With a little advanced planning he can deliver gifts for children.
By: David Campbell
MONTGOMERY Santa Claus is coming to the Princeton Airport.
The day before Christmas, Jolly Saint Nick will trade in his sleigh and reindeer for an airplane when he visits with children and gives out gifts at the annual holiday event.
"It’s a wonderful event and we’ve been doing it for a long time," said Naomi Nierenberg, whose family owns the airport off Route 206. "The parents and the kids love it."
The Nierenberg family began the event 28 years ago at a neighboring airport and brought the tradition to Princeton Airport in 1985. This year’s is scheduled for Dec. 24. Santa’s estimated time of arrival is 11 a.m.
Parents who wish to have their children participate should bring a wrapped gift for each child with the name in large print to the airport lobby. Parents with several children should wrap the gifts in the same paper and tie them together to expedite distribution. Gifts may not exceed 12 inches in any dimension.
On the day of the event, adults are advised to bring the children prior to the scheduled 11 a.m. arrival time and wait for Santa in the maintenance hangar.
Santa will call in on the airplane’s radio, which will be broadcast over a loudspeaker. While families await the plane, members of the airport will be serving cocoa and cookies, donated by area grocery stores. Area folksinger Pat McKinley is scheduled to lead the attendees in a holiday sing-along.
Once Santa has established radio contact, the children will be taken to the ramp in front of the hangar where they may watch his plane fly low over the runway. Santa will then land and return to the hangar with the families to distribute gifts individually.
The event is scheduled to be held regardless of weather conditions. Gift distribution typically takes about an hour and a half. In fairness to all, Santa will distribute gifts in the order in which they are received at the airport.
In addition to the annual family gift-giving event, the airport is also collecting gifts for needy children. Participants should bring new unwrapped gifts of clothing, books or toys. These gifts are being collected and distributed through the Mercer County Board of Social Services.
Although toys are a common donation, items such as scarves, mittens and other articles of clothing are welcome. Personal checks made out to the "Food Bank Network of Somerset County" will also be collected.
The Princeton Airport began collection of both family and charitable gifts the day after Thanksgiving. Gifts can be deposited in the "chimneys" at the airport lobby between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. A drop-off deadline of Dec. 17 has been set to enable county workers to arrange for the best matches for the needy. The airport has already collected about six bags of gifts, Ms. Nierenberg said Monday.
There is no charge for the event. Princeton Airport is located in Montgomery Township, 3½ miles north of Princeton on Route 206. For further information, call (609) 921-3100.