Santa’s Village: Everyone’s Favorite Holiday Tradition

By Elizabeth Wood, Community Events Manager for The City of Richardson
All photos provided by the City of Richardson

I used to love seeing the lights of Santa’s Village from the highway. It wasn’t until I had kids that I truly began to appreciate Santa’s Village. And it wasn’t until my oldest, Sam, performed with his elementary school choir and sign choir that our family’s holiday tradition with Santa’s Village began. But our story of falling in love with Santa’s Village is a common one. Almost everyone who sets foot in Richardson’s holiday wonderland feels the same way. Full of warmth and holiday magic.

When you ask Richardson people why Santa’s Village is a part of their holiday tradition, the answers vary. For some, it’s the twinkly lights and spectacular decorations. For others, it’s the performances and Christmas music, or a visit with Santa Claus himself.

When I asked Barbie Castellano, Sam’s former music teacher at Prairie Creek Elementary and current Mrs. Claus, what she loves about Santa’s Village, she replied, “Playing the role of Mrs. Claus at Santa’s Village has been one of the highlights of my holidays for several years now. The magic of the Village helps kids young and old capture the spirit of the season. The wonder on the faces of the sweet children who visit me fills my heart with joy and I can’t wait until the next Santa’s Village each year!”

Another time-honored tradition at Santa’s Village is the entertainment on Prancer’s Stage. The same schools, choirs and dance troupes come year after year to be a part of the festive tradition. According to Marina Miller, Director of the award-winning Berkner Ramblers, Santa’s Village is one of their favorite traditions. “Santa’s Village has been a staple performance for the Ramblers since the inception of our program. We look forward to sharing holiday cheer with our community, family and friends every year. We perform several of our traditional team routines, including ‘Run Run Rudolph,’ along with brand new routines to wow the crowd every year. This is a tradition our alumni and current team look forward to and we are so grateful to continue to be a part of something so special to Richardson and the Ramblers.”

It’s no wonder Santa’s Village evokes such strong, happy emotions; it’s been around for thirty-five years. In 1989, when Santa’s Village was first constructed, it consisted of one long 2-D façade designed to look like building fronts. In 1996, Alcatel committed $125,000 to Santa’s Village, which was used over the next five years to build the stand-alone dwellings that are still used today.

Since its “founding” in 1989, families from all over the region have come to Santa’s Village to experience the sights and sounds of the holidays, meet Santa, and maybe even get a cookie from Mrs. Claus. And now, some of the Village’s first children are returning with THEIR children, making Richardson‘s Santa’s Village one of North Texas’ brightest and most fun family traditions.