Santa is once again setting up shop on the Greene County Courthouse lawn in downtown Xenia, where families have gathered for generations to kick off the Christmas season. Greene County Parks & Trails is bringing back its Santa on the Courthouse Lawn event, inviting visitors to meet Santa, soak in the holiday lights, and celebrate the season right in the heart of downtown.
A Tradition With Roots in the 1950s
The holiday event invites families to visit with Santa, enjoy holiday lights, and celebrate the Christmas season on the courthouse lawn, according to WKEF. Liz Bowen of Greene County Parks & Trails and Mrs. Claus shared details about the event, the station reports. Bowen is affiliated with Greene County Parks & Trails, the organization behind the holiday tradition's return.
According to Greene County Parks & Trails, the courthouse-lawn Santa custom runs deep in Xenia's history: “For generations in Xenia, Christmas didn't truly begin until Santa moved into his little house on the Greene County Courthouse lawn.” The organization traces the tradition back decades, noting on its website that “Starting in the 1950s, families would bundle up and head downtown just to see Santa.”
Bigger Crowds Expected This Year
Last year's turnout gives organizers reason for optimism. Organizers said more than 1,000 people stopped by last year, and they are expecting even more visitors this year, the station's report notes. That kind of turnout suggests the courthouse lawn tradition still holds plenty of pull for Xenia families decades after it first began drawing bundled-up crowds downtown.
For now, the headline news is simple: Santa is back in his little house on the courthouse lawn, and downtown Xenia is gearing up for another season of lights and holiday cheer.
