Children in the community of Bella Coola recently enjoyed the opportunity to chat with the North Pole's main man thanks to the RCMP's Christmas Float with Santa.
"We had close to 50 children come out with their families," said Const. Scott Monuik of the Bella Coola RCMP. "We put a tarp on a trailer, because it's windy and cold out here, and had a chair for Santa, with a little Christmas tree, some lights and reindeer."
The event was held Friday, Dec. 16, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. despite very windy and damp conditions.
Things started off with RCMP members taking Santa for a quick tour around the town site before parking the float across from the Bella Coola Consumers Co-op for about an hour so children could visit with Santa and have photographs taken with him.
Officers then transported the float to the 4 Mile fire hall so children in the area could see Santa too.
"We went through 120 cups of hot chocolate and all the kids got goodie bags," Monuik said.
It was the third annual Christmas Float with Santa, but the best turn out so far.
"We are looking forward to having even more people come out next year," Monuik said, noting members of the detachment and their families were involved in constructing and decorating the float all on their own time.