It’s a beloved holiday tradition!
Santa’s helpers transformed Marine Park’s Carmine Carro Community Center into a festive wonderland workshop on Dec. 7 for the 26th annual Santa in the Park, where hundreds of jolly Brooklynites gathered for a day of craft-making and gift-giving, said Marine Park Community Association’s president.
“It was a beautiful day for the kids and families in the neighborhood,” said Bob Tracey. “Nearly 750 people came through the center.”
Santa Claus made the trip down from the North Pole to preside over the festivities, listening to wish lists of the youngins who sat aboard his sleigh — which one mother said was a piece of cake for her three-year-old, who was afraid of Christmas’ top honcho at last year’s event.
“She walked right into his hands and sat down,” said Fayanna Jarrett. “Last year was a struggle, but this year she jumped right into Santa’s sleigh, she loved it.”
The annual event is organized as a joint effort between the Marine Park Community Association, the Parks Department, and the Marine Park Alliance with the help of volunteers and community businesses — including Home Depot, which lent a hand with arts and crafts, Tracey said.
But not only did the children make decorations, the chain home improvement store also sent the young ones home with toys they made themselves!
“Summer chose to get a truck made,” Jarrett said. “And my older daughter Chelsea made a Christmas calendar.”
