WESTFIELD — The eggs, home fries and carved ham may be enough to draw parents to Westfield State University on Dec. 7, but the children will be there to see the guest of honor — Santa Claus.
Breakfast with Santa is organized by the Circle K group, the college’s chapter of the Kiwanis Club, an international community organization that aims to improve children’s lives. “We’re always looking for ways to be there for kids in the community,” said student leader Haley Kane.
Hosted in Tim & Jeanne’s Dining Commons at Westfield State, families share a full breakfast buffet, including a waffle and pancake bar, omelets, home fries, turkey bacon, eggs, a carved ham and chocolate bar. While there, children are entertained with coloring pages, games, holiday crafts, raffles and balloon animals. There is also face painting from the Builder’s Club, a middle school version of Kiwanis.
The highlight of the morning are pictures with Santa, which are printed out on site.
“Before COVID, this was a 30-year tradition,” said Kane. The event began in 1983 and was first organized by the Westfield State Foundation. The Circle K group took the reins in the early 2000s. After a hiatus during the coronavirus pandemic, the group brought the holiday favorite back last year.
The event is incredibly popular. The two-hour event requires two seatings — one at 8 a.m. and another at 10:30 a.m. — to accommodate the families that participate. Last year, there were about 200 people at each seating.
Kane said that, while Circle K has about 10 members, the Breakfast with Santa event requires “all hands on deck.” Volunteers from the Westfield Kiwanis and Westfield State University students help make the event happen. Kane said many of the academic programs at the university require volunteer hours, making Breakfast with Santa an opportune community event.
Tickets for Breakfast with Santa are $18 for adults and $10 for children aged 3-12 years. They can be purchased at westfield.ma.edu/tickets until Dec. 4. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.
