As the weather changes, Santa’s time is coming. And before the big night of December 24, he has a lot of rounds to make finding out what all the good girls and boys are wishing for this year on their Christmas lists.

So the big guy has been making special stops in Whitewater over the past month, including a recent visit to local favorite The Sweet Spot Cafe. His trip included lots of lap sitting, festive treats and hot chocolate bars for attendees. 

One of the main goals for the staff and management of the café this year was to use their space for more community activity, thus hosting the meet and greet in a place that is a welcoming environment. The children purchased a hot chocolate, added all of their favorite toppings, and then were escorted to Santa for photos and whispers of what they wished would appear under their Christmas trees.

“My favorite part of working at the Sweet Spot is that my coworkers are like a family, and I like meeting lots of new people within the community.” said barista Kaylie Hawn. 

She explained that this breakfast is fun for children of all ages and is a way to not only appeal to the children, but to the parents as a way to show off their holiday drinks.

The newest holiday seasonal drinks include syrups of cranberry, gingerbread and praline. The Grinch is the most popular. It’s matcha with peppermint and white chocolate.

Santa was glad to see so many kids in attendance.

“I think it’s a nice place for the children to see me,” said Santa. “Their smiling faces get me so excited for this holiday season.” 

He sat and waited for the children to come and bring their wish lists, and would let them take photos. He brought joy to young and old alike. 

“We had a great turnout for our Santa meet and greet. The kids are all so excited to meet him, eat cookies and load up their hot chocolate with all of the toppings,” said Elena Gildemeister, a Sweet Spot employee.

The hot chocolate bar was located in the front of the store, and the entire room was decorated with cozy red and green decor to create the holiday ambiance. The vibes were electric with children running around left and right with gifts, lists and large cups of hot chocolate. The event was a highlight of their holiday season.