There was already a line of people waiting to get in 6:15 p.m.
Doors at the Farmington firehouse, at the corner of Highway 4 and Escalon-Bellota Road, weren’t scheduled to open until 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15. The event was the annual Farmington Community Christmas, which is staged annually at the fire station. When the doors were opened, attendees could enjoy some holiday music and also choose from a wide selection of homemade Christmas cookies, brownies, and other treats. There was also fruit punch, coffee, hot cider and hot chocolate offered.
But the real stars of the evening arrived a bit later. With everyone enjoying the snacks, the main doors were opened and the fire siren could be heard, signaling the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. They were brought to the firehouse aboard the Farmington fire engine, with youngsters and their parents congregating in front of the firehouse to greet the duo from the North Pole.
Hugs and smiles followed, with Santa Claus mobbed by a throng of youngsters. Once inside, he and Mrs. Claus took their seats and enjoyed visiting with dozens of children from throughout Farmington and the surrounding areas. Along with hearing their Christmas wishes, they also posed for photos, taken by family members with cellphones or cameras. All children in attendance also received a coloring book and a box of crayons and Mrs. Claus presented each with a candy cane.
Fire department officials said they always plan for 150 kids to make sure they have enough coloring books and crayons to hand out; this year’s crowd was one of the largest in recent years.
Helping to distribute the gifts to the kids were KaLee Bailey-Donis, 11, and Angelina Machen, 9; the two are cousins.
Also helping out were a trio of Escalon High School students. Junior Michael Kalebaugh, along with sophomores Otto Perreira and Tristen Johnson, were working to put in required community service hours for the FFA program.
“I like just seeing all the people and making people happy,” Johnson said of helping out, whether it was making sure the cookies were ready to serve or answering any questions people had about the evening.
For two-and-a-half-year-old Aubrey Finch, the request was for a pink toy car while older sister Eilie, 10, had a few items on her wish list, ranging from a “wiener dog puppy” to a Virtual Reality set.
The evening was one of celebration and Fire Chief Matt Bailey said even the homemade cookies – those that weren’t eaten on Friday night – would be delivered to other community residents, service organizations and first responders around the area, sharing the goodness of the season.
