Christmas carols filled the air, lights on the downtown Christmas tree were lit, and Santa Claus and reindeer made their first appearance in Seymour.
With the Greater Seymour Chamber of Commerce’s One Chamber Christmas, the holiday season is officially upon the city.
The annual event features a number of events, crafts and performances.
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Unseasonably warmer temperatures Monday made for a warmer winter wonderland, and many local families took advantage of those temperatures to take in the festivities together.
“This is an annual occurrence for us and part of our family tradition,” Stacy Findley said.
Findley and her husband, Jacob, were standing in line to meet Santa Claus with their three children, Palik, 9, Walter, 5, and Nixie, 2.
“We’re here to see Santa Claus and ask for something for Christmas,” Stacy said.
The event provides a lot of entertainment for the family, too.
“It’s nice because there are a lot of activities for the family,” she said. “It’s always good to see Santa and his reindeer.”
The event also brings the Christmas spirit home for the family.
“It makes me want to go home and put up my Christmas tree,” Stacy said with a laugh.
Palik didn’t use the time waiting in a line that stretched down the sidewalk deciding on what he’d ask Santa Claus for Christmas this year. That’s because he already knew what he wanted.
“I’m going to ask for a phone,” he said eagerly. “I want a (Apple iPhone) 7 Plus.”
As far as attending the event each year, Palik said he enjoys spending time with his family and seeing friends from school.
“I like seeing my friends and the reindeer,” he said. “I’ve never seen a reindeer before, but it was interesting.”
New to the event this year was the trackless train ride that took 18 passengers at a time around the block from St. Louis Avenue. The line to ride the train, which started building up well before the rides started, extended down St. Louis Avenue through the evening.
Chris Behrman stepped off of the train with his wife, Julie, and son, Eli, and said the train was a great addition to the event.
“It was really neat,” he said. “It’s great for the kids.”
Eli agreed.
“It was really cool, and I liked it,” he said, adding he planned to ask Santa Claus for a toy firetruck that was perhaps inspired by St. Nick’s entrance on a Seymour fire engine.
Julie said she thought the train was a great addition and that the event as a whole adds a little Christmas spirit to the community.
“I love the atmosphere of Christmas,” she said. “It helps get you in the Christmas spirit.”
That’s the tradition the Greater Seymour Chamber of Commerce tries to build when it hosts the event each year, President Tricia Bechman said.
“For some of us, the holiday season doesn’t start until this happens,” she said. “I think this event really kicks off the season and tells everybody that it’s time to turn the lights on and now the season is officially here for Seymour.”
Bechman said it is great to see the number of people attend with families because of all of the work chamber members and staff put into making the event a success each year.
“I just like seeing all the people come out and be part of the community and truly making it a community event,” she said.
“We couldn’t have asked for better weather, and this is a huge turnout,” Bechman said, adding that some years, the chamber has experienced rain and cold temperatures. “I would say our crowd is bigger than usual because when you can come out and not have to wear a jacket over your sweatshirt, then it’s great.”