Santa bus back in business

• Bus accepting donations for Salvation Army
• Visits with Santa and elves
• Travelling across Okanagan

Back to bring Christmas cheer and some much needed help to the less fortunate, Saint Nick is trading his sleigh for the Santa Bus this week.

“We’re just trying to make everybody’s day a little lighter, a little bit happier,” Santa Claus told Kelowna10.

Moments prior, Claus was ringing bells and handing out candy canes to passersby.

“[I’m hoping to see] happiness for everyone,” Mrs. Claus said. “We’ve got a lot of people in town that lost things from Merritt and some of the different towns. I’m hoping to see happiness for everyone.”

Journeying across the Okanagan, the 19th annual Santa Bus is once again collecting food, toys, and monetary donations to support the Salvation Army’s Christmas Assistance Program.

The bus is easy to spot with an assortment of Christmas lights and decorations adorning the outside of the vehicle. Three metal reindeer sit on a platform at the front of the bus and inside is just as festive.

Santa’s chair is at the back next to a small electric fireplace. Wreaths cover many of the windows, string lights weave around each bar, and Christmas ornaments cover most surfaces.

The community is invited to visit the bus at any of its planned stops and get pictures with Santa and his elves with all health and safety standards in place.

The bus began its journey on Dec. 5 in West Kelowna, with planned stops at various venues in Kelowna, and in Lake Country and Peachland. The full schedule of stops can be found online.

A lot of preparation goes into converting a city bus into the festive edition. In previous years, it took a crew of about six to eight workers about three full days to convert a regular bus into the Santa Bus.

Because they switched to a newer model, the previous fixtures no longer fit. It took an extra two weeks of volunteer efforts to fit the decorations to the newer model.

Whether aboard the bus, or driving past it on the city streets, community members are invited to donate to The Salvation Army’s Christmas Campaign.

Last year, due to COVID-19 concerns and public health restrictions, the Santa Bus had to operate very differently. Families couldn’t go through the bus nor sit on Santa’s lap.

“Folk came through. We thought it wasn’t going to work out and then it did beautifully,” an elf who identified himself as Pudding McJingles said.

Last year, the Santa Bus managed to raise $35,000 for the Salvation Army.

Next year is the bus’s 20th anniversary, so sponsors BC Transit and First Canada hope to celebrate bigger and better for the occasion.