Santa takes back seat to huskies in St. Charles

To the two dozen kids and their parents at the Hickory Knolls Discovery Center Sunday morning, the arrival of Santa Claus was secondary to his mode of transportation.

Most young eyes were on the Siberian Huskies that muscled Santa's sled to the excited crowd from an adjoining wooded area. Eight rescue dogs from Free Spirit Siberian Rescue of Harvard were the immediate stars of the Woodland Santa's Holiday Workshop. Santa wandered alone into the building as parents took cellphone photos of their children with the dogs.

One by one, families entered the green building to sit with Santa for more photos, and make crafts and eat snacks.

"He's got an abstract concept that he's getting presents from some dude," Don Miller of St. Charles said of his two-year-old son, Landon. "He knows he's got to be nice, not naughty."

Children were able to make an ornament or write a letter to Santa, and explore the animal exhibits. No one seemed to notice the lack of snow.

For more information about Hickory Knolls Discovery Center, visit stcnature.org. For more information about Free Spirit Siberian Rescue, visit huskyrescue.org.