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9NEWS.com | Denver | Colorado's Online News Leader | Santa listens with his eyes and ears
Sitting on Santa's knee and telling him your Christmas wish list is as old of a tradition as Santa himself. Spoken words aren't always needed though for Santa to get the message.
At the Marion Downs Hearing Center at the University of Colorado Hospital on Saturday, Santa received the Christmas wishes of more than 100 deaf and hard of hearing children.
"Santa certainly inspires a holiday spirit in every child, not just kids who are hearing, but kids who are deaf and hard of hearing and they're very excited to come and enjoy this holiday spirit with each other," Sandy Gabbard, director of the hearing center, said.
This is the fourth year the hearing center has hosted the Christmas party for deaf and hard of hearing children from around the metro area. The event is jointly sponsored by Colorado Families for Hands and Voices and the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind.
Santa says the kids are excited when they learn he can speak to them in sign language.
"Last year a couple kids asked me how I learned sign language and I told them a couple of my elves were deaf. The look on their faces was that there were elves from the same culture as them," Santa said.
One look at the faces of the children as they sit on Santa's knee tells you everything you need to know about this event.
"When they see Santa, our children are just as magically inspired as any other child," Gabbard said. "There really is no difference between the spirit of Christmas to the children who are deaf and hard of hearing and any other child."
The success of this event is evident by the turnout. This year's large turnout has forced the hearing center to consider adding a second Christmas party next year to accommodate the growing number of children wishing to attend.
Sitting on Santa's knee and telling him your Christmas wish list is as old of a tradition as Santa himself. Spoken words aren't always needed though for Santa to get the message.
At the Marion Downs Hearing Center at the University of Colorado Hospital on Saturday, Santa received the Christmas wishes of more than 100 deaf and hard of hearing children.
"Santa certainly inspires a holiday spirit in every child, not just kids who are hearing, but kids who are deaf and hard of hearing and they're very excited to come and enjoy this holiday spirit with each other," Sandy Gabbard, director of the hearing center, said.
This is the fourth year the hearing center has hosted the Christmas party for deaf and hard of hearing children from around the metro area. The event is jointly sponsored by Colorado Families for Hands and Voices and the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind.
Santa says the kids are excited when they learn he can speak to them in sign language.
"Last year a couple kids asked me how I learned sign language and I told them a couple of my elves were deaf. The look on their faces was that there were elves from the same culture as them," Santa said.
One look at the faces of the children as they sit on Santa's knee tells you everything you need to know about this event.
"When they see Santa, our children are just as magically inspired as any other child," Gabbard said. "There really is no difference between the spirit of Christmas to the children who are deaf and hard of hearing and any other child."
The success of this event is evident by the turnout. This year's large turnout has forced the hearing center to consider adding a second Christmas party next year to accommodate the growing number of children wishing to attend.