Tom Munds

Tony’s eyes shined.

The 4-year-old grandson of Sandra Reinhardt’s talked with excitement about going to see Santa Claus.

“I’m going to sit on Santa’s lap,” the boy said. “I’ll tell him all the things I want.”

Tony and his mother will join the crowd Dec. 13 at Englewood’s annual Breakfast with Santa.

“I took Tony to Breakfast with Santa last year and he talked about nothing else for weeks,” the Sheridan residents said. “We were at a store last week and Christmas decorations were up and Tony started asking when he gets to sit on Santa’s lap. I told him he had to wait but he still asks me a couple times a day when we are going to see Santa.”

She said it seems she had Breakfast with Santa about every year.

“It is a fun time for everyone,” she said. “I’ve taken nieces, nephews, neighbor’s kids and now grandkids. The kids enjoy it and I sort of look forward to it. I guess when my grandson gets too big to go see Santa, I’ll have to look around for another kid to take because I like to go too, just to see the look on their faces when they crawl up on Santa’s lap.”

Englewood’s Breakfast with Santa is a long-standing tradition. This year, the event will be Dec. 13 at the Malley Senior Recreation Center, 3380 S. Lincoln St. The first seating for breakfast is at 8 a.m. There will be a second seating at 9 a.m.

Tickets are $4.50 for adults and $3.50 for children. The tickets include an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast for everyone. The children’s ticket includes breakfast, a visit with Santa, a picture with him and a gift.

Tickets are available at the Malley Center, 3380 S. Lincoln St.