GALLERY: Santa Claus is coming (back) to town
Published 1:03 pm Thursday, December 10, 2020
Santa Claus hands a child a candy cane from his seat in a Niles Fire Department fire truck. Claus spent time interacting with children from his seat in the fire truck on Wednesday afternoon at Niles High School. (Leader photo/EMILY SOBECKI)
Santa Claus visited children outside of Niles High School on Wednesday afternoon. The opportunity allowed parents and family members to take holiday photos. Claus was provided a special transport, in lieu of snow and sleigh, by the Niles Fire Department. (Leader photo/EMILY SOBECKI)
Families with children arrived Wednesday afternoon to see Santa Claus at Niles High School. The outdoor visit was hosted so that children could visit Mr. Claus from a social distance. (Leader photo/EMILY SOBECKI)
Santa Claus hands a child a candy cane from his seat in a Niles Fire Department fire truck. Claus spent time interacting with children from his seat in the fire truck on Wednesday afternoon at Niles High School. (Leader photo/EMILY SOBECKI)
Santa Claus looks out from the Niles Fire Department truck to the children that attended to visit him at Niles High School Wednesday afternoon. The socially distanced visit allowed Claus to show the area’s children that Christmas was still coming. (Leader photo/EMILY SOBECKI)
Families with children arrived Wednesday afternoon to see Santa Claus at Niles High School. The outdoor visit was hosted so that children could visit Mr. Claus from a social distance. (Leader photo/EMILY SOBECKI)
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NILES — A familiar face with glasses, a long white beard and a very special red and white suit made an appearance at the Niles High School parking lot, located at 1441 Eagle St., Wednesday afternoon.
Santa Claus himself came to pay a socially distanced visit to the children in the Niles area. Coming down from the North Pole for the occasion, Claus was brought to Niles High School by the Niles Fire Department in a special transport instead of his usual sleigh and reindeer.
The escort provided a window for Claus to greet and interact with children.
Claus waved and smiled at children as he arrived and was able to see them from the red truck.
The event drew families to the special event where Santa Claus waved, spreading cheer, and even tossing out candy canes to those attending his outdoor visit.
“It was an opportunity for folks to see that he is alive and well, and that Christmas will be OK,” said Lisa Croteau, coordinator of the event and director of the Niles Main Street Downtown Development Authority.
Niles Community Schools Superintendent Dan Applegate said the Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce called the school to organize the visit. Under the latest pandemic order from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, high school students are learning remotely from home. With the parking lot largely unused currently, Applegate wanted to help make the visit possible.
“We wanted to make sure we could make this happen,” Applegate said. “We were excited for the opportunity. The students are going through rough times, and it can be sad. Any opportunity we have to bring hope, joy and holiday spirit to the community, we are all for it.”
Santa Claus will be making another appearance at Niles High School’s parking lot at 6 p.m. on Dec. 16.
