TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — More than 150 Tucson students kicked off the holiday season with pancakes, presents and a visit from Santa Claus, thanks to the Tucson Fraternal Order of Police.
The annual “Breakfast With Santa” event brought children from elementary schools across the city to Little Anthony’s Diner on Tucson’s east side, where they shared a meal with officers, enjoyed a show at the Gaslight Theatre and met Father Christmas himself.
The program is designed for students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to visit Santa or take part in holiday traditions. For some, the excitement started with the chance to make a wish.
“I want new shoes!” one child said. When asked what kind, the response was immediate: “Jordans!”
Fifth-grader Arianna Rocha-Liendo of John B. Wright Elementary School said meeting Santa felt surreal after hearing about him for so many years.
“It’s like he’s talked about so much that it seems like it will be so cool to actually meet him, from what everybody says,” Rocha-Liendo said.
John B. Wright Elementary Principal Brenda Encinas said the experience can have a lasting impact, especially for students facing uncertainty during the holidays.
“It means so much to them,” Encinas said. “A lot of the time our students don’t know what is coming for the holidays and everyone is talking about it, and there is a lot of stress this time of year.”
The Tucson Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 1, hosts the event annually as a way to give back to the community and help children focus on the joy of the season.
“Seeing it through these kids eyes, it makes me happier about Christmas than I probably would be without it,” said Paul Sheldon, president of the Tucson Fraternal Order of Police. “And I just love seeing the look on the kids faces.”
Rocha-Liendo said she hasn’t seen Santa since second grade and isn’t asking for much this year.
“I don’t know, I never really put like a bunch of stuff on my list, I just keep a few little things…,” she said.
Encinas said those small moments help keep the spirit of the season alive for students and families alike.
“You can still believe in the magic of Christmas and the magic of the holiday season,” she said.
The breakfast is part of a broader effort by local officers and community partners to spread holiday cheer and provide memorable experiences for Tucson’s youth.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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