Fun to be had at Dec. 5 Santa Claus Crawl

By Sherry Lucas

     Main Street Clinton’s annual Santa Claus Crawl is back in action on Thursday, December 5, combining after-hours shopping, fun festivities and a prime opportunity for night-out socializing.

     The ticketed event is $25 in advance and $30 at the door, and limited to about one hundred twenty participants. Ticket-holders get a mug with this year’s design for cider tasting, and a stroll-worthy set of downtown shops and businesses to visit, browse and get to know better.

     “We promote it as a scavenger hunt of sorts, with people going around to different businesses,” said Main Street Clinton Assistant Director and Olde Towne Depot Manager Ashley Hammack. “Each business has a question or riddle that shoppers answer, to be entered to win one of their door prizes.”

     This is the 12th annual Santa Claus Crawl, with more than a dozen downtown businesses chiming in for the fun. Primarily adults – and mostly women – take to the brick streets for the fun, with girlfriend groups and mother-and-daughter duos contributing to the traffic. Couples also enjoy a fun evening out, with relaxed shopping and plenty of socializing.

     Businesses serve cider and perhaps a snack, too, starting at 5:30 p.m., and shopping and meandering continues until shoppers head over to the Olde Towne Depot for an 8 to 9 p.m. reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

     “That’s where we draw for the door prizes and everyone votes for their favorite cider,” Hammack said. “The cider winner is announced, and gets a cute trophy. Santa Claus comes out and announces the door prize winners, and everyone enjoys good hors d’oeuvres.”

     “The more businesses that shoppers stop at, the more chances they get to win a door prize,” she said, encouraging participants to make the full round of Olde Towne businesses as they enjoy the event.

     Last year, As You Wish was a second-time winner for best cider. The family-owned business has been a brick streets staple for five years.

     “That’s my mom’s recipe,” As You Wish’s Allyce Wilbanks Majors said, touting her mom Alicia Wilbanks’ special knack for a richly-flavored hot apple cider. The shop primarily focuses on embroidery and monograms, but also features children’s clothing and gifts, and home decor. Expect a pink nutcracker theme this year.

     “Santa Claus Crawl is always such a fun event. It’s not one of the first holiday events, but it feels like it really kicks off the holiday season,” Majors said. “It’s so fun to watch friends and couples and whoever come in the store and shop.

     “It helps boost our little brick street community.”

     Santa Claus Crawl participating businesses include Panoply, Lovely, Coach’s Creamery, Potter & Clay Studios, Catering by Cathy, Brick Street Treats, Olde Towne Chiropractic, The Cupboard Gifts, Art and Craft Market, Meme’s Bakery, Jillian’s Salon & Boutique, The Peppy Peddler and As You Wish.

     Tickets are available at MainStreetClintonMS.com/more-events/.