Gurnee Mills holds Breakfast with Santa

Gurnee Mills mall celebrated the arrival of Santa Claus with its annual Breakfast with Santa Saturday morning.

The Simon Kidgits Club event offered families the opportunity to meet Santa and enjoy a host of fun activities during this event, including ornament making, writing letters to Santa and decorating gift boxes in celebration of the new animated film, "The Boxtrolls."

"You've got to do the Santa stuff when you can," said Crystal Lensen of Mundelein, who brought her daughter, Kylie, 4, and son, Carter, 2, to the event. "We love Christmas. It's never too early."

"It's very exciting - it's his first Christmas," said Jess Chwierut of Grayslake, whose son Tyler, age two months, was held by Santa.

Now that he is at his post in Gurnee, kids can visit with Santa during mall hours now through Wednesday, Dec. 24.

For more information about visits with Santa or other mall happenings, visit www.simon.com/mall/gurnee-mills.