Santa Trades Reindeer for Firetruck in Rockaway Beach

By Robin Swain

Rockaway Beach Fire Rescue went all out to welcome Santa back to the beach. The Fire Hall was all decked out. Hot cocoa, cider and cookies from the Beach Bakeshop were being served to all the families eagerly waiting for Santa to arrive on the firetruck.
Families from Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach and Lincoln City came to mingle with local families and share in the Holiday Spirit. For many this is a tradition, for first timers, a new holiday tradition began.
Many wanted to know the history of this event and when it started. Well, grab your hot cocoa and gather around. I have a story to tell you.

It was a dark and stormy night. The townsfolks were bundled up in full raingear and boots. The wind was a howling Grinch, and the Public Works crew was doing everything they could think of to keep the City Christmas Tree from blowing away! The rain pelted down in a torrent; the wind blew it around until the rain was upside down! The Holiday Spirit was strong though, the townsfolk gathered closer together, laughing and crossing their fingers that the power would not go out.
The wind took a pause to gain a greater force and suddenly the townsfolk let out a loud cheer. The wind made a smirk in the clouds, mistakenly thinking that these crazy people in raingear thought he was done. “I’ll show you” as he roared across the ocean. It was then that the wind heard the sirens and saw the flashing lights of the firetrucks. “No. No. NO!”, the wind screamed with a force that lifted Santa’s Chair and blew it in the creek. “There won’t be Christmas Wishes, now that the kids can’t sit upon your knee,” the wind gloated with glee. Santa replied with a twinkle in his eye, “HO! HO! HO! Merry Christmas my friend the Wind”.
The wind with all its fury gathered up the clouds and shouted, “I’ll shake every drop of rain out on all of you tonight! I’ll drench these townsfolk like a Grinch!”! The wind howled with all its might while shaking the rain out of the clouds, making it the wettest and windiest night.
Santa whispered to the Fire Chief, who then passed it down the line. The fire fighters ran through the crowd telling everyone of Santa’s plan. Public Works smiled with relief as Santa and the Mayor Headed to the City Christmas Tree. The wind blew as hard as it could, trying to knock them down. As they neared the tree the Sweet Adaline’s, instead of singing, shouted out the countdown. The crowd joined in and by the time they all reached one, the Mayor and Santa were at the tree and flipped the switch, lighting up the City Tree. The townsfolk cheered and clapped! Then everyone raced to their cars, Santa and the firefighters jumped on the firetrucks and the wind smiled and said, “Merry Christmas indeed”.
With lights flashing, sirens blaring and car horns honking, Santa led everyone through town to the Fire Station. The big bay doors were open, and Santa was the first off the firetruck to greet everyone as they dashed through the rain. The Sweet Adaline’s gathered on the steps inside to lead everyone singing Christmas Carols. The Chief found a chair for Santa and the kids lined up to whisper their Christmas wishes to him.
The wind blew in once again howling, “NO! NO! NO!” and Santa replied with a twinkle in his eye, “HO! HO! HO! You were right about one thing my friend the wind, it is a Merry Christmas indeed!” The firefighters smiled as they closed the bay doors, and the townsfolk drank hot cocoa and sang Christmas Carols while the kids whispered their Christmas wishes to Santa at the Station.