Families can enjoy the wonder of Christmas inside the Manteca Bass Pro Shops store with “Santa’s Wonderland” through Dec. 24.

It features a 3,500-square-foot-plus Christmas village chock-full of fun games,

Comprised of both animated and live elves, nutcrackers, reindeer and more, the village offers an old-time model train area, remote control trucks, a Red Ryder laser arcade, a soft gun range and slot car racing.  Kids can also play the hottest new video games of the season with The Strike and The Hunt.  There are activity tables where they can write a letter to Santa, color and do fun crafts every day of the week--all absolutely free. Also new this year, a fun,  Santa Bandz bracelet will be offered every weekday to the first 150 kids who visit Santa’s Wonderland Monday through Friday from 5-7 p.m.; different style each week  Of course, Santa will be in residence there throughout the season.

Always a family tradition, customers can get a free 4x6 studio-quality photo with Santa from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Photo and gift packages will also be available. If the line is long, they can just grab a Bass Pass and their appointment with Santa is set.

Every weekday, Monday through Friday, from 5 to 7 p.m. and every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. through Dec. 24, kids can take part in the time-honored traditions of making crafts and holiday ornaments.  They can make fun items like a snowman door hanger or animal sun catcher and construct great ornaments out of fishing bobbers, popsicle sticks, jingle bells and more — even decorate Christmas cookies Dec. 19-24.   It’s all free. A complete schedule of activities and times will be available at Santa’s Wonderland or visit www.basspro.com and click on your local store.

Bass Pro Shops also has big plans for Black Friday. The 5th Annual Great Turkey Campout begins at 5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.  Customers are invited to bring their tents and camp out all night on the parking lot so they can be one of the first in line to enter the store the next morning. They can enjoy hot chocolate, coffee and smores from 5 to 8 p.m. around the fire pits and there will be special drawings for prizes.