For Howard County families, Santa Claus really is coming to town.

Equipped with a bag of goodies and a “naughty and nice” list, he will be joined by an entourage of elves to spread holiday cheer to residents across the county.

The Santa Project, an initiative created by Blossoms of Hope, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life through beautification projects and support for the community; cancer-related, mental health and other causes, was created to bring joy to families during the holiday season, according to its website.

Visiting more than 2,300 children in its first year, the project has become a regular event for the nonprofit visiting more than 7,500 children over the past four seasons.

On Dec. 7, 8, 14 and 15, between 1,200 and 1,500 children are expected to receive a personalized visit from Santa and his elves to their home.

Vera Simmons, executive director at Blossoms of Hope who has volunteered as an elf for the project since its inception said the idea was created as a solution for families to see Santa during the pandemic.

“One of our board members had the idea because her grandchildren weren’t going to be able to see Santa during COVID-19 with the restrictions,” she said. “She thought maybe [she’ll] have somebody dress up and come visit, then she thought how the community could really benefit from it and from there it took off.”

Michelle Wildman, who is on the board of directors for Blossoms of Hope and has also volunteered as an elf for the project since its inception, said what she loves most is seeing children’s reactions to their visit.

“Sometimes the families are all dressed in matching pajamas including the grandparents and maybe the dog and then you go to the next house and one kid has only one sock on and the other one is half-dressed,” she said. “It doesn’t matter because the joy is the same and the laughter is the same and the way their eyes light up when they see us, you can feel love regardless of whether a family has prepped for it or they’re pulling it together on the fly.”

Wayne Johnson, who is also on the board of directors for Blossoms of Hope and has volunteered as Santa for the project since its inception, said the project helps bring people together.

“It’s not just the kids and the families that come together, but neighbors and relatives,” he said. “In a world where some might see there’s a lot of division, it brings togetherness.”

For more information on The Santa Project, visit blossomsofhope.org/thesantaproject/#santaproject.

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