Where To See Santa In Bridgewater This Christmas Season

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Visits and pictures with Santa Claus are treasured traditions for many Bridgewater families. In Bridgewater, kids have several chances to see jolly old St. Nick in person.

Here are the details:

• On Saturday, Dec. 21, the Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company will escort Santa on top of a fire truck down every street in Bradley Gardens. Rain date is Sunday, Dec. 22. Additionally, the fire department is hosting a Breakfast with Santa on Sunday. Dec. 8. Click here for more info.
• Country Hills Volunteer Fire Company will be escorting Santa around their primary response area in Bridgewater and Branchburg Townships. For $50, families in the response area can have Santa Claus come to their homes with lights and sirens blaring to deliver gifts to their children. Limited dates are available. Register here and follow instructions:
  • Branchburg: December 4, 9, 12, 14, 19, 20, & 21.
  • Bridgewater: December 5, 11, 14, 16, 20, & 21.
• On Dec. 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Finderne Fire Department will escort Santa from everything south of E Main Street starting on the Somerville border working east to Chimney Rock Road.
  • On Dec. 14 from 6 to 9 p.m., Santa will drive through everything between Union Avenue and E Main Street starting at Chimney Rock Road working west toward the Somerville border.
  • On Dec. 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m., Santa will come through everything north of Union Avenue starting at the Somerville border working east. This will include all neighborhoods off Thompson Avenue, Vosseller Avenue, and Mountain Avenue.

• Green Knoll Fire Department is hosting a Cookies With Santa event on Friday, Dec. 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. It is $25 per child and includes cookies and milk, pictures with Santa and kids activities. Presents for children are to be wrapped, labeled, and dropped off on one of the drop off dates (Dec. 7 and 17). For more information or to register click here.
  • The Santa Run will be held on Dec. 21. Santa is leaving the station at 10 a.m. to escort Santa around the Green Knoll primary area. No presents will be delivered during our Santa run.
• The Martinsville Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual Santa Run. However, this year the run will be held on Saturday, Dec. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• North Branch Volunteer Fire Company is bringing back Operation Santa for 2024 where Santa Claus will be escorted by North Branch firefighters and trucks to response area families' front door steps.
  • For a $50 donation to the firehouse, Santa will arrive on a fire truck with lights and sirens, drop off a pre-wrapped gift to your home, and spend a few minutes with your children and grandchildren before posing for a few pictures.
  • To sign up, fill out the registration form here.
• Martinsville's Boy Scout Troop 46 is hosting its inaugural Breakfast with Santa on Saturday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. The event will include a winter wonderland photo shoot with Bridgewater’s very own popular real-bearded Santa. Guests will have the ability to print photos on demand and/ or email/text digital photos. The event will also include crafts and games. Breakfast will include pancakes, eggs, sausage, and bacon. Tickets are $20 in-person and ages two and under are free. The breakfast will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church Gymnasium(rear entrance), 1890 Washington Valley Road, Bridgewater. For questions email troop46fundraising@gmail.com.
• Applebee’s in Bridgewater will be hosting Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 7 from 8:30 to 10 a.m.
  Breakfast with Santa is a fundraiser where 100 percent of sales will be donated to Toys for Tots, which provides gifts to children in need, especially those who are economically disadvantaged areas. Tickets must be purchased beforehand at any local Doherty-owned Applebees location. The $10 per person ticket includes photos with Santa, breakfast, raffles, and other goodies.

Santa is also holding court at several shopping malls in the local area, including:

Santa will be available for photos in a new home in the Bridgewater Commons, set amidst 25 garland-topped light curtains (each adorned with thousands of white, glistening lights) and candy-cane-inspired twists cascading from high above.

Kris Kringle will sit in a grand velvet chair in front of a redesigned set that includes a majestic new 30-foot tree with a 5-foot topper, additional 10-foot trees and scenic elements as well as new "Elf Training" interactives on the line to entertain kids (and their parents) while they wait.

Photo packages will be available for purchase. Santa will be at the center from Nov. 16 through Dec. 24. Reservations for photos will be available Monday through Thursday from Nov. 15 through Dec. 12. Fridays through Sundays during that period will be walk-ins only.

From Dec. 13 through Dec. 24 also will be walk-ins only. For more information and to make a reservation, visit www.bridgewatercommons.com.

In addition to helping those in need at Santa’s birthday party, other events include:

• The Salvation Army hosting its Angel Tree program, which provides Christmas gifts for thousands of children and seniors around the country. Once a child or senior has been registered and accepted as an Angel, their Christmas wish list will be shared with donors in the community who purchase gifts of new clothing and toys to put under the Angel’s own family tree. Shoppers can pick an angel off Bridgewater Commons’ tree and return the unwrapped gift with the Angel to the red bin located next to the Angel Tree, located on the Main Level by L’Occitane.
• The long-awaited return of Pet Night with Santa for our furry, four-legged friends, from 3 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3 and Thursday, Dec. 5.
• The free Santa + Friends, where Santa is joined by his famous holiday friends for a meet and greet, photos, story time and autographs. Meet Elsa and Anna of Disney’s “Frozen” from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7; and Disney Princesses Belle and Cinderella on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.