Searching for Santa
There are 26 knitted Santas hiding in stores around Beaudesert and the hunt is on to find them all.
Vicki McAteer, who has coordinated the Santa Hunt this year, said it encourages families to look around and discover local businesses, as well as providing a bit of fun during the Christmas season.
“The Santa Hunt has been going for about six years and Santas have been made and donated by a number of people over the years,” she said.
“Last year one of the children who won it had only been in town for less than a month and it was the way they found out what was in town.”
“It doesn’t cost you anything
There are three categories: 1 – 6 years, 7 – 13 years and families.
Each entrant fills in a form that has a square for each participating business. When they find the each Santa the business will stamp the form.
Once all 26 boxes have been stamped, the entry can go in the red box near the Christmas Tree in Central Place.
Leanne Boyle from Scenic Rim Sports said she tries to leave the Santa in her store in the same place for as long as possible.
“Sometimes it is a bit too easy to find so we will move it.”
“The first year this ran my husband was working, some kids came in, found Santa and asked if could they hide him again and Richard said ‘yes’.”
“It took us all day to find it!”
There are three prizes, one for each category but each year the prizes are a small surprise, with the emphasis on enjoying the hunt for Santa.
Santa Hunt forms are available from Scenic Rim Sports, Mitre 10, Spar Express and Sunflower Fashions.
Entries need to be in the red box near the large Christmas Tree at Central Place by 6pm on 21 December.
Winners are drawn that night and will be contacted by phone.
Christmas Lights for a Cause
Sharmaine Kelly has been decorating her home with Christmas lights for 20 years.
She began on her Logan Village home and for the past eight years she has been building on the light display she has at her Brisbane Street home.
The display includes an array of native animals, candy canes, lights, inflatable Santas and reindeers and of course, a nativity scene.
Sharmaine, 61, says it took her about a month to put up the display, and she enjoys opening her garden to people during December.
She is also raising funds for the Children’s Hospital Foundation through donations.
Sharmaine’s Christmas lights are at 25 Brisbane Street.
Carols in the park – photogallery
Photos by Susie Cunningham
