Delivering more than 700 candy canes and holiday cheer, the Hartsdale Fire Department celebrated its eleventh annual Operation Candy throughout the community on Saturday, December 6th.

Santa, along with Rudolph and a team of elves, visited more than twenty communities, including the Marian Woods Retirement Home for religious sisters. Since it began in 2015, off-duty members of the Hartsdale Fire Department have given up a Saturday morning in December to spread Christmas cheer throughout the Hartsdale Fire District.

At each stop the elves handed out candy canes while Santa and Rudolph posed for pictures with the children and their families. After each photo was taken, the family was given a card with a number on it so that they could send an email and request a copy of the picture.

Every year, since its inception, Operation Candy Cane has attracted bigger and bigger crowds. Its increasing popularity is evident in one of the many notes the department received after this year’s event.

Once again, members of the community had surprises in store for Santa and his elves. As Santa arrived at one stop, a young boy stood there beaming and holding an oil painting of Hartsdale Fire Engine 169 and Car 2172 that he had his grandmother, an accomplished artist, painted for the fire department.

Operation Candy Cane started and finished at the Hartsdale train station in the village. Photos by Alan Zale