December is near — which means Santa will be visiting Enumclaw and Buckley communities in the very near future.

Father Christmas’ appearance in Enumclaw is sponsored by the Enumclaw Fire Department, the Enumclaw Police Department, Fugate Ford, and the Plateau Kids Network; over in Buckley, he’s sponsored by the Buckley Fire Department and Volunteer Firefighters Association.

KRIS KRINGLE IN THE ‘CLAW

Old Saint Nick will start his nightly neighborhood rides around 6 p.m., and end around 9 p.m., every day between Sunday, Dec. 5, and Thursday, Dec. 9.

The first homes to be graced by his presence on Dec. 5 are located between the SR 410 bend south of town and SE 456th Street/Warner Avenue; Santa will begin in the Aspen Glade Apartments area before heading east on Bondgard Avenue and turning south on Suntop Boulevard, and then east again on Petersen Drive. His procession will then head west on Sigrist Drive to get back onto Bondgard Avenue and hit up the Jewell Street neighborhood before heading south on Watson Street to reach SE 456th Street. Heading west, Santa will then go north on Schmid Street, east on Wallace Avenue, north on Warwick Street, and west on Bathke Avenue before heading south on Beringer Street to get back to 456th. The route will finish up heading west again until reaching Noble Fir Circle, Grand Fir Drive, and Birch Drive, when the parade will end for the night.

On Dec. 6, Santa will visit neighborhoods west of Semanski Street by starting at the intersection of SR 164 and Semanski and heading south. The procession will circle the Link Avenue, Victor Street, and Christianson Avenue homes before heading south on Farelly Street and turning west on Wynalda Drive until reaching Warner Avenue. There, Santa will head south on Almadon Street and hit up the Phillips Avenue and Larsen Avenue community before turning north on 244th Avenue SE. He’ll then turn east on Elmont Avenue before heading south on Boyle Street and hitting Roosevelt Avenue, where he’ll go east until Ferelly Street. There, Santa will head north, criss-crossing through Farelly Street neighborhoods before ending the night back on SR 164.

Dec. 7 is when Santa will roam the neighborhoods between McHugh Avenue and SR 164. He’ll start the night on McHugh heading east, visiting the Garfield Street and Perry Court area before doubling back and heading south on Harding Street. From there, Santa will head east on Kibler Avenue before turning south on Lafromboise Street and crisscrossing west through neighborhoods between Kibler and SR 164 until heading south on Gossard Street. The procession will then again head west until reaching Highpoint Street, making sure to visit Lois Lane, Kibler Avenue, Carbon Ridge Street, and Silver Spring Avenue areas before calling it a night.

Dec. 8 is all about the communities nestled east of Semanski Street, south of SR 164, and northeast of SR 410. Santa will start on Olie Ann Place, heading south on McKinley Street and Semanski until reaching Warner Avenue. From there, he’ll head north on Charwila Lane before heading east on Paramount Drive, south on Harmony Lane, and then north on Myrtine Street. Santa will pass Roosevelt Avenue heading north on Lafromboise Street until SR 164; he’ll then head east, cris-crossing through the various communities between Lafromboise and Florence Street, where the route ends.

On the final night of the Santa Run, the procession will begin heading east on Lowell Avenue until it crosses SR 169/Porter Street and loop around the Chinook Avenue and Michael Avenue neighborhoods. Santa will gradually head south toward the downtown area, visiting Wilson Avenue, Kibler Avenue, St. Elizabeth Hospital on Battersby Avenue, Washington Avenue, Fell Street, Franklin Street, Marion Street, Porter Street, Cole Street, and ending on Wells Street south of Griffin Avenue.

SLEIGH BELLS IN BUCKLEY

Santa comes to Buckley the following week on Buckley’s antique 1945 Ford fire engine. His elves will be accepting toys and other donations for the Firefighter’s Association’s annual Santa Project, as well as canned food and other donations for the Buckley Food Bank.

Monday, Dec. 13, Saint Nick will visit neighborhoods west of Highway 410 in the main part of town. Starting at 6 p.m. and going through 8:30 p.m., he’ll be heading down, in order, Naches Street, Second Street, Third Street, Fourth Street, Cascade Street, Edith Street, Norma Street, Fulton Street, Hatch Street, the Meadowbrook mobile home park, Rosewood Drive and Rosewood Court, Park Place Manor, Park Avenue., Mountain Circle, Fourth Avenue, Dundass Avenue, Balm Avenue, Main Street (west of SR 410), Mason Avenue (west of 410), and Jefferson Ave, (also west of 410), Hinkleman Road, Hinkleman Extension, and Wheeler Avenue.

Dec. 14, he’ll visit neighborhoods south and east of 410, starting at 6 p.m. on 112th Street (from Ryan Road to Mundy-Loss), River Avenue (from A Street to Ryan Road), Pearl Street, Mill Street, Perkins Street, Division Street, Cedar Street, Cottage Street, Ashley Court, A Street, Jefferson Ave (from SR 410 to A Street), Mountainview Avenue, Ryan Road (from River Avenue to Spiketon Road), Mason Avenue, Spiketon Road (from Ryan Road to the bottom of the hill) and White River Meadows.

Dec. 15 will see Santa go further east starting at 6 p.m. as he travels on B Street, C Street, D Street, Rainier Street, Elsa Street, Monte Vista Street, Spruce Street, Shamrock Court, Hamilton Court, Hamilton Place, Franklin Street, Mason Avenue (from A Street to Collins Road), and Collins Road (from Rainier Street to Shamrock Court).

Dec. 16, Santa visits the northeast section of town. Buckley’s Copperwynd neighborhood is the first to see Santa at 6 p.m., followed by Whitmore Way, Heather Lane, Sergeant Street, Mellish Place, View Place, Collins Road (from Main Street to McNeely Street), McNeely Street, and finally, Fieldcrest Place.

On Friday, Dec. 17, Santa rounds out Buckley at the southeast side of town, starting at 6 p.m. on Ryan Road (from Spiketon to Levesque) to Rose Place, Bevlo Street, Sheets Street, Klink Street, the Rainier State School, Shay Estates, Perkins Prairie, and Elk Heights.

Finally, on Dec. 18, Santa ends his Buckley tour by visiting the town of Wilkeson, starting at 6 p.m.

File photo In Buckley, Santa traditionally rides around town in the city’s antique 1945 fire engine.