The Harris twins in 2010 with scary Santa at Monmouth Mall Photo/courtesy of Bernadette Harris
We’re bringing this scary Santa gem back from the 2018 archives. Originally posted on Dec. 12, 2018, this is the stuff priceless scary Santa pics are made of … This one was from 2010. We wish these older now twins a very happy holiday and thanks for the bowl full of jello belly laugh!
Sometimes you just win a trifecta when asking for a winning photo of children’s miserable experiences on the lap of Ol’ Saint Nick during the holidays.
Santa comes to the Connor-Kelly home in Fair Haven circa 1980s Photo/Connor-Kelly family
A classic reprise, just because … it’s Santa time!
Santa has begun making the rounds around the towns lately. You’ve likely seen him being whisked through the Rumson and Fair Haven neighborhoods on the firetruck over the weekend. It’s that time of the year.
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.
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.
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!
Well, there was at least an elf- or Santa-hatted, ugly sweatered, light and garland-draped bunch of festive fiends on a holiday cheer-missioned pub crawl on Thursday afternoon into the night.
Yes, the cheer-filled crew of revelers in all things holiday set out on a their 19-year traditional 12 Bars of Christmas crawl for a good cause — the sub-title, Caroling for Coats. Revelers were asked to bring a coat and join in. Christmas trees were donated to Lunch Break, too.
The crawling, though, that’s another Christmas story …
The crawl started and ended at Val’s in Rumson with a finale of song by Jerry Hat Trick and the Flatliners. All showed up with their selves, not halls, appropriately decked and hopped on the trolley from Val’s to the first stop at Bahr’s Landing in Highlands.
With an invite to all to catch up with them at whichever stop you wanted, the die hard crawlers went, after Bahr’s, to Chubby Pickle, Off the Hook, Rum Runner, Rory’s Pub, Woody’s, Ocean House, Tommy’s Tavern & Tap, Barnacle Bill’s, Victory Park Tavern, Salt Creek Grille, Murphy’s, and, again, Val’s.
We’re not sure exactly how many coats were collected this year, but the group boasts a 19-year tradition of “spreading Christmas cheer and the warmth of over 10,000 coats …”
Cheers!
** Thanks to RFH grad and longtime Rumsonite Doug Borden for the glimpse into the evening with the photos! **
Mary Ellen and Bill Kelly with Santa at the Fair Haven Firehouse circa 1987. Photo/Evie Connor Kelly
This is our annual reprise celebrates the upcoming traditional pics with Santa at the Fair Haven Firehouse and continues our hunt for those classic pics of miserable children not enduring their mandatory torturous visit with Santa very well at all. Send us YOUR miserable children on Santa’s lap photos! Email them to [email protected]. We’re checking our list and waiting!
Sometimes no matter how hard you try, that classic Santa pic with the kids just goes terribly awry. And we’re pretty sure that this Sunday’s visits with Santa at the Fair Haven Firehouse will be no exception.
Where’s the fire, Santa? Or were you just out for a joy ride on the big white truck? Prospective answers are questionable in the face of the Santa sighting on Friday in Fair Haven.
The answers? Well, they say that once a year, Santa parks his reindeer-drawn sleigh at the Fair Haven Firehouse and hitches a ride on the flashing, blaring firetruck to greet all the good boys and girls in town and kick off holiday festivities and a tree lighting.
Everyone accepts it as fact. And considering the joyous holiday mayhem overriding usual inquiring little minds that won’t quit, no kid ever really wondered why he couldn’t just ride that sleigh a few blocks down the street. I mean, he had already made it all the way from that North Pole. What’s a few blocks more? Something’s elfin-like mysterious about this firehouse/fire truck affinity of ol’ Saint Nick’s.
Then there’s his obvious friendship with the firefighters (ahem, as witnessed in the featured photo). Hmmmmm …
Yeah, yeah, he sees and knows all. But, what’s the Santa deal with being sleighed by all things fire company?
OK. Suspicions of decades’ long Santa and his magic firefighter connection pretty much point to one thing: In his spare time, Santa’s a fireman. Well, he’s at least a firemen groupie.
My mother always told me that the firehouse and firetruck Santa we saw around town before Christmas was an elf subbing for the real deal. Na. Sorry, Mom. I think the other deduction is more on target. Ho, no? Ho, yes!
And, hey, kids, should the suspicion be true, it’s a double the Santa pleasure for you. Let’s face it, between the trucks, the firehouse, the reindeer, the suits (fire and red) and the lights, sirens and action, there’s nothing more magical.
Oh, right. There’s the volunteer spirit and smile. Wait. Does Santa stay at the firehouse until it’s time for more of those traditional photos there? Molly Pitcher? Hmmmm …
Cheers to the Santa spirit! And thanks to the fire company elves for capturing the moments.
Scary Santa time with Rafer Roberts in 1978 Photo/Kathy Robbins
“Ho, no you don’t!”
That’s what little Fair Havenite Rafer Roberts was likely thinking after he was plopped on scary Santa’s lap for a minute of terrifying quality time and pics in 1978.
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