Who would have guessed Sunday afternoon that Santa’s workshop could be found in Banquet room B on the first floor of the Comfort Suites in Vidalia?

Anyone that walked passed the room entrance; that’s who.

Filled with boxes and boxes of colorful ornaments, lights, candy canes, silk flowers and anything that remotely related to the holiday, the first floor ballroom indeed felt like Santa Claus might burst onto the scene to check up on holiday orders.

Dianne Hutcherson and her small band of &uot;elves&uot; were busy Sunday afternoon getting ready for the holiday season.

&uot;We have been buying stuff for three weeks,&uot; Hutcherson said.

From the 80 candy canes lining the hotel’s front lawn to the twinkling white lights decorating one of the four Christmas trees that will be placed throughout the hotel, employees were scurrying around transforming the building into a winter wonderland.

&uot;We are getting ready for Hollidazzle,&uot; Hutcherson said as she looked through a large stash of electrical cords.

Though it may seem a little early to begin decorating for the season, area officials will officially kick off their Christmas Hollidazzle celebration Nov. 18 at a VIP party at the Comfort Suite hotel.

The occasion will begin with one of this year’s most anticipated events of the holiday season &045;&045; the Winter Wonderland of Lights. Open to the public Nov. 19, the riverfront will be transformed into a dazzling display of light. For

$8 per car and $25 dollars per bus, residents will be treated to a drive-through display using thousands of Christams lights.

In the meantime, Hutcherson and her elves are concentrating on their own small Christmas wonderland.

Pointing to the wire-frame deer and the bright green Grinch, Hutcherson said when the decorating is complete the hotel will look great.

&uot;It will be wonderful,&uot; she said. &uot;We might be here for three days, but it will look wonderful.&uot;