Wayside Christian Mission's Breakfast with Santa at Hotel Louisville brings joy to children

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Santa Claus made a special stop during his busiest week of the year.

Hotel Louisville hosted Breakfast with Santa for Wayside Christian Mission on Tuesday morning. Around 50 children attended and they all received a big surprise when Santa himself showed up.

Each child got to sit on Santa's lap and hear some Christmas carols. They also received a stocking filled with goodies, donated by the Kiwanis Club.

"We want our families to experience the wonders and spirits of Christmas, and to have some normalcy," Nina Moseley, chief operating officer for Wayside Christian Mission, said Tuesday. "This is just one of the events that will do that."

For the past several years, the city of Louisville has grappled with a surge in its homeless population. According to the Coalition for the Homeless, 11,000 people in Jefferson County reached out for homelessness services last year. Hundreds of families were included in that number.

For a moment Tuesday morning, families were able to center their minds on Christmas. Children created memories of hearing joyful noises from the Wayside Choir, stockings were filled with gifts and handed out with care. And, of course, there was a visit from Jolly Old St. Nick.

"Everybody is getting in to the Christmas spirit here, and we want our families to be part of it and not be left out," Moseley said.

Wayside Christian Mission has been doing the event for 20 years.