who were wearing comfy pajamas in alignment with the event’s theme. 

Awaiting the visitors was breakfast prepared by a Trinity Oaks chef. 

“Our chef prepared a wonderful breakfast for the kids with French toast sticks and a sausage and egg casserole,” Aldridge said. 

From there, visitors could go to the craft room, where they could create a craft ornament to be able to remember their time here. Still, the fun continued. 

“The big thing is to visit with Santa,” Aldridge said. “I love being able to see the smiles on their faces and the sparkle in their eyes when they come in. It’s fun to watch the kids light up.”

Smart Start Rowan Director of Outreach and Development Denise Heinke said they expected to feed about 125 people on Saturday. That number represents an uptick from last year when they served about 80 people. 

“It’s an annual event and it is so loved by the community and the families that we serve that we wanted to open it up for more people to come in and join us,” Heinke said. “We try to keep it somewhat intimate so the experience does not feel rushed and they can mingle around.”

Ultimately, the goal is to give them a pleasant experience and a lasting memory. 

“It’s like Christmas morning in your jammies, walking around and being leisurely about it,” Heinke said. “We don’t want it to be overly crowded or too stimulating.

“The kids seem to really love it and the parents do, too.”

With a program format that seemed to work last year, Heinke said they were really just running it back on a larger scale. 

“We did not reinvent the wheel this year,” Heinke said. “It’s just like what we did last year. We have extra hands helping which is always nice, but it’s running like a well-oiled machine for us.

I’m a list maker, so it’s just following that list and checking things twice.”

Smart Start Rowan Executive Director Amy Brown sang Trinity Oaks praises. 

“Trinity Oaks is an amazing partner to work with,” Brown said. “They have the perfect layout. It’s nice to pair the children with the residents here so that they can enjoy each other.”

It wasn’t just Smart Start Rowan families getting in on the fun as Christmas joy was shared with the residents at Trinity Oaks as well. 

“We have had a few residents come by already wanting to see Santa this morning,” Brown said. “So, we are happy to see their excitement and let them tap into it as well.”