Yankees create holiday magic at Winter Wonderland event

NEW YORK -- The Yankees brought the North Pole to Yankee Stadium at their 13th annual Winter Wonderland event on Friday.

The Yankees hosted thousands of local kids for the holiday extravaganza, turning the Yankee Stadium Great Hall along the first-base line into the Winter Wonderland festooned with lights and decorations.

There were Christmas trees. There were gifts. There was hot chocolate. There was caroling by the Renaissance Youth Center Choir. And there was, of course, Santa Claus, handing out gifts and taking pictures with the kids.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone joined in to spread the holiday cheer, greeting the kids and helping them pick out their presents.

"This is amazing," said Boone, taking part in the Yankees' Winter Wonderland for the first time.

"Seeing how they've really transformed the concourse here, to see the joy and smiles on the kids and the families' faces, walking through with their hot cocoa. It's one of those great things about the season that you're able to be a part of and spread a little bit of joy."

The Yankees partnered with Walmart to put on the event, the fifth year in a row they've done so, with Walmart providing a toy for every child who attended. There were boxes and boxes of toys filling the stadium concourse behind Santa -- action figures, dolls, stuffed animals, remote-control cars, board games and so much more.

Boone has participated in the Yankees' holiday food drives during his time as manager, but he said the Winter Wonderland felt different.

"It's gifts, and Christmas," Boone said. "To see kids walking back and forth, wanting to make the best choice of a present or a toy, it's pretty neat to see that in their eyes."