Albany Herald, Albany Mall join for $1,000 holiday shopping spree

ALBANY — This holiday shopping season will have at least one thousand reasons for being merrier for an Albany Herald reader.

On Nov. 17, an individual will win a $1,000 Albany Mall Holiday Shopping Spree.

Beginning in today’s debut of The Albany Herald Weekend edition, readers can find entry forms for the drawing in this and other weekend editions of the newspaper.

“As we close out the Gas Giveaway, we’re happy to announce the $1,000 Albany Mall Holiday Shopping Spree,” Albany Herald General Manager Ken Boler said. “Free entry forms will be in every Sunday’s Weekend edition starting today and running through Nov. 12.”

The drawing will coincide with the arrival at the mall by a certain jolly ol’ elf from up north who’ll help determine who gets some extra Christmas cheer in plenty of time for the shopping season.

“The drawing will be done by Santa during his evening arrival at the mall on Friday, Nov. 17th,” Boler said. “This will be a great evening of family fun at the Albany Mall, as they continue to be a great community partner.”

Santa Claus arrives each year at the mall on a Friday evening in mid-November to perform some holiday duties, including making the first donations of the season to two charities that maintain particularly high profiles during the season of giving: the Marine Corps Reserves’ Toys for Tots campaign and the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle fundraising drive.

St. Nick then turns his attention to the mall’s center Christmas tree and the elevated toy trains, using his holiday magic to start the lights and movement that will continue through Christmas Eve. Santa then takes his trolley train from center court to the area between Belk and the Penney wing of the mall, where he’ll listen to children presenting their Christmas wish lists.

Santa arrives at 7 p.m. on Nov. 17, but the festivities at the mall begin an hour earlier with free cocoa and candy canes for children as they are entertained with holiday music until the countdown begins for Santa.

Rules for the $1,000 Albany Mall Holiday Shopping Spree can be found on the entry forms. No photo copies of the forms may be entered. They must be on original newsprint from the Herald Weekend edition.