Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall got the holiday season officially started Wednesday night, with the lighting of the Christmas tree outside of Bldg. 59, and a visit from none other than Santa Claus. Children from the Cody Child Development Center and Arlington's Barcroft Elementary School came to JBM-HH to get their season started off with a bang.
As the children gathered in the auditorium at Brucker Hall, Col. Carl R. Coffman, JBM-HH commander, addressed the crowd, reminding them to keep the servicemembers deployed around the world in their thoughts this holiday season.
''Right now there are Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines on duty around the world," Coffman said. ''A lot of you here know someone who is deployed during this holiday season, so please keep them in your thoughts and prayers."
Coffman and a few children then went outside to pull the switch, lighting the Christmas tree for the first time.
As soon as the tree was lit, the clacking sound of hooves could be heard coming down Lee Avenue. Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)'s Caisson platoon were escorting a very special visitor, straight from the North Pole.
As Santa Claus made his entrance into Brucker Hall, he was greeted by a few children in the lobby, then a gigantic wave of applause as soon as he entered the auditorium. Santa took his spot on his throne in front of center stage, where children lined up to meet him.
Before the children met Santa, they were treated to a brief holiday concert featuring the choir from Barcroft Elementary and members of the U.S. Army Band ''Pershing's Own." With a setlist that included songs like ''Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," ''Silent Night," ''Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and ''Jingle Bells," one couldn't help but be filled with the holiday spirit.
As the children lined up to speak to Santa, they each got a chance to get a photo with Santa as well as tell him what they wanted for Christmas, and they each got a little stocking filled with a few games and toys.
There was also hot chocolate and cookies served by Soldiers from the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program and a face-painting station manned by USO-Metro.
"I love the fact that this is out here for the kids," said Maj. Warner Ward of the Army National Guard Bureau. ''It's good for us parents too, we get to come here and enjoy some time out in the community."
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