Kimberly Wipfler photo
Nova and Zora Zanders at Sunday's Hill holiday fest.
Eight-year-old Nova and her three-year-old sister Zora shared big smiles as they posed for a photo on Santa’s lap. When St. Nick asked Nova what she wants for Christmas this year, she surprised him. She said she didn’t care about what to ask for.
“I just want to be grateful no matter what I get.”
Nova offered that gratitude-filled holiday wish Sunday night at the 14th annual Hill / City Point tree lighting at Kimberly Square Triangle Park. Families started gathering for the event at around 5 p.m.
Bundled toddlers held parents’ hands while tweens looked for their friends and children chased one another around a lamppost. Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” played over the speakers, along with other holiday classics like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
At one end of the triangle stood the not-yet-lit tree, more than twice the size of the tallest adults in attendance. The tree was provided by the New Haven Parks Department.
The scene as families began arriving.
Adjacent to the fir was a bounty of presents: gift bags in a rainbow of colors, each stuffed with presents for varying age groups. The offerings had been donated by employees of the Women’s Services Department at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH). Nurses and midwives from the department were on site to volunteer and distribute the gifts.
Patricia Jaime and daughter Lakshmi Sophia waiting for Santa to arrive.
On the other side of the tree stood a table of refreshments, from juice boxes to coffee, apple cider and an array of cookie varieties, all of which had been donated by surrounding businesses C‑Town, Gem Liquors, and Kevin’s Seafood.
Hill Alders Carmen Rodriguez and Kampton Singh welcomed families upon their arrival, compiling a list of children’s names and ages for the Santa visit and gift distribution later on. Singh said he was excited to bring Christmas events back to the kids after a two-year pause during the pandemic.
This year marked the 14th tree lighting ceremony and gift distribution program in the Hill. In 2015, employees of the Women’s Health Services at YNHH began volunteering their time and donating gifts for the event. The past two years, the in-person event took a hiatus, and volunteers delivered donated gifts to families’ homes.
Parker Balisciano, Courtney Carter, Nicole Starno, Melanie Tracz and Pamela Delerme.
YNHH Midwife Pamela Delerme, one of the event’s primary organizers, said she was grateful that the event was back in person and that the volunteers could see the smiling faces of the children when they leave.
Nurse Courtney Carter echoed Delerme’s sentiment: “We delivered a lot of these families, and it’s so cool that now we get to see them here again in person. We’re still behind the masks at work, so this is great.”
Parker Balisciano, daughter of RN Taylor Balisciano, came along to help out for the first time, wearing reindeer antlers that Carter brought for her. Her mother’s coworker Nicole Starno said she thought it was important for kids who are very blessed to come out and help out in the community.
Mayor Elicker and his daughter watching the arrival of Santa.
Just after 6:15 p.m., Santa arrived, driving the fire truck. Parents took out their phones to capture the look on their children’s faces as many little ones got their first glimpse at Kris Kringle in real life. Walking through the crowd up to the tree, he shook his hands over his pot belly and laughed, “Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!”
Delerme then took to the mic to share some remarks of gratitude for the collaboration among the varying city departments and community groups before passing it off to the mayor, who arrived moments earlier with his family.
“This is a time to be kind to each other…There’s a lack of respect in a lot of ways in our world right now. Let’s remember to be kind and think about one another. Try to imagine walking in someone else’s shoes. Be openly supportive. Say some kind words to your neighbors, your family members, and to other folks around,” Elicker said.
Then, Alder Singh went up to thank the nurses for putting the event together year after year, and going above and beyond for the children of the community throughout the pandemic.
Finally, Alder Rodriguez closed out the announcements to kick off the countdown to the tree lighting: “Thank you to the community, you guys are all here, and we’re ready to party with the nurses and Santa. Let’s get this rolling!”
Seven-year-old Genevieve and mother Darkis Volquez.
After the countdown, the giant tree lit up with colorful bulbs, and children began to line up to pose with Santa and receive their gift bags.
Genevieve Volquez, 7, waited patiently in line with her mother, Darkis. Genevieve was excited to ask Santa for “one hundred LOL dolls.” She said she had one at home and was hoping for more so that she could mix and match their accessories.
One by one, kids took turns telling Santa their Christmas wishes. After posing for a photo, with smiles ranging from shy to reluctant to beaming, the nurses handed the kids a gift bag according to their age group, and handed parents Walmart gift cards.
Fourteen-year-old Desiree Scott shared the contents of her bag, which included candy and winter accessories. She shared her gratitude for the present and for the evening.
“This is a really good event to have near Christmas because if families can’t afford presents, then the kids can still get something,” Scott said.
Desiree Scott, 14, (right) and family.
Marious Cromwell with his dog Diesel.
Pamela Delerme with husband Asher and daughter Amaya.
“Eight-year-old Nova and her three-year-old sister Zora shared big smiles as they posed for a photo on Santa’s lap. When St. Nick asked Nova what she wants for Christmas this year, she surprised him. She said she didn’t care about what to ask for.
“I just want to be grateful no matter what I get.””
Thank you to everyone who donated and volunteers and participated in this event.
The joy of a child taking in the beauty of the lights, believing in the miracles and fables of Christmas, (or Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa or Three Kings Day,) and receiving presents is what makes celebrating the winter Holidays special, it’s all about the joy and wonder of children.