Tag Archives: feature

A Tale of Firehouse Santa Tradition

Santa and Elaine Van Develde circa 1961

Because Santa Claus is everywhere these days … our annual reprise …

By Elaine Van Develde

It’s that time of the year when a longstanding Fair Haven tradition comes to mind and heart — those classic kid photos at the firehouse with Santa. There’s the park. Then there’s the firehouse. That was today.

I remember …

Continue reading A Tale of Firehouse Santa Tradition

Retro RFH Winter Concert Players

All RFH concerts have singers and players — of the Tower variety.

Last night’s annual RFH Winter Concert was no exception. The singers sang holiday songs and the players of various RFH instrumental ensembles played. At times, in RFH history, the two did meet to make music together.

Continue reading Retro RFH Winter Concert Players

Scene Around: RFH PAS Elf on the Winter Concert Shelf

It’s not every day that the artsy elf on someone’s shelf escapes to the lobby of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) on a merry mission. It’s just at winter concert time.

And this was an elf on a mission — to promote RFH performing arts and pedal some snacks and RFH Performing Arts Society swag, of course. The elf off her shelf? Well, that’s RFH PAS President Patty Gagliardi.

Though you might have thought she was Santa Claus considering all the festive RFH PAS loot she had to sell for the good cause of keeping the performing arts going strong in the school. Shop, not workshop, set up for before, during and after the concert, there were RFH PAS ornaments, magnets, tote bags, mugs and water bottles.

It was really more like elf in a box — a holiday gift box. A box full of the myriad gifts of music and performance all wrapped up with an RFH PAS bow.

The concert wrapped up, too, those RFH PAS elves’ goodies are bound to get unwrapped somewhere. The gifts? Behind each RFH PAS piece of swag is an enduring memory and a little support.

Bravo, RFH PAS musicians and singers! Sing and play on!

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Retro RFH Holiday Spirited Tower Singing

RFH Tower Singers entertain at the annual winter concert circa 1976. Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot
RFH Tower Singers entertain at the annual winter concert of 1975.
Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot
RFH Freshman Chorus in 1976. Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot
RFH Freshman Chorus in 1975.
Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot

Tonight’s the night that the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Tower Singers sing — in the winter concert at 7 p.m. in the high school’s auditorium.

The instrumental groups play, too. We’ll get to that part of the winter concert picture tomorrow. 

Continue reading Retro RFH Holiday Spirited Tower Singing

Scene Around: Rumson DPW Toy Drive Santas

Rumson Department of Public Works’ 24th annual toy drive was a success.

“The Rumson DPW wants to Thank You for your support this Christmas Season. Hundreds of toys were collected and will be distributed to the Salvation Army and Child Family Services for this coming Holiday Season. THANK YOU!!” a social media by employee and Fair Havenite Nick Lenczyk said.

Continue reading Scene Around: Rumson DPW Toy Drive Santas

Rewind: For Crying Out Santa!

George Clark shuns Santa with tears in 2012
Photo/courtesy of Ann Clark

A reprise, just because … this solitary Santa trauma was just too classic not to repeat. ‘Tis the season, after all. And, with this reprise, we kick off our Santa trauma series … just for fun. Really. Send us your most classic “happy Santa/miserable child” pics. There’s one in every photo album! Email yours to [email protected] … We have mounted quite a collection, so don’t be left out!

Ho, ho, hoooooo and here we go again with a classic misery-doesn’t-love- Santa’s-company shot. 

Continue reading Rewind: For Crying Out Santa!

Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Travel Alert

With a flood watch in effect in the area, Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge replacement construction activity remains status quo this week, with work scheduled from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with the weather permitting condition stressed, through Friday.

Continue reading Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Travel Alert

Retro Waiting for Santa Time in Fair Haven

Tree lighting pose moment in Fair Haven 2015 Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Tree lighting pose moment in Fair Haven 2015
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

Santa Claus is coming to downtown Fair Haven Friday night, and he’s gonna help light things up for the holiday season.

As it usually stands to reason for the season, families valiantly try to coordinate those classic photos for the ol’ memory album.

Though, it’s always fun to catch them trying to set up the pose with the typical snafus — cranky kids, losing a little balance and all saying “Cheese … and don’t drop the child!” for that camera at the same time, toothy grins intact.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day honors that time-honored moment of the pose set-up with a Fair Haven family at last year’s tree lighting.

Well, they still look pretty good … Cheese and Santa!

Retro Fair Haven Reindeer Games

Reindeer games with the girls and a guy at Fair Haven's tree lighting 2015 Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Reindeer games with the girls and a guy at Fair Haven’s tree lighting 2015
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

With the end of Thanksgiving gatherings comes the start of not only the holiday shopping season, but festivities galore.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day offers one cute glimpse back to 2015 and some young ones playing reindeer games of their own sort at the Fair Haven tree lighting, which is coming up on Friday.

This little gaggle of giddy girls, and a guy, was quite wide-eyed and waiting to take in some seasonal magic.

The truth is that the magic was all in their eyes.

Recognize these little reindeer?

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Scene Around: RFH Tower Singers’ Holiday High Note

The holidays. They’re something to sing about. And that’s exactly what the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Tower Singers did over the weekend.

All festively dressed up with somewhere to go, the singers took their songs to the streets and other places in the area to serenade many and spread some holiday cheer. They do it every year.

This year, the Santa-hatted Tower Singers strolled and sang starting in the morning at St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church in Rumson at the church’s Canterbury Christmas event. By about 11 a.m., they singers were on their way to Ce La Vi on Monmouth Street in Red Bank. No, they didn’t stroll all the way there, but … they did have some brunch — and a little bonding.

After brunch the Tower Singers did a caroling kind of stroll from the restaurant to Riverside Gardens Park on Front Street where they sang for the Red Bank Holiday Harmonies program at 1 p.m. And finally, the singers strolled to Broad Street to sing in front of the Red Bank Artists’ Collective, also for the Red Bank program.

Now that’s some holiday cheer with a song — or several! Cheers to the Tower Singers!

** Click on one photo in the above gallery to enlarge and scroll. Enjoy! **

— Photos/RFH PAS