Glen Rock Reverses Denial Of Santa Appearance

GLEN ROCK, NJ – This holiday season, Santa Claus won’t be skipping Glen Rock after all.

A request to have the man in the red suit visit with children prior to the borough’s annual December tree lighting celebration was approved by officials, according to Mayor Bruce Packer.

Initially, the council denied the request because it conflicted with a longstanding policy that prohibits religious symbols – including Santa Claus – at events hosted on borough property, Packer said.

“After it was pointed out that there is precedent for having such events – a local group sells Christmas trees at one of our parks and there is an Easter egg hunt at the Arboretum -, it was decided that Santa should be allowed,” the mayor said. “This will be memorialized at our next work session.”

As part of the tree lighting celebration, the committee of residents and business owners planning the event also want to host its first ever “Holiday Market” on the front lawn of borough hall.

The group described it was “very mini Bryant Park-like.”

The heated tent will house Santa Claus, as well as tables set up by local businesses, before the tree is lit on private property by Kilroy’s Wonder Market.

This year’s tree lighting event is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7 and will run from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., according to the holiday committee.

If families miss Santa at the tree lighting, they can catch him later in the month when Glen Rock firefighters escort him around town on their fire truck.

This isn't the first time officials have reconsidered holiday practices.

In May, the governing body mulled changing the borough calendar to replaced Columbus Day as with Indigenous Peoples' Day. The idea was dropped due to negative public feedback.