Nashville Predators News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Christmas Came Early in Smashville at the Predators' Annual Holiday Charity Party

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Preds
By Ann Kimmel | Last updated 12/18/23

On Sunday afternoon 88 boys and girls from the Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee came to Bridgestone Arena for the Nashville Predators Foundation Annual Holiday Party presented by Shell. It was an afternoon of ice skating, cookie decorating, pictures with Santa, presents, and a whole lot of holiday joy and laughter.

The afternoon began with Colton Sissons, Dante Fabbro, Alexandre Carrier, and members of the Predators staff welcoming the kids and skating with them on the ice at Bridgestone Arena. For some of the children, it was their first time ice skating. There were plenty of five gallon buckets for new skaters to use for balance as they got the hang of skating. Although it was a day off for Sissons, Fabbro, and Carrier, the three got a good workout in helping new friends learn to skate and whizzing around the ice pushing kids sitting on buckets. Christmas music was playing and the sound of laughter carried across the arena.

"There's a lot of good moments like getting on the ice which we haven't done for a number of years, so that's always a nice touch," Colton Sissons said.

After skating, the children got to decorate and eat their own Christmas cookie creations. The cookie decorating bar had frosting, gummy treats, sprinkles, and chocolate, and each creation was unique. Dinner was served and then several special guests arrived — Gnash and Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The last portion of the party was dedicated to gift giving. The Predators Foundation, Predators staff, media, and Sissons, Fabbro, and Carrier themselves shopped for the 88 children in attendance. Presents surrounded the perimeter of the Lexus Lounge and each child got to open a stack of gifts chosen especially for them.

Sissons, Fabbro, and Carrier spent several hours earlier this month shopping at Walmart picking out just the right gifts to prepare for yesterday's party.

A lot of thought goes into the gifts.

"The bikes are always fun," Sissons said. "That's the big one. We usually ride around on them, test them out a little bit. Test out the suspension."

Another tricky item Sissons shopped for? Legos.

"There's just so many options at Walmart that it was tough to land on one. We usually go with the bigger and more extravagant ones."

As the gifts were opened you could hear excited voices saying, "I always wanted one of these!" and "I love this!" and "Look what I got!" When all the gifts were opened each child put their new treasures in a big red bag.

"The bags were full of gifts, and the bag was as big as the kids," Alexandre Carrier said.

After skating, cookies, pictures with Santa, and gift giving, the children carried their red bags out of Bridgestone Arena and headed home with smiles as big as their gift bags. So did the players and staff who threw the party.

"I think the kids had a lot of fun today," Dante Fabbro said.

"Giving back to these kids is important, especially during the holidays."

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Preds and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: