 |
| |
| Perched high atop a
fire-engine-turned-sleigh donated by the St. Simons Island Volunteer Fire
Department, Santa Claus makes an annual trip around the island on Christmas
Eve. In addition to taking in last-minute Christmas wishes from children and
adults, Santa also passes out stockings. This year, the St. Simons Civinette
Club has made about 500 Christmas stockings for distribution |
| |
Annual visit harkens back to island's
past; draws both young and old ...
On St. Simons Island, Santa always
arrives a little bit early.
For more than 60 years, Santa Claus
has landed on St. Simons Island early to parade around and hear last minute
requests from children on Christmas Eve.
It's a tradition that brings fond
memories for many.
"It's been going on in one form or
another forever," said Glynn County Volunteer Fire Department Chief Joe Combs.
"It's something that is looked
forward to."
As chief of the volunteer force,
Combs provides the St. Simons Island Santa with his sleigh.
"He rides on our old, antique fire
engine, and we provide him with an entourage," Combs said.
"We get one of the engines, one of
the pumpers and an ambulance to follow him around, as well as several vehicles."
The parade starts at 5 p.m. Christmas
Eve near the old St. Simons Island Casino.
It then makes its way to the ballpark
near the Demere Road fire station and then heads back down Demere Road.
From there people can follow Santa to
Glynn Haven Baptist Church down Atlantic Avenue, and then to First African
Baptist Church.
"We make the stops so kids get a
chance to sit on Santa's lap," Combs said.
St. Simons Island resident Sally
Jones calls the parade one of the last vestiges of a former way of life on the
island.
"The St. Simons Civinette Club has
been doing this for over 60 years," she said.
"I'm 65, and I as a child, I can
remember my father being involved in this."
Jones is in charge of getting
stockings ready for Santa to hand out.
She said there will be about 500, and
kids ranging from infants to third graders will get one.
She also says one of the great joys
of the parade is seeing kids get excited when they see Santa coming down the
street.
"It's always been that way," she
said.
"They stand there near the old
Casino, and they hear the fire trucks coming, and they are so excited because
they know Santa is on his way."
For Santa himself, that's the way it
should be.
"This is something that is special
for everyone," "Santa" said.
"For adults who grew up on St.
Simons, it has a special significance, too. They remember getting the same
visit, and it has grown into this great family tradition.
"We go by houses on the routes and
kids, their parents and their grandparents come out. It gives the community a
special, holiday feeling." |
