SPANISH FORT, Ala. — The hot cocoa flowed, and voices nearly raised the roof from the rafters of 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center’s Longleaf Room Thursday during the fourth annual reading of “The Night Before Christmas.”

 Maggie Morris and Emma Grace Parvin, both 5, and Kate Morris, 3, all of Spanish Fort staked out the best seats in the house, directly in front of the high-back leather chair from which a special guest traveling all the way from the North Pole was expected to read Clement Clarke Moore’s Christmas classic.

“Santa’s coming,” Kate Morris squealed, as she settled down on the floor in her pajamas.

A little farther away — but still within line’s sight of the chair — sat brothers Cameron and Canaan Radford, 12 and 10 respectively, and 5-year-old Destiny Middleton, all of Spanish Fort.

“We’re just waiting on everything to get started,” the elder Radford said.

For the next 35 minutes, Christmas tales were interspersed with caroling led by Cris Smith and accompanied by Rep. Randy Davis on horns and Charmagne Moser on keyboards.

Bess Marks captivated the rambunctious crowd of more than 200 with her animated reading of Chris Van Allsburg’s “The Polar Express,” but the brood began growing impatient as Diane Smith recited “Just for Christmas.”

The children who only half-heartedly sang a round of “Jingle Bells” as the festivities began, gained a little steam with a later rendition of “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” and hit near fever-pitch with “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

And then it happened.

The man, himself, sauntered through the door complete with red suit, white beard and impish twinkle in his eye.

The room erupted as Santa Claus made his way to the chair of honor and settled in to read the most famous account of his Christmas Eve exploits ever committed to paper.

His voice rang clear — and commanding — through the room as he re-told the timeless “The Night Before Christmas,” and he then led everyone gathered in a rousing round of  “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” before agreeing enthusiastically to hold counsel with any children who had last-minute requests of his magic.

“I can’t tell you what I asked for, but he promised he’d bring it,” 6-year-old Nathan Houston of Spanish Fort said.

(Staff video by Kelli M. Dugan)

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See photos of the event in the Dec. 22 edition of The Bulletin.