Santa Claus and his helpers delivered some early Christmas cheer Saturday, Dec. 24, in downtown Anaheim.
His visit is part of a community tradition: A brunch started some 15 years ago by Kathy and Art Cervantes, who own K&A Downtown Café on the Center Street Promenade.
Lulu Gonzalez, 4, reacts as she receives a gift during the toy give-away and community brunch hosted by K & A Cafe and Catering in Anaheim on Saturday, December 24, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Jose Delgado and his son Kevin, 13, walk away with a box-full of groceries from K & A Cafe’s holiday event at the Center Street Promenade in Anaheim on Saturday, December 24, 2022. K & A has been hosting the toy give-away and community brunch for the past 15 years. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Local residents take advantage of a grocery give-away at the holiday event hosted by K & A Cafe and Catering on the Center Street Promenade in Anaheim on Saturday, December 24, 2022. K & A has been sponsoring the toy give-away and community brunch for the last 15 years. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Children file through to receive gifts from volunteers at the toy give-away and community brunch hosted by K & A Cafe and Catering in Anaheim on Saturday, December 24, 2022. K & A has been sponsoring the event for 15 years. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Volunteer Valerie Salazar gets into the spirit as she hands out gifts to children at the toy give-away and community brunch hosted by K & A Cafe and Catering on the Center Street Promenade in Anaheim on Saturday, December 24, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Santa and Mrs. Claus, played by Cliff and Esther Breeden, greet children at the toy give-away and community brunch by K & A Cafe and Catering on the Center Street Promenade in Anaheim on Saturday, December 24, 2022. K & A has been hosting this event for 15 years. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Young artists use the pavement as their canvas during the 10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch in Anaheim on Monday, December 24, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Esbeidy Mendez, 4, gets a Christmas gift from volunteers during the 10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch in Anaheim on Monday, December 24, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Volunteer Ashley Melendez, 17, hands a boy a gift during the toy give-away and community brunch sponsored by K & A Cafe and Catering at the Center Street Promenade in Anaheim on Saturday, December 24, 2022. K & A has been hosting this event for 15 years. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Santa and Mrs. Claus make their entrance for the toy give-away hosted by K & A Cafe and Catering on the Center Street Promenade in Anaheim on Saturday, December 24, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
A boy spots Santa Claus through the window as he stands in line with his mother to meet Santa at the toy give-away and community brunch hosted by K & A Cafe and Catering in Anaheim on Saturday, December 24, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Addley Garcia, 3, gets a unicorn painted on her face at the toy give-away and community brunch hosted by K & A Cafe and Catering on the Center Street Promenade in Anaheim on Saturday, December 24, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Isaiah Hernandez gets a reindeer face during the 10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch in Anaheim on Monday, December 24, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Volunteer Keisha McLean helps Rykeis Johnson, 1, pick out a toy during the 10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch in Anaheim on Monday, December 24, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A boy sneaks a peek at Santa while waiting to meet the jolly fella during the 10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch in Anaheim on Monday, December 24, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Piles of toys await their children during the 10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch in Anaheim on Monday, December 24, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Eight-month-old Everett Gooch meets Santa during the 10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch in Anaheim on Monday, December 24, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ashley Gamez, 12, is all smiles after winning a stuffed bear she named “Sparkles,” during the 10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch in Anaheim on Monday, December 24, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Marie Corea and her 1-year-old daughter Kayla, enjoy the 10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch in Anaheim on Monday, December 24, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
One-year-old Deliyha Stewart has a momentary lapse of happiness as she gets her picture taken with the Clauses during the10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch. The brunch included music, gifts and activities for the kids on Monday, December 24, 2018 in Anaheim. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Joshua Yanez, 8, tries reigning in his reindeer, Bella Jackson, 9, during the 10th annual free holiday community Christmas brunch in Anaheim on Monday, December 24, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Now the event is enjoyed by hundreds of Anaheim families and others looking for company around the holidays and gets help from several community groups and corporate sponsors.
Families that visited enjoyed breakfast, games and activities and a visit with Santa, who handed out the bags and bags of gifts that had been donated and wrapped by volunteers.
