Vikings of Solvang holds massive caregiver celebration in Buellton

BUELLTON, Calif. - The Vikings of Solvang are breaking records this holiday season.

A Christmas party for special needs children was held in Buellton at the Marriott.

This event is planned over the course of the whole year.

For approximately fifty years the Vikings of Solvang have been putting this on, and this year's turn-out indicates how popular its become.

The Figueroa Ballroom of the Buellton Marriott was filled to the brim with some very happy kids at lunchtime on Monday.

“We're kind of the beginning of the holidays with good cheer,” says Larry Humburger, Vikings of Solvang chief.

Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, Santa, and even the Grinch stopped by to spread holiday cheer to over 900 local special needs kids, and those who assist them each day.

“We'd like to say thank you to all the caregivers that without them, this wouldn't be the same community that we have and we certainly wouldn't have the opportunity to put this on without them,” says Bill Bernstein, event chairman.

At their biggest event of the year, the Vikings of Solvang were delighted to know they broke their attendance record. 

“We're going to be approximately a thousand, if not a little bit more than a thousand. And we're very, very blessed to do that. We love taking care of our special needs children,” says Hamburger.

“We're still reeling a little bit from it. But it's so good that it found a home and a place,” says Bernstein. 

The Vikings of Solvang serve those with medically related special needs in Santa Barbara county.

“It's something that we always look forward to, to help the kids, to be with the kids. We've seen some of the kids for the last three and four years and they know who we are. They're happy to be here,” says Hamburger. 

The Vikings also help provide dinners and support to senior citizens.

That includes installing wheelchair ramps at local homes for those who are disabled.