Santa Truck & Christmas Day

We always start off our Christmas week with the "Santa Truck". Our fire chief, Wayne, first started this tradition years ago, and it has become a yearly tradition throughout the area. I always enjoy doing the Santa truck, because there are some children in our area who don't even get a tree for Christmas (let alone toys). We don't have enough money in our funds to get hundreds of kids toys for Christmas, but the one thing we can give is parade. Depending on how may people show up, we take our 2 or 3 fire trucks with the Santa sleigh. The sleigh is decorated in lights, Santa waves (while saying his ho-ho-ho's), and his helpers give out treat bags to the kiddo's. We do this 3 nights in a row, to make sure everyone gets some candy and a chance to see Santa. The third night is, by far, the most embellished night of all. As we go across the causeway, the people that live on Burnside Island meet us. They drive their cars, 4-wheelers, golf carts, or whatever else they can find (of course they are COVERED in lights). The video below doesn't do much justice, but it is an amazing sight to see. We enjoy it every year, and are glad to give the children in our area some happiness, even if for just a few moments.

Santa Truck from Sara Cotter on Vimeo.

As for Christmas morning, I thought Christopher would be more excited to open his presents. He let me down!! "Tear the paper", I say. "Open the presents". Nope, all he cared about was the snazzy new tricycle that Mimi got for him. I have learned my lesson. Next year Mimi's gifts are hidden, until he opens Mommy's. Hehehe!! Once he opened his gifts, and realized how TOTAL GREAT they were, he got in the swing of it.The video below is of his train set. It takes up a good portion of the living room, and we didn't even use all of the pieces. I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas, and has a great New Year.
-The Cotters

Christopher's Train from Sara Cotter on Vimeo.