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Date: 12/14/2022
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Santa is back home at Mittineague Park, much to the delight of a crowd of excited kids awaiting his arrival on Dec. 11.
“We’re thrilled and excited to see Santa come to his house in a fire truck,” said Jesse Heffernan. The West Springfield mom has been coming to see “Santa’s House” in the park since she was a little girl growing up in town. This year, she brought her five-year-old son George.
“I’m forever excited about visiting with Santa,” he said. He planned to ask him for a monster truck and a dinosaur.
It definitely felt and looked like Christmas as parents and their kids waited outside the house for the jolly old guy. And Santa didn’t disappoint — he arrived on schedule at 2 p.m. in a shiny red fire truck with its siren blaring.
About 50 people showed up for the festive event. As they waited, a light snow fell, Christmas music played in the background and Santa’s elves served hot chocolate. Santa will open his house to visit with children daily until Dec. 23. That’s when he leaves for the North Pole to prepare for the Big Day.
Miranda Allen of West Suffield, CT, came with her daughter Lylah. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to come with a friend to watch the arrival of Santa.
“We haven’t been here in two years. We’re very happy to be here — this is a 10-out-of-10 moment for us today,” she added. Her daughter said she was waiting to tell Santa about the toys she wants for Christmas.
“I’m so excited — I haven’t seen him since last year. I’ve been a good girl this year, so I hope he will remember me,” said Lylah.
While many families come to visit Santa in the park every year, this was the first time for West Springfield native Kayleigh Ingegnen and her seven-year-old son Cameron.
“I grew up here, but never came to visit Santa,” she said. “In past years, I wanted to bring my son, but time always seemed to get away from me. So this year I made a point to come today.”
Cameron was “super excited” about the prospect of visiting with Santa.
“It’s my first year and I want to tell him that I want sports jerseys for Christmas,” he said.
The Shute family of West Springfield — Ian, Rebecca, and their four-year-old daughter Emmeline — came just for the experience of watching Santa arrive. “We’ll come back next week for a visit,” explained Rebecca Shute.
“This is our first visit in three years, so we’re very excited to be here. It’s nice to see everybody together to celebrate the holidays,” she added. “It’s great that they do this for the kids.”
West Springfield residents Finley Dunphy, 9, and his mother, Karen LaPlante, also came just to watch Santa ride up in a fire truck. He will come back at some point with his younger Hollister for his visit. Finley said a Red Ryder BB gun — like the one in the movie “A Christmas Story” that he recently watched — is on his list this year.
But for Finley, Christmas is more than presents.
“I love Christmas — it’s the best time of the year for me. I like coming to see Santa arrive and I like the snow,” he said.
Finley also gets into the Christmas spirit by passing out candy canes to municipal offices and businesses in the downtown area. He also goes door-to-door serving hot chocolate to his neighbors.
Jason Pagan and his family traveled from their Ludlow home to attend the opening of Santa’s house. They wanted their kids to meet with him in person.
“I looked online and almost everybody is doing virtual visits. Then I found this one and we decided to come here so our girls can tell Santa what they want for Christmas,” he said.
“If mom and dad didn’t bring them to see Santa, we would be on their naughty list for sure,” he added. The family said that now that they’ve found Santa’s House in West Springfield, they plan to come back next year.
The West Springfield Park and Recreation Department has been sponsoring Santa’s House at 1695 Westfield St. since 1980. Children who have letters for Santa can put them in his mailbox outside the house.
Santa Claus will be available to visit with children weekdays, 5:30-7:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, 2:30-4 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m., until Dec. 23. There is no admission fee to visit Santa, but monetary donations are always appreciated. All donations will support Operation Santa, a program that helps West Springfield families in need each holiday season.