Celebrating it’s tenth annual Operation Candy Cane, The Hartsdale Fire Department spread holiday cheer throughout the community on Saturday, December 14th.

Santa, along with Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and a team of elves, visited more than twenty communities, along with the Marian Woods Retirement Home for religious sisters. Since it began in 2015, off duty members of the Hartsdale Fire Department have given up a Saturday morning in December to spread Christmas cheer throughout the Hartsdale Fire District.

At each stop, the elves handed out candy canes while Santa and Rudolph posed for pictures with the children and their families. After each photo was taken, the family was given a card with a number on it so that they could send an email and request a copy of the picture.

Every year, since its inception, Operation Candy Cane has attracted bigger and bigger crowds. Its increasing popularity is evident in one of the many notes the department received after this year’s event, “Thank you so much for the wonderful holiday visit to our neighborhood this weekend. It is such a kind thing for you to do for the community.”

Once again, members of the community had surprises in store for Santa and his elves. As Santa arrived at one stop a young boy stood there beaming holding an oil painting of Hartsdale Fire Engine 170 he had his grandmother, an accomplished artist, paint for them. At another stop a young boy presented Santa and the elves with a painting he did for them.

Operation Candy Cane started and finished at the Hartsdale train station in the village. Photos by Alan Zale