When Stacy Holden was a child, she looked forward to Santa’s visit to Openwood Plantation.

The Jolly Old Elf would make his way through the neighborhood and visit with the kids.

“Santa would stop in front of our houses and visit and we were always really excited when he came by,” Holden said.

Now grown, Santa’s visit to Openwood is still something Holden looks forward to because she gets to share the tradition with her children.

“It has been really exciting to watch my children do something that I was excited about as a child,” Holden said, adding that Santa’s visit through the neighborhood has even become a multi-generational event.

“It is nice that my parents are there too, because they are getting to watch their grandchildren do the same thing we did as children,” she said.

Santa’s visit through the neighborhood has not changed much through the years, Holden said.

He still rides in a chair in the back of a trailer with a fire truck leading the way.

“The only difference is that Santa used to throw candy canes out to the kids, who were standing in their yards, but now Santa hands everybody a candy cane,” Holden said.

The Openwood Garden Club sponsors Santa’s visit through the neighborhood and this will mark the 41st annual event.

In addition to fire trucks, Warren County sheriff’s deputies will ride along the route accompanying Santa as he makes five stops, which will be marked throughout the neighborhood, Openwood  Garden Club member and organizer Sylvia Gurtowski said.

“The Culkin volunteer fire department plays a huge part in the event,” Gurtowski said.

“They bring out their fire trucks,” and at the stops, Santa will spend time with the kids and let them come and sit on his knee and listen to what they want for Christmas, she said.

Although the event is held in the Openwood subdivision, which is located off Oak Ridge Road in Warren County, it is open to anyone young or old who would like to come out and visit with Santa, Gurtowski said.

“Last year, we had at least 200 children,” she said.

Santa will arrive in Openwood at 2 p.m. Dec. 10 and his route will follow the Newitt Vick Circle. He will make stops at Jil Marie, Fairways Drive, and Club House Drive, Gurtowski said.

The procession will then circle around Newitt Vick and turn down Fairways and stop at the corner of Pebble Beach and Fairways Drive.

Santa’s final stop will be at The Landings in front of the office.

The free event will go on rain or shine, Gurtowski said.

“If it is raining, Santa will be in the fire truck and kids can come out and get in the fire truck with him.”

Gurtowski said the event was almost canceled one year due to the weather, but it was decided to forge ahead.

“Rain does not stop Santa,” she said, so the fire truck with Santa in tow rode through the neighborhood and when the firemen would see kids standing at the door, the truck would stop.

“The kids would get their umbrellas and run out and jump into the fire truck with Santa Clause,” she said. “It was so wonderful.”