CRESTVIEW — Philip Hill, a relative of the late Mabel Edge, one of Coney Island Hot Dogs' founders, is getting his wish to play Santa Claus.
He was all set to play Santa Claus at the Baker Mercantile during the Tour of Baker, but plans were confounded when Hall got stuck in Scotland while working offshore.
“He said, ‘Julia, I want to be Santa Claus,’” Coney Island owner Julia Phillips said. “I said, ‘Philip, I will grant you your wish.’”
A frenzy of planning later, and the white-haired, white-bearded Hill is all set to arrive by fire truck at the Main Street landmark Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
Phillips said friends, fellow Main Street businesses and customers heard about Phillips’ efforts and started pitching in.
Forever Victorian donated the use of an ornate red leather antique rocker from which the jolly old elf can hold court.
“One of my customers fixed me up with a reindeer,” Phillips said. “We had to fix antlers for it, of course.”
Hill handed Phillips a $100 shopping card for gifts for the first 100 children who visit. Phillips said she was rounding up more money presents from Santa as well.
“Then I was talking to Brother Charles Carroll at my church, the Campton Assembly of God, and I said, ‘I really want Santa to arrive by fire truck,” Phillips said. “He’s fire chief of Almarante and he’s bringing me a fire truck!”
Phillips said granting Hill’s simple wish “has just been like a snowball that keeps rolling and rolling.”
“It just came up and, blimey! I’m having fun with it,” Phillips said.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Santa Claus at Coney Island
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 13
WHERE: Coney Island Hotdogs, 107 Main St. N.
NOTES: Free gifts for the first 100 children. Contact Julia Phillips, 683-1045, for more information
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Santa's own wish gets fulfilled on Saturday