(Fanwood, NJ) — A loud and colorful convoy traveled through Fanwood on Saturday, December 14, 2024, bringing Santa Claus door to door delivering presents to the town’s children. The annual Santa Parade, a tradition that began as a neighborhood celebration in the 1950s, has grown to a town-wide journey which this year visited 450 homes.
Escorted by the Fanwood Fire Department, Rescue Squad and the Union County Sheriff’s Department, Santa brought presents to individual homes and the waiting arms of children. Families who desired a gift delivery brought gifts to the fire department the first week of December. There, volunteers sorted them by address then arranged them into numbered boxes and a streamlined route for Santa to follow on the day of the parade.
The Santa Parade began in the 1950s as a small holiday treat for children on Waldon Road. A neighbor’s red station wagon was the equivalent of a fire truck. Santa visited a few local families. The idea caught on and became more and more popular over the years. Today, it is one of the most anticipated and beloved events in Fanwood.
