The stockings were hung by the Ashley HomeStore Axium chair with care in hopes that Saint Nick soon would be there, and he was!

That’s right. Jolly old Saint Nick, Santa, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas himself made an appearance at both Ashley HomeStore locations for an annual event sponsored by the local furniture stores.

On December 6, Santa spent 3 hours talking to and taking photos with the kids in the community of Portales. Then, on December 7, he did the same for the community of Clovis. It’s an annual community service that Cassidy Self (and family), owners of both stores, are happy to offer.

Kid after kid hopped onto Santa’s knee, asking for special gifts, giving hugs, and experiencing a little Christmas spirit. For many, the photos of their child with Santa is the true beginning to their holiday season, and thanks to Ashley HomeStore staff, many were able to have them taken at no cost.

For as long as anyone can remember, Santa has been a representation of Christmas. He is considered to be the “face” of all things holly and jolly this time of year. And as a child, experiencing the joy that Santa brings is something they carry into adulthood.

The role of Ashley’s Santa is played by one who has a connection close to the store. His wife, Peggy, or Mrs. Claus so to speak, is actually a long-time employee of the Clovis store, so when the opportunity arose, she was beyond excited to have her husband, Randy Rhue, be part of the event, that to their surprise ended up becoming an annual one with many children returning year after year to Ashley for their annual picture with Santa!

This year marked Randy’s 10th Christmas as Santa. He said, “my favorite part of course are the kids. I love to see the smile on their faces, and even sometimes when they want nothing to do with Santa. I feel good knowing I made a child happy for at least a minute.”

The children he made happy this year at Ashley set a record for the event. In fact, nearly 800 photos were taken of children, families, and even adults with Santa. There were lines at both stores as children and their parents anxiously awaited their chance to come see him. In fact, the line at the Clovis location was out the door of the store for over an hour.

One mom, Jess, who lives in Texico, said “I like bringing my girls to see Santa at Ashley because the set up is always really cute and it makes for great pictures. It is really nice that it is offered for free because that is one less expense as a single mom to worry about this time of year.” She has been bringing her daughters to see Santa at Ashley since 2015, and is thankful for the opportunity.

She is among the majority who are thankful to have Ashley HomeStore offer such a holiday-filled event at no-cost. A Portales mom said, “My daughter is 4 and she LOVES Santa. She couldn’t wait to go see him. It is so nice to have a no-cost event close to home to take her to without long lines. I appreciate Ashley so much.”

Her sentiments were shared with many others who gratefully walked away with happy kids (aside from a handful of 18 month to 3 year olds who aren’t too sure about the guy with that long beard).

Jingle bells were rocked on the radio, ugly sweaters were worn by employees, and kids from 2 weeks to 18 were dressed in their holiday outfits. It was a 2-day community event that kicked off the true holiday season in style.

The stores’ Director of Operations, Jessica, has been part of the event every year since it started, and said, “I am thankful to see new faces and meet people who may not necessarily be one of our normal customers. We are all a community, so even if someone isn’t a customer of our store, they are still our neighbors, and we love having them there to celebrate the season.”

If you happened to miss Santa Randy at Ashley though, fear not, he will be available once more this holiday season. You can stop in to High Plains Harley Davidson from 1-3 pm on December 21 to see him there!

If you had your photo or your child’s photo taken, Jaymi Firestone will have them provided for you via email no later than Dec. 18.

The Roosevelt Review would like to extend a BIG thank you to Cassidy Self & Family, the staff at Ashley HomeStore in Clovis & Portales, Randy & Peggy Rhue, and Jaymi Firestone for making this happen for yet another year!

Happy Holidays!