Santa Claus hands out presents to more than 200 local elementary school students during the Santa Monica Elks Lodge 906 annual Christmas Party on Saturday, December 21, 2019. The Elks Christmas party for kids featured a puppet show, a magic show and an ice-cream social. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868 originally as a social club in New York City. The Elks invest in their communities through programs that help children grow up healthy and drug-free, meet the needs of today’s veterans, and improve the quality of life.