But when patrons of the event emerged from their activities, it was all smiles – and with Christmas gifts in tow.
The WDM hosted their annual Kids Secret Shopping day at the local museum on Saturday, Nov. 24, featuring a day full of activities for both children and their parents.
Things kicked off with the Breakfast with Mrs. Claus and Bake Sale, which included Santa's better half chatting with and taking pictures with youngsters. The event was hosted by the Girl Guides and acts as a major fundraiser for the local children's organization.
“For them, this is one of the biggest fundraisers they have and it's become an annual tradition, we have people coming to buy tickets well in advance and then staying for the Secret Shopping,” said WDM education and public programs coordinator Karla Rasmussen.
The Kids Secret Shopping portion is exactly as described: youngsters have an opportunity to shop for Christmas gifts without their parents around to snoop on what they might be getting. Hence the large 'No Parents Allowed' sign on the door to the WDM's main hall.
“This is one of the most popular events we have at the Western Development Museum,” Rasmussen said, adding that more than 200 kids went through the doors throughout the day.
They were greeted by tables full of potential gifts with a wide range of selection and price. The youngsters then worked through their Christmas list with the help of WDM volunteers and had the gifts wrapped before heading back out to their parents
“The children come out of the room beaming with pride because they did everything themselves and it's a wonderful thing to see,” Rasmussen said. “It's something that's really grown for us at the museum over the years, so even though it's a busy day, it's worth it because of what it means to the kids.”
The event also featured a special Shortwave to Santa station operated by the Moose Jaw Amateur Radio Club, featuring a special link to the North Pole that allowed kids to chat with the Jolly Ol' Elf himself.
The busy day is a major fundraiser for the WDM, with proceeds going to support the various ongoing programs at the museum.
“All the proceeds benefit the museum and all of the items we have for sale are from our gift shop,” Rasmussen explained. “We have something for everybody, toys for the kids, jewlery for mom, and tools and things for dad in there. We also have a few really cool Saskatchewan-made items, some local artisans and artists and that sort of thing, some of their items are for sale, too. So we end up with a pretty good selection for the kids to choose from.”
Next up on the Western Development Museum calendar for the holiday season is A Christmas Long Ago on Dec. 15 and Dec. 22, running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days.
