According to mathematicians, if every household in the whole world leaves out two cookies for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve this year, he would eat 374 billion calories and 33,000 tons of sugar and have to run for 109,000 years at eight minutes a mile to burn it all off.

Luckily, on Saturday, I am only asking you to run (or walk) for a few hours. So come join us on the Natchez Bluff that morning for the inaugural Holly Half and 5K to run off some cookies for a good cause.

Last year, during my reign as Pilgrimage Garden Club Queen, I saw up close how our community came together to promote Natchez tourism. I also participated in my first half marathon at that time.

These experiences combined to give me the idea to host a run here and donate all the proceeds to local causes.

After speaking to our mayor and asking him his favorite charity, I decided that part of the profit would go to the Stew Pot. The other part would go to the renovation of Stanton Hall in order to give back to her club and to the community as a whole.

As you run the course Saturday from the bluff through downtown and the National Natchez Historic Park to the Natchez Brewery, you’ll pass beautiful houses decorated for the holidays.

Those houses will be judged for Best Christmas Spirit, and the top three will be awarded cash prizes. At the end, there will be a participation medal/tree ornament decorated by Katelee Laird and plenty of beer waiting for you … much better than milk and cookies. We hope to see you there with your running shoes and Santa hats on.

Details: The Half will start at 8 a.m. and the 5K at 8:15 a.m. Saturday.

Participation Fee for the 5K is $35 until 11:59 p.m. on Friday or $45 until 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Fee for the Half is $70 until 11:59 p.m. on Friday or $80 until 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Pre-packet registration pickup will be on 1-8 p.m. Friday at Rolling River Bistro, 404 Main St. Natchez.

If you are unable to make it to the pre-packet registration, you will have the opportunity to pick up your packet at the starting location before the race.

For more information, to purchase tickets, or to view the route, find us on Facebook at “Holly Half and 5K” or call 318-719-9144.

Lansing Brakenridge is reigning Pilgrimage Garden Club Queen and organizer of the Holly Half Marathon.