THIS FRIDAY: Little Ivy Learning Center Bringing Santa Downtown for Holidays!

Although it is his busiest time of the year, Santa Claus and some of his hardest working elves have just agreed to join us in welcoming the holiday season to town at the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce’s annual Holiday Tradition and Tree Lighting Ceremony this Friday evening, Dec. 6.

Little Ivy Learning Center has once again arranged to fly Santa and his elves into town so that they’ll have an opportunity to meet our local boys and girls in Van Neste Park (at Oak Street and East Ridgewood Avenue in downtown Ridgewood) on the evening of the tree-lighting, including a new, earlier visiting hour especially for younger children. . .

+ For Wee Ones Only!-5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
+ For Children of All Ages- 8 p.m.- 9 p.m.

Reliable sources tell us that Santa’s plans were in doubt as recently as this morning.

“I can’t afford to be away from the North Pole for very long at this time of the year,” Santa said. “And because Rudolph and the reindeer need all the rest they can get before the Big Night, I needed someone to find a way to get back and forth from Ridgewood very quickly!”

When the teachers at Little Ivy heard about the pickle Santa was in, they hatched a plan and quickly jumped into action.

“We just knew we had to find a way to get Santa to town for the tree-lighting” said Stephanie Bassler, Little Ivy’s director. “So we contacted Red-Nosed Reindeer Airlines and luckily they had seats available for Santa and his elves.”

As a special favor to accommodate preschool-age children and their families, Ms. Stephanie and the teachers at Little Ivy Learning Center asked Santa whether he might provide a special, earlier visiting hour this year for wee ones.

“No sooner did I mention the need for adding a 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. visiting hour so that preschoolers would be able to meet him before their bedtimes, than a twinkle appeared in Santa’s eye,” Ms. Stephanie said.

“It made such good sense,” Santa said, “that I wish I had thought of it sooner!”

For those unable to attend the tree-lighting (and those who want a follow-up visit with Santa), Little Ivy Learning Center also has arranged to bring Santa back to Ridgewood’s Van Neste Park on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 2-4 p.m.

The Ridgewood Chamber’s Holiday Tradition and Tree-Lighting Ceremony is always a special family evening, featuring live musical and theatrical performances, food, games and lots of holiday cheer. Much of the downtown along East Ridgewood Avenue is closed to traffic so that families are free to roam as they visit their favorite shops and restaurants and greet friends and neighbors. Below is the schedule of events for this Friday evening, Dec. 6:

+ 5:30-6:30 p.m.—Santa for the Wee Ones in the Park at Van Neste Square! (at E. Ridgewood Ave. and Oak St.)

+ 5:30-7 p.m.: Entertainment on E. Ridgewood Ave. and in shops, including a special Kids Corner, with activities for your children in front of Van Neste Park.

+ 7 p.m.: Holiday Stage Performances (at the corner of E. Ridgewood Ave and Broad St.)

+7:30 p.m.: Tree Lighting (at the corner of E. Ridgewood Ave and    Broad St.)

+ 8:00 p.m.:  Shhhhhh..Santa in the Park at Van Neste Square!—For Children of All Ages (at E. Ridgewood Ave. and Oak St.)

“Our kids always look forward to tree-lighting night in Ridgewood, and we’re thrilled that Little Ivy has once again been asked to support this great family event,” Ms. Bassler said.

When Little Ivy’s experienced teachers aren’t making plans for Santa’s visit, they provide thoughtfully crafted childcare, pre-school and kindergarten programs for children ages 12-months through age 6 with an emphasis on personalized learning and small classes in bright, cozy classrooms. Little Ivy provides its students and their parents with a range of flexible, full-day, AM or PM programs, including PreschoolPlus and KindergartenPlus (12-month childcare, plus academic pre-school/kindergarten and summer camp); Preschool (toddler/junior/senior nursery school and academic pre-K); PM Kindergarten Enrichment (with transportation from select local schools); Transitional Kindergarten; and Summer Camp.