Santa Claus rings in holiday spirit with Lynn visit

LYNN – Santa Claus took a break from seeing who was naughty and who was nice and made a visit to Central Square. Mr. Claus could be seen riding down Exchange Street on a glittering fire truck to the delight of many children Thursday night.?Look, there is Santa,” Lynn mother Lisa McKenna told her excited 6-year-old daughter Siya McKenna as Santa finally appeared.All the holiday cheer was for the annual Holiday in the Square celebration. The night featured Santa, snacks, shopping and arts and crafts.Siya McKenna was looking forward to meeting Santa all night. This was the first time the 6-year-old got to sit on Santa?s lap and have a one-on-one conversation with him.When she did finally meet Kris Kringle, she greeted the jolly fellow with a hug.?This is why we came here,” her mother said. “We needed a new tradition.”Siya McKenna is hoping to find a violin under her tree this Christmas.All 17-year-old Catherine Murray wants for Christmas is world peace.?I don?t really know what else I want,” the Lynn Classical student joked.Murray was there with the Lynn Band to help Lynn Arts sell Christmas wreaths. “We are raising money for our trip to Washington, DC this July,” she said as she drank her Dunkin Donuts coffee.?It has been fun so far,” Murray said about the night.Murray was there with bandmate 15-year-old Victoria Lopez.?I always come to this tree lighting,” Lopez said. “It is like a tradition.”Lopez looks forward to Holiday in the Square each year.?It helps get you into the Christmas spirit,” Lopez said.?This lets you know that it is now Christmas time.”After telling Santa what they wanted for Christmas, attendees could walk over to LynnArts and get some holiday shopping done.LynnArts was selling local art, jewelry and ornaments.?It is a fun, nice and positive event,” board member Nadine Mitchell said. “It gets everyone in the holiday spirit.”Mitchell was helping the shoppers along with intern Ruby Martinez.?It brings the community together,” Martinez said.Mitchell agreed.?Events like these add to the quality of life here,” she said.Raw Art Works also got in on the holiday fun. Their art room could have easily been mistaken for Santa?s workshop as kids were running around making holiday ornaments.?They are making two ornaments, both representing what they love about their community,” Program Director Kathe Swaback said, rocking a Santa hat. “One will go on the Christmas tree in Central Square and the other one they can take home with them.”In between decorating their ornaments, kids could feast on candy canes and fruit punch.?This event brings vitality to the city,” Swaback said. “It gets us to see beyond the negative and see what is positive. It shows us we need each other still.”Sara Brown can be reached at [email protected].