For Release

Friday, November 23, 2007

Santa Spotted at the Bellingrath Gardens and Home’s Magic Christmas in Lights Grand Opening.

Theodore, AL – Last night, exactly thirty-one days before Christmas, Santa was spotted at Bellingrath Gardens and Home’s Magic Christmas in Lights (MCIL) Grand Opening Ceremony.  If fact, he was not only spotted; he was the guest of honor.  Santa Ernest, President of Santa America, officially opened the MCIL display for the season.  During the ceremony, Santa Ernest lit the new scene, Twas the Night Before Christmas, and read the classic story to the children in attendance.  At the conclusion of the event, Executive Director of Bellingrath Gardens and Home Dr. William E. Barrick presented Santa Ernest with the first 75th Anniversary Commemorative Holiday Ornament.   Afterwards guests were invited to tour the Gardens to view the light show in its entirety.

The show features 3 million lights, 605 set pieces and 12 scenes.  Many of the crowd favorites are back again this year but there are some new surprises as well.  In addition to the new scene, Bellingrath has added a row of candles along the path of the Great Lawn and a new car to the BG&H Train located on the banks of Mirror Lake.  Several of the guests agreed that this year’s show is the best one yet.  One woman from Mobile commented, “We come every year to see what’s new and have yet to be disappointed.”

MCIL will remain open nightly through New Years Eve.  The Gardens are closed on Christmas Day.  Normal operating hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM are extended until 9:00 PM.  Admission is $10 for adults, $5.50 for children 5 – 12 and children under 5 are free.  The Bellingrath Museum Home is open for tours until 8:00 PM.  The Magnolia Café is open each day from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM for lunch and from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM for dinner.  The dinner menus feature local seafood favorites such as fried shrimp and seafood gumbo.  The Gift Shop is filled with holiday gift items and decorations for types of collectors.  The gift shop is open daily form 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. 

Santa America is a non-profit organization that provides professional, background checked, hospice-trained Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and Elves to visit children and their families during the holiday season and throughout the year at no charge.  The mission of Santa America is to bring symbolic gifts representing Love, Hope and Joy to special needs children and their families in hospice, long-term pediatric care or suffering with post-traumatic stress.  For more information about Santa America visit the website at www.santa-america.org.

For more information on Magic Christmas in Lights or Bellingrath Gardens and Home visit www.bellingrath.org or call 251.973.2217.

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Leslie C. Schraeder
Director of Marketing & Public Relations
Bellingrath Gardens and Home
P: 251.973.2217 X 137
C: 251.689.5444
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1240 Bellingrath Gardens Road ◦ Theodore, Alabama 36582
(251) 973-2217 ◦ Fax (251 973-0540 ◦ www.bellingrath.org
Owned and operated by The Bellingrath-Morse Foundation, a charitable, not-for-profit organization