Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company firefighters accompanied Santa Claus as he rode on the back of the fire department’s restored 1965 American LaFrance fire engine handing out candy canes to youngsters from families who came out to greet the parade of equipment through fire district neighborhoods Dec. 22, 2018.

This year, Mrs. Claus also joined in the annual neighborhood run and the Grinch also found his way into the parade.

Santa also completed a special assignment – delivering a Christmas ball that revealed to a township couple the gender of the baby they are expecting in May. The couple declined knowing the gender until a family party gathered at the couple’s Pine Street home for the gender reveal. They were delighted to find it is a boy.

Because of the good weather, families in every neighborhood turned out for the sirens and flashing lights, extending the run to about 10 hours before the mechanical reindeer and Santa helpers were back in their station.