Everything you ever wanted to know about Santa, as told to the author of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by the big guy himself. This eBook edition includes audio! As you might imagine, the early life of Santa Claus was a liiiiiiiittle different from the childhood of your average kid. His first words were “ho ho ho!” By five he was wearing a fake beard and mustache, and could rarely be found without his favorite stuffed reindeer. It was clear from a very young age that he was destined for uniqueness.... Despite this, his parents went to great lengths to keep the normalcy in his life. They had him learn guitar (he was in a rock band!), and play baseball (he had quite an arm), and even do chores (okay—here he was like any other kid on earth—he hated chores). But there was no stopping Santa from being Santa, and one winter, he began to make his lists. He checked them twice, and delivered toys to children all over Cincinnati. Then, all over Ohio. Then—the world. Compiled from his baby book, family photos, and report cards, Santa from Cincinnati provides a full-spectrum view of the boy who grew to be the man who grew to be Santa.

The most wonderful time of the year has its own special meaning for those who grew up in the Queen City. The talking reindeer Pogie and Patter and the Elves at Shillito's were as integral to holiday merriment as caroling and eggnog. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden really knows how to throw a Christmas party for people and animals, and WinterFest at Kings Island provides much-needed warmth in the winter chill. Many city squares display Christmas trees bathed in lights and offer horse-drawn carriage rides or a skating rink. But only Cincinnati offers Santa rappelling down the face of a building and an ice skating rink with bumper cars. Join local author Wendy Hart Beckman for a merry jaunt through Yuletide in years gone by.

When things up north go south, she's got Santa's back!

The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Something has to be done in Chewandswallow...and in a hurry.

Everything you ever wanted to know about Santa, as told to the author of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by the big guy himself. As you might imagine, the early life of Santa Claus was a liiiiiiiittle different from the childhood of your average kid. His first words were “ho ho ho!” By five he was wearing a fake beard and mustache, and could rarely be found without his favorite stuffed reindeer. It was clear from a very young age that he was destined to be unique... Despite this, his parents went to great lengths to maintain normalcy in his life. They had him learn guitar (he was in a rock band!), and play baseball (he had quite an arm), and even do chores (okay—here he was like any other kid on earth—he hated chores). But there was no stopping Santa from being Santa, and one winter, he began to make his lists. He checked them twice, and delivered toys to children all over Cincinnati. Then, all over Ohio. Then—the world. Compiled from his baby book, family photos, and report cards, Santa from Cincinnati provides a full-spectrum view of the boy who grew to be the man who grew to be Santa.

It's Christmas Eve, Have you been good? Santa's packed up all the presents and is headed your way! With the help of a certain red-nosed reindeer, Santa flies over: •Queen City Square •Flying Pig Statue •Purple People Bridge •Great American Ball Park •Cincinnati Museum Center •P&G Towers •Cincinnati Art Museum •Scripps Center •Music Hall •Paul Brown Stadium •Tyler Davidson Fountain •Carew Tower "Ho, ho ho!" laughs Santa. "Merry Christmas, Cincinnati!"

A new holiday series that features the Jolly Old Elf heading south from his home in the North Pole and flying to locations around the United States and Canada to deliver presents and good cheer.