Never mind how dreary it was outside Monday. Inside the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden's Zoo Gallery and Special Exhibits Building, it was all sunshine and smiles.

        The occasion? Former Bengal Doug Pelfrey's seventh annual Kicks for Kids Christmas party. It's the one where Kicks invites children, referred by social agencies, to write letters to Santa, then gives them their first choice — “no matter what it is,” Mr. Pelfrey says — at the party.

        Some party, that. A record 50 children, each with an adult chaperone — “It's important that they get one-on-one attention from an adult,” Mr. Pelfrey says — dined on chili and barbecue in the decked-out Gallery.

        They also crowded the face-painting corner where two artists worked full tilt on kids such as Dion, who wanted “a vampire on my face, because I never looked like a vampire before.”

        They also crowded the cookie decorating table — plain sugar cookies, gobs of pink icing, M&Ms, sprinkles, red licorice, glitter. A sugar high waiting to happen, but it didn't bother young Billie Jean, whose finished product was 3-inches high. “Heck yeah, I'm going to eat it.”

        The autograph session was a hit, too. Former Bengals Mr. Pelfrey and Jim Breech, current Bengals Corey Dillon, Rodney Heath, Riall Johnson and Ligarius Jennings had a line of children, each clutching a free football from Kicks, stretching out the door.

        But Santa, armed with a bag of goodies, was the hit. Assisted by volunteers, he ho-hoed and handed out presents to wide-eyed kids.

        And yeah, each did get a first choice, including the “realllllly big doll,” Jean had asked for.

        And finally, a defining moment that says a lot about Doug Pelfrey: He thanked them for coming.

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