Santa set aside his sleigh in favor of a Rochester Hills fire truck Friday, much to the delight of hundreds of wide-eyed children and their families.
Santa and Mrs. Claus headlined the 2013 Light the Village at the Village of Rochester Hills shopping center, where the lights on the city's Christmas tree switched on, marking the start of the holiday season in Rochester Hills.
With festive music from the Stoney Creek Marching Band, carolers, the Gratitude Steel Band and the Salvation Army Brass Band, the shopping center was awash in holiday spirit Friday, as well as with 850,000 bright, multi-colored lights. Salvation Army bell-ringers signaled the start of the organization's Red Kettle fundraising campaign and local merchants such as Whole Foods Market handed out samples of sweets to passersby at the Village's 12th annual lighting event.
Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett presented the key to the city to Santa and Mrs. Claus, who then headed to Santa's Snug for photo sessions with children hoping to make their holiday wishes known to Santa before Christmas Day.
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