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"Santa, hammer now!" 3-year-old Gavin Garrison commanded, as Santa Claus helped him put together a fire station. Then he changed his mind. "No, no, I do it."

The price of reindeer feed and a slow economy had Santa Claus arriving to Home Depot in Lemon Creek via chopper, courtesy of Coastal Helicopters, to conduct a kids workshop Saturday morning for Garrison and other future elves.

"The reindeer have to rest," said Santa (Home Depot employee Charlie Sayer) with a twinkle in his eye. "They are up at the North Pole getting ready. They have a busy night coming up, you know. "

Local youths had a chance to sit on Santa's lap and proclaim their innocence, request Christmas goodies, get photos taken and to make a gift to take home.

"I asked him for something for Christmas," Hannah Dawson said. "I asked him for a camera."

Juneau's Home Depot Kids Workshops are offered year-round on the first Saturday of each month, and are designed to build self-esteem and a sense of pride and accomplishment. Tools and projects are provided to encourage quality time between Home Depot customers and their children.

"We just really wanted to get the community involved in this," Home Depot store manager Jarred Harvey said. "We couldn't get the reindeer flown in though. We've been doing the monthly workshops since the store opened in 2007."

After satisfying a long line of photo requests and sharing building tips, Santa bid his many fans a Merry Christmas as the sound of hammers followed him out the sliding glass doors.

"I think it went good," said Sydney Strong, 5. "I got to sit on his lap and ask for an Ariel doll that goes underwater and her hair is pink and blue."

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.