Roselle proud of Santa tradition returning Saturday

The fire truck that will circle Roselle on Saturday, Nov. 27, shouldn't cause residents to worry.

Instead, Roselle children might be thrilled when they realize who is on board.

As part of Roselle's annual “Celebrate the Season,” Santa Claus will ride through the village with the Roselle Fire Department and the Rose Queen before lighting the village tree.

The annual event, which runs from 1 to 4 p.m., also will feature a holiday singalong and performance by children's entertainer Bill Hooper at the Roselle Public Library, 40 S. Park St.

Michelle Kuczak, youth services librarian, said the Roselle tradition is a good way to launch the holidays.

“It's a great way to just get in the mood,” she said.

Roughly 100 children, as well as their parents, attend the festivities each year. And once Santa finishes his mission to light the tree, he heads back into the library to listen to children's Christmas wishes.

Roselle Village President Gayle Smolinski said the event is an important tradition for Roselle, which strives to balance modern life with preserving tradition.

“I just think that our pace of life is so frenetic, sometimes our children are exposed to more harsh realities than we'd like,” said Smolinski. “This is a day for them that is all about magic and hope and all the wonderful things we had as children. In Roselle we're about families, we're about tradition. Sure, we're also about making sure we keep current, but doesn't meant we have to let go of that magic.”