For kids from 1 to 92

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It was a rendition of "Up on the Housetop"that made Santa Claus beam with joy.

Sixteen tiny tots sat on a stage at the Fels Community Center last Friday, holding drumsticks and wearing Santa hats proudly displaying their name. In unison, they began belting out the Christmas classic under the direction of 72-year-old John Naimoli.

Dressed in a red bowtie and vest, Naimoli effortlessly guided the group through the song. And the youngsters obviously have been practicing their parts, since many knew the words by heart.

After an introduction, the bearded man from the North Pole entered the center at 2407 S. Broad St. Shouts and cheers from the nearly 75 kids in attendance filled the room. Santa even seemed tickled – just as pink as his rosy cheeks.

As the children lined up to get their pictures taken with the jolly old elf, Naimoli sat down and marveled at the sight.

"I just have to look at their faces, their speeches, their actions and what they do and I get all bubbly," said the resident of 10th and Wolf streets. "It’s marvelous to watch."

Some 100 people took part in an intergenerational breakfast with Santa at the center, a unit of the Caring People Alliance. The event – stocked with plenty of pancakes, sausages and hash browns – linked members of the center’s older adult program with children of its daycare.

"It seems only natural that there would be [an event] to bring them together,"said Naimoli, who has participated in similar events at the center.

Though he has no children of his own, Naimoli has learned how to connect with kids.

"They are so exuberant and innocent," he said. "You have to be careful the way you come at them. You can scare them very easily. You have to emotionally embrace them."

This meeting of generations, mixed with some holiday flavor, created an enticing blend for all.

"It stimulates both parties," said Gloria Davis, director of older adult services at Fels. "The seniors love watching little kids and the energy they generate and it makes them more alive."

Other events at the center also merge the young with the older. Parties with a Mardi Gras and New Year’s Eve theme are crowd-pleasers. Occasionally, children will show off their budding talents through song for their older friends.

"It’s like a little sparkle in their day,"Davis said of the seniors.

SIMILAR TO A red-carpet walk, flashbulbs lit up the center, which was already aglow with holiday cheer. Kids – some excited, others with their eyes full of tears – sat on Santa’s lap while onlookers captured the moment in a photograph.

Representatives for GlaxoSmithKline, the research-based pharmaceutical company and the event’s sponsor, distributed crayons, teething rings and molding clay to children after their encounter with Kriss Kringle.

The event offered the eight volunteers from the company a chance to reach residents of all ages, said Meredith Clark, human resources organizational development coordinator for GlaxoSmithKline.

Waiting in line to speak to the North Pole’s most-famous resident was 4-year-old Destiny Lombardi. A set of drums, kiddy lipstick and new clothes were the items on her wish list and the youngster was eager to tell Santa.

Children enrolled in the daycare program created a fairly comprehensive list, which was on display at the center, of their toys of choice this holiday. The list was to show which hot gifts the kids were seeking this season. Some of the popular items were remote-control cars and merchandise from "Bratz,"a popular cartoon series that includes some fashionable folks.

While distributing plates of food with the help of some seniors, daycare Director Fran Sposaro noted the reactions she witnessed during this year’s event.

"The seniors really enjoy being with [the] kids. They relive their childhood through them,"Sposaro, who has been daycare director for 17 years, said. "The kids look at them like mom-moms and pop-pops."

Events of this caliber, Sposaro added, keep her young. Jennie Onorato, a member of the senior program, was enjoying her breakfast with Kareem Koger, a 4-year-old with a healthy appetite. The second platter of pancakes the child quickly consumed took her by surprise, but Onorato is more than pleased Kareem is enjoying the day.

"Some of them, their parents work, and this [event] gives parents a hand, too,"Onorato, of 10th and Ritner streets, said.

As she cut Kireem’s pancakes, the 91-year-old said she is happy to assist the youngster. And to her, that is the best Christmas present she could receive.

"It makes us feel good that we can help a child,"she said.