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Cue the Christmas lights and fly in the reindeer because Greenwich’s annual Christmas celebrations have begun. To start off the Christmas season, Greenwich is hosting its sixth annual Reindeer Festival and Santa’s Workshop event at McArdle’s Florist and Garden Center on Arch Street.
The event kicked off Friday, November 28 with the annual We’re Back party. At noon, Greenwich citizens and Christmas fanatics gathered to watch the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, which officially opened Santa’s Workshop to the public. The Reindeer Festival and Santa’s Workshop will continue until December 24.
Following the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, attendees posed for pictures with Santa, partook in face painting, observed balloon artists, enjoyed holiday refreshments, and visited the four reindeer that McArdle’s exhibits annually.
“I love how McArdle’s has reindeer on display each year,” Convent of the Sacred Heart junior Grace Sutherland said. “I drove by the store the other day, and it was really exciting to see them outside. I think it really gets the town in the Christmas spirit.”
A new addition to McArdle’s Christmas celebration is the Pepsi Name the Reindeer Contest. This competition allows visitors to submit their best reindeer names for the opportunity to name one of the four reindeer housed at McArdle’s during the Christmas season. McArdle’s will display the four winners and their proposed reindeer names in the store December 8 through Christmas Eve.
In addition to the Reindeer Festival and Santa’s Workshop , Greenwich will also host its sixth Annual Greenwich Holiday Stroll this weekend.
The event allows local residents and visitors to “Shop, Dine, Save, and Be Merry,” according to greenwichreindeerfestival.com. Participants agree that the stroll is a great way to celebrate and enjoy the season.
“Greenwich does a great job of celebrating Christmas and spreading holiday cheer,” junior Elizabeth Considine said. “I especially love the holiday stroll weekend. It’s always so fun to walk around with friends and just enjoy the season.”
The town promotes numerous festivities during this weekend, including merchant promotions, horse-drawn carriage rides, live music, bouncy castles for children, art workshops and food trucks. Over 110 merchants are attending this year, and a full list of event activities and an interactive map can be accessed at greenwichreindeerfestival.com.
All over town, merchants and residents embrace the holiday spirit by participating in festivities and enjoying the change of season. The weather may be cold, but it is a sign that Santa and his reindeer are on their way.
– Alana Galloway, Co-Features Editor