LaGRANGE – Christmas came early to the LaGrange Memorial Library when Mrs. Claus came down from the North Pole to host two special story times on Wednesday.

Mrs. Claus, played by local storyteller Carol Cain, led a lively group of children in song before reading a series of heartwarming tales about Christmas to the gathered crowd. The events also featured a breakfast provided by Waffle House on Hamilton Road and Chick Fil A on Commerce Avenue for the morning story time and cookies and hot chocolate for the evening story time.

Cain and the library staff hope that events like this will instill a love of reading in children starting at a young age and will encourage families to go to the library.

“Mrs. Claus would like (children) to read all year because reading opens new worlds for children, allows them to use their imagination and have big adventures and to use those brains of theirs,” said Cain, speaking as Mrs. Claus. “Mr. and Mrs. Claus would like the children of the world to be absolutely the smartest children they can be.”

Cain, a retired teacher, is a well-known advocate of learning programs in Troup County, and her performances at the Azalea Storytelling Festival and local schools have long been community favorites.

“Carol Cain said this was the first time she has played Mrs. Claus, but I knew she would be perfect with it,” said LaGrange Memorial Library Children’s Director Darla Rance, who organized the event.

For her part, Cain, who had spoken the previous night at the Hogansville Library grand opening, said that she was always up to lending more support to libraries because of the important role that they play in communities.

“It is fun to embody the spirit of Christmas, and to do it in my favorite place, the library,” said Cain. “… For me, it is nice to be able to make the library a wonderful place to be.”

This story time with Mrs. Claus is one of many programs that Rance has organized since being named the children’s director at the library, and several parents of children attending the event expressed their appreciation of the influx of programs now available to the community thanks to her efforts.

“Mrs. Darla (Rance) is amazing,” said Brandy Adams, who brought her two children to the event. “She is such a treasure to our library. … She’s made so many things happen.”

The LaGrange Library does plan to hold story time as usual at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 21 and 28 with guest story tellers. The library will be closed Dec. 23 through 26 for Christmas.

Reach Alicia B. Hill at alicia.hill@lagrangenews.com or at 706-884-7311, Ext. 2154.