But instead of a sleigh, he came in a helicopter, with its powerful blades stirring up a mini blizzard of snow that forced onlookers to briefly turn away while he landed.

With temperatures hovering just above zero, children and their families weren’t daunted by the cold and quickly gathered around Santa for a photo in front of his “whirlybird sleigh.”

Then everyone headed inside the Manson Area Community Center for an afternoon of activities and a chance to tell Santa their Christmas wish list during the Chamber-sponsored Manson Hometown Christmas.

Mila Hudson, 12, of Manson, was excited about the day’s events and especially loved watching Santa’s grand entrance.

-Messenger photo by Deanna Meyer
Hailey Lind, 8, of Pomeroy, admires some of the Lego displays Sunday during Manson Hometown Christmas. She voted for the Hy-Vee Pharmacy display, which seemed popular with a few children because of the Lego Santa and reindeer on its rooftop.

“I thought it was really cool how he came in a helicopter,” she said. “I’m hoping that I get to go talk to Santa and do a bunch of the games.”

She planned to tell Santa that she’d like an Apple watch for Christmas.

Denise Heimgartner, president of the Manson Chamber of Commerce, said many of the same local groups and service clubs returned to participate in this year’s Hometown Christmas, including the local 4-H club, which organized a food drive.

She said this is the second year the event has been part of Manson’s Countdown to Christmas festivities, which began with a Christmas story hour Thursday at the library and a Small Business Night on Friday. The festivities continued Saturday with a Spirit of Joy Tour of Churches and lighted Christmas parade, followed by a breakfast sponsored by the Manson Fire Department Sunday.

New this year was a photo backdrop opportunity provided by Highway 7 Market, and Heimgartner said Tinker Bees, a local daycare, also participated for the first time.

-Messenger photo by Deanna Meyer
The Hy-Vee Pharmacy display was popular with some children because of the Lego Santa and reindeer on its rooftop.

Among the activities for children were making ornaments, decorating cookies, face painting, playing games and more.

Especially popular were the Lego displays provided by local businesses. Children were given a bell, which they could use to “vote” for which Lego display they liked the best.

After carefully looking at all the displays, Hadley Lind, 8, of Pomeroy, dropped her bell in the box next to the Hy-Vee Pharmacy Lego display.

“They did a really good job with the Santa and the reindeer,” Lind said.

A Lego Santa being pulled by a Lego reindeer had apparently just landed on the roof of the Lego pharmacy building.

-Messenger photo by Deanna Meyer
Gavin Waller, 8, and his mother, Annie Hoth-Waller, of Manson, take a closer look at some of the Lego creations provided by local businesses Sunday for the Manson Hometown Christmas. Participants were given a bell with which to cast their vote for their favorite Lego display. Waller voted for the Hy- Vee Pharmacy display.

Gavin Waller, 8, of Manson, also voted for the Hy-Vee Pharmacy display. He liked the miniature cars parked outside the pharmacy as well as the Santa on the rooftop.

At the Manson Public Library table, Kysen Poutre, 9, of Manson, was working hard making a snowman. Though making the snowman, which was filled with rice instead of snow, involved several steps, Poutre was happy with how it turned out.

“I like it,'” he said.

If he got a chance to talk to Santa, he said he would ask for a controller for his PS5.

At the St. Paul Lutheran Church table, Crista Lamphier, of Manson, was helping her grandson, Levi, 3, make a candy cane by stringing red and white beads onto a pipe cleaner.

-Messenger photo by Deanna Meyer
Kysen Poutre, 9, of Manson, selects a hat for his snowman and gets a little help gluing it on from Megan Olson, with the Manson Public Library, Sunday at Manson Hometown Christmas.

Levi, whose face had been painted with reindeer antlers and a Rudolph nose, is practically a veteran of Manson Hometown Christmases, and has come every year since he was a newborn. So far Sunday afternoon, Levi had decorated a cookie, taken part in a family photo and made a couple of ornaments, Lamphier said.

He told his grandma he would like “Bluey” for Christmas, from the popular children’s animated series.

Lamphier said she enjoys coming to the event.

“I like the activities,” she said, “and, of course, Santa.”

-Messenger photo by Deanna Meyer
Beau Mobley, 8 months, and Charlotte Mobley, 3, of Moorland, get their picture taken with Santa (aka Tim Shea) Sunday during Manson Hometown Christmas.

-Messenger photo by Deanna Meyer
Kolt Hudson, 6, of Manson, takes some stickers out of a bag to add to his gingerbread ornament Sunday at the Manson Wa Tan Ye Club's table at Manson Hometown Christmas.

-Messenger photo by Deanna Meyer
-Messenger photo by Deanna Meyer Crista Lamphier, of Manson, helps her grandson, Levi, 3, make a candy cane out of beads at the St. Paul Lutheran Church table Sunday during Manson Hometown Christmas at the Manson Area Community Center.