Boys & Girls Clubs members from around the Metro area celebrated the season a little early on Tuesday night with Denver Broncos safety John Lynch and Santa Claus. Thirty-five kids ages 6 to 18 gathered at the DenverCenter's Galleria Theater for dinner provided by Old Chicago and a bounty of gifts provided by Wal-Mart and Sports Authority. Included in the gifts -a new bike for each and every child -as well as lots and lots of Broncos gear, books, DVDs, sports equipment, and more.

After a pizza dinner and autographs, Club members (lead by Santa), raced into the theater where piles of presents waited. Before opening presents, many Club members shared what Christmas means to them. Some explained that it was a time to be with family, others explained that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, and one eager member explained that Christmas is about "Getting presents.... And uh, giving them, too!"

Lynch then shared why Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver is so important to him -he went to a Boys & Girls Club when he was young, too. He later told Channel 9 News, "These kids are so gracious and you know it's the kids that teach us what the Christmas spirit is all about."

With Steffan Tubbs from 850 KOA and John Lynch's three children to help, presents were distributed to the eager Club members. Unaware that anyone else was nearby (or perhaps not caring...), one young Boettcher member exclaimed, "All of my wishes have been answered!"

Mountains of gift wrap tossed aside, it was time for Christmas carols. Santa lead everyone in what he described as the "North Pole version" of "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" and a traditional Jingle Bells. And if that weren't enough, after singing, all of the Club members went to see the play "White Christmas" with the entire Lynch family.

Thank you to the Lynch Foundation, John and Linda Lynch, and everyone who made this evening possible. As Channel 9 sportscaster Drew Soicher stated, "If every athlete was like John Lynch, the world would be a much better place." The Galleria Theater was filled with more smiles than Santa's workshop on Christmas eve, in a magical evening for all.