Santa Claus comes to town in Rochester
Dec 13, 2020
Santa Claus goes for a high five (gloved, of course) at a stop to light Rochester’s Christmas tree on his tour of the town on Dec. 13. Photos by: Tim Seeberger
Santa asks an onlooker if they’ve been good for Christmas (let’s hope so!)
Santa and Mrs. Claus greets a very small crowd at the closed event on his way to light the tree.
It’s lit!
Sparky, the Rochester Fire Department’s mascot, the man in red and Mrs. Claus pose for a photo.
And they’re off!
ROCHESTER — He’s making a list, and he came to Rochester to check it twice.
Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and the Rochester Fire Department helped spread holiday cheer on Sunday as they lit the town’s Christmas tree and drove the streets of Rochester in a fire truck parade giving out candy canes to families.
Engines blared and Christmas music played as fire trucks rode into Town Hall with Santa and Mrs. Claus on the tower in the front truck for the start of the parade. After disembarking and greeting kids, Santa lit up the town’s tree outside of Town Hall in all its LED glory.
Board of Selectmen Chair Paul Ciaburri was at the closed event to help Santa light up the tree, one of his most important duties as Chair.
Normally, he said the town holds a Christmas tree lighting after the last Selectmen’s meeting before the holiday, with hot chocolate, candy canes and cookies included. This year, the lighting was cancelled because of covid.
Instead, the town worked with the Fire Department to have Santa drive all around town to greet people.
“It was the best we made of a bad situation,” Ciaburri said.
As for the man in red, Santa was still jolly as ever and reminded kids to put out cookies on Christmas Eve, noting that oatmeal raisin is his favorite.
