Santa Claus visiting New7Wonders of Nature finalist Grand Canyon

BY EAMONN FITZGERALD ON DECEMBER 18, 2009 IN GRAND CANYON
Zurich/Switzerland — While many famous faces have supported the New7Wonders campaigns over the years, Santa Claus visiting the Grand Canyon right before Christmas is a special tribute to this Official Finalist. Having moved from the North Pole to an authentic wickiup, or Native American one-room home, in the Arizona heat, Santa is listening to wishes of children from around the world. His sleigh and reindeer are parked right outside his wickiup.


To celebrate Santa’s visit, local Hualapai Indians performed traditional dances

Santa will be making his final preparations for Christmas in warmth this year, staying at the Grand Canyon until Dec. 24. To celebrate Santa’s visit, local Hualapai Indians are performing traditional dances and showing Santa Claus and visitors around the Native American village representing the Hualapai, Hopi, Navajo and Plains Indian cultures. Santa is also taking advantage of his stay in the Wild West to enjoy a bonfire and hot chocolate with some local cowboys at Hualapai Ranch, an authentic Old West town. Cowboys will let St. Nick (and perhaps even Rudolph?) participate in cowboy games and then temporarily trade in his sleigh bells for a horse-drawn wagon ride along the Western Rim.

Santa Claus, one of the early believers in worldwide action, encourages all good boys and girls around the world to vote for their favorite Finalists in the Official New7Wonders of Nature campaign. The campaign’s motto is right up Santa’s alley – “If you want to save something, you first have to really appreciate it.”