Christmas Season Begins but High Winds Alter Santa’s Arrival in Shenandoah

Santa Claus made his annual drop into Shenandoah on Friday afternoon.

But high winds prevented the jolly one from gliding into the Shenandoah Valley high school football field via parachute as he’s done for more than a decade now. If he would have tried on Friday, he might have ended up in Mahanoy City!

So Santa got a ride in a helicopter instead.

INSERT SAD TROMBONE SOUND HERE. This is the MedEvac helicopter Santa used to get into Shenandoah today. And we would have been there to see it if he weren’t a few minutes early and we didn’t get stuck in line at a Boot Drive in Frackville. (Coal Region Canary photo)

Once he touched down – get it? – on the field, Santa Claus was greeted by several hundred children and their parents as well as Mrs. Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Frosty the Snowman.

HIDDEN TALENT? Mrs. Claus performs a magic trick for several children during her husband’s arrival to Shenandoah on Friday.

Santa’s arrival in Shenandoah on Friday, followed by many more similar arrivals around Schuylkill County in the coming days, unofficially marked the start of the Christmas season here in the coal region. The absolutely frigid temperature – not helped by the wind – certainly made it feel like Christmas. Snowflakes flying around added a nice touch.

After greeting families around the field, Santa hopped on the back of an antique firetruck from the Polish-American Fire Co. in Shenandoah and paraded around town. A tree lighting is planned for later Saturday.

SANTA WINS STATES! Whether it’s by parachute or chopper or tractor, Santa Claus inevitably gets a ride through just about every Schuylkill County community on the back of a firetruck like he just got back from Hershey.

Editorial note: Yes, we’re aware of Girardville’s Santa parade on Thursday evening, but Santa on Thanksgiving???

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