HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS READY TO ROLL AT LA PALMERA
Shoppers, local organizations and community members benefit from seasonal programs
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Nov. 15, 2023) – Marked by the annual arrival of Santa, the holidays are now underway at La Palmera with a full slate of seasonal events and services.
Boys and girls are invited to stop by for Photos with Santa, presented by Apollo Towing, every day through Dec. 24 in Center Court. Walk-ups are welcome, but guests can skip the line by making a reservation for an LP SnapPass available online at lapalmera.com. Photo packages start at $34.95 with other keepsake items available for purchase.
Pet Night with Santa also returns for six nights beginning in November. Guests may bring their favorite fur baby on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Nov. 29 and 30, and Dec. 6, and 7, and 13 and 14 from 5:30–8:30 p.m. in Center Court. Local animal organizations on hand to provide information each evening include Mission Pawsible Animal Assistance of Corpus Christi (11/29–11/30), Gulf Coast Humane Society (12/6–12/7), and Kanines & Kitties (12/13–12/14). Pet owners can walk up or reserve a photo time by booking an LP SnapPass online at lapalmera.com. Only dogs and cats are permitted and all animals must remain on a leash or in a carrier at all times.
Shoppers can take advantage of La Palmera’s charity gift-wrapping service every Friday through Sunday beginning Nov. 24, plus the full week leading up to Christmas. The gift–wrapping station is located on the Main Level near Concierge where volunteers from local charities will provide their wrapping services for donations each day from noon–6 p.m. Participating charities this year include YMCA of the Coastal Bend (11/24–11/26), Burn Pits 360 Veterans Organization (12/1–12/3), School of Science & Technology (12/8–12/10), Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation (12/15–12/17), Nueces County for Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities (NCMHID) (12/18–12/20), CASA of the Coastal Bend (12/21–12/22), and Deaf & Hard of Hearing Center (12/23 – 12/24).
Quiet Time with Santa returns, providing an opportunity for those with developmental or physical challenges and their families to enjoy a visit with Santa in a sensory-friendly environment before the mall opens — no background music, no crowds. Scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 26, Dec. 3 and 10, from 9–11 a.m., reservations are required and can be made online by going to lapalmera.com.
Although some shoppers will get an early start on gift buying this year, some traditionally wait until Black Friday. The mall will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, and will officially reopen at 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 24, kicking off extended holiday shopping hours. Some stores likely will plan to open even earlier for Black Friday events. Shoppers will be able to access department stores directly through each store’s outer doors, while mall doors will open at 7 a.m. for access to select interior stores planning to open early that day.
Shoppers will see the Salvation Army bell ringers stationed in their traditional locations at select mall entrances, and shoppers can also help local children in need by “adopting” them from the Angel Tree located at Concierge. The tree is decorated with children’s names and their wish lists, including items such as toys, clothes, shoes, and more for shoppers to purchase. Each year, The Salvation Army of the Coastal Bend helps provide Christmas gifts to more than 1,300 local children.