‘Twas three days before Christmas when all through the bank tiny hearts began racing like Ratchet and Clank.

Santa is coming they said in a hush. He’s calling his reindeer: “Mush, mush, mush, mush.”

These tiny hearts belonged to a group of 4-year-old pre-schoolers from Quin School in Palos Hills. They had gone with their teacher and chaperones on a school bus to Standard Bank in neighboring Hickory Hills where they waited anxiously for Santa to arrive and read to them the book titled ‘The NIght Before Christmas.’

While they waited, they were given coloring books and crayons and asked to color a picture for Santa, who arrived a short time later uttering his standard “ho, ho, ho” and accompanied by the incessant sounds of sleigh bells ringing.

Students literally dropped what they were doing. Crayons fell to the floor as they hurried to be the first in line to hug the jolly old St. Nick.

“Have you been good?” Santa asked the kids.

“Yes,” they all shouted in unison.

The children also were treated to cookies and hot chocolate while they relaxed on the floor and listened to Santa read the story.

When the story was over, Santa left the bank, telling the kids he’d see them in a few days.

“Thank you Santa,” the kids said as he made his way back to his sleigh.

The children then were given candy canes and a stuffed teddy bear as a gift. They also played a game (like the old Bozo buckets game) where they tried throwing a ball into six buckets lined up in a row.

The event was one of several events on Tuesday that Standard Bank hosted as a way of celebrating the holiday season.