Christmas past
Snowflake Castle takes kids back to simpler times
The Snowflake Castle is joyful pandemonium.
Children giggle as bursts of “snow” fall from the rafters and they race to catch the soap bubbles.
The pounding of hammers and the whir of drills intermingles with the laughter of kids in Santa’s Workshop as smiling parents click cellphone photos.
Grown-up elves assist children in tapping nails with too-heavy hammers and inserting holes with bulky drills as they gain both a present and pride in piecing together simple wooden toys.
Some quick dabs of paint to adorn their toys and then it’s time to see the big man himself — Santa.
This particular brand of old-fashioned Christmas fun — a holiday staple in Westerville for 35 years — never has been more popular.
Tickets sell out quickly, with about 3,000 children escorted through the festive assembly line over nine days in the Everal Barn & Homestead event center. Saturday was the final day.
“It’s a wholesome family event,” said Lyn Kiger, a city recreation program supervisor (when she is not playing an elf). “It’s simple, not as commercialized.”
Three-year-old Leo Palma is a study in concentration, such as it is at his age, as volunteer elf Gina DeHays helps him hammer wheels on to his toy train. DeHays said she is a sucker for “cute kids,” and she’s getting her fill.
Across the table, Leo’s brother, 5-year-old Angelo, is finishing his star cruiser with the insertion of purple pipe cleaners to form the exhaust. It will be painted orange, blue and yellow, Angelo declares.
The boys are the sons of Stephanie and Anne Palma, of Blacklick, who patiently answered the persistent questions until the day finally came.
“The kids, every day, they’ve asked, ‘Is it Snowflake Castle day?’” Stephanie said.
After removing an oversized T-shirt to catch any paint mishaps, 3-year-old Granville Gillogly waited as an elf with superior penmanship labeled a paper grocery bag with his name to carry home his new train. He nods that yes, he had fun.
“We heard this was really good,” said his dad, Chris, who has resolved to serve as a volunteer elf next year. “It is pretty cool.”
The Snowflake Castle was months in the works, with volunteers cutting and sanding the wooden toy pieces since summer and two dozen elves signing up for each shift.
“It’s worth it all to see the kids’ faces,” said head elf Kiger.
rludlow@dispatch.com @RandyLudlow