Thousands of people from the area came out for a full day of holiday festivities in Secaucus on Dec. 3. The extravaganza included vendors, food, music, contests, face painting, crafts, a petting zoo, and raffles, followed by music and entertainment, and the annual Christmas parade and tree lighting.
The activities centered on Plaza Center, which was made festive with colorful decorations, bright lights, and two Christmas trees.
“I think it was a fantastic turnout,” said Marilyn DePice, senior administrative assistant for the town and holiday bazaar committee person. She said she was happy to see all members of the community, of various religions, come out to celebrate the holiday season as a community.
“The meaning of the season is generosity and happiness,” said DePice.
A whole day of holiday celebration
The festivities began early with a special holiday party for the launch of the new Tot center for 3- and 4-year-olds at the community center on Front Street. The town also opened a new animal shelter satellite in the same building that was decorated for the holiday to encourage pet adoptions.
“The meaning of the season is generosity and happiness.” – Marilyn DePice
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“I was here the whole day,” said Flora R. Vauzon, a resident since 1974. “It is nice. You see old friends, meet new friends – it is a friendly day. The bazaar was good.” Vauzon especially enjoyed the Filipino food.
Vauzon brought her friend Ruth Gadmaitan who lives in the West Village in Manhattan. Gadmaitan had a good impression of the day and said the day was “very nice.”
“I usually come to the summer concerts,” said Tome Alexandra from Jersey City. She was happy to meet new people in Secaucus and said she was going to “stay for the whole thing unless it gets too cold.”
Gift giving begins
“I walked around and it is pretty cool here,” said Patrick D’Emilio, 21, from North Haledon. He was in town visiting Secaucus friends. He bought a large, furry, winter hat from Illusion Ranch vendors Robin Gilmore and Debbie Mullane. The couple sold winter gloves, hats, finger puppets and scarves, some made from alpaca and wool. They also brought along their “dog” as they called him – a rather brown, furry alpaca named Santana, who behaved great with the children and posed for pictures.
“Extremely good,” said Gilmore in regard to the holiday bazaar turn out. “We had good sales but more importantly we’ve made a lot of parents and kids smile.”
Over 30 vendors attended the holiday bazaar and sold candles, toys, gift baskets, holiday crafts, winter hats, gloves, scarves and jewelry, among other items.
“A lot of goodies and a lot of shopping,” said Purification Prudente about what she enjoyed during the holiday bazaar. She has been a resident for 32 years and was happy to meet other people.
“We were selling Filipino food,” said Linda Vales, a resident since 1994. She said that everyone loves Filipino food and that her favorite meal for the holidays is Lechon (pork) with roasted bacon.
Couple Rasha and Ahmee Elfeshawi and their three children Kenda, 4, Yousef, 2, and Yahya, 6 listened to the Filipino choir singing while also playing with newly purchased light sabers from the holiday bazaar.
“My grandson is singing,” said Erlinda Duncan. Her grandson was in the Filipino choir. She sat with a group of friends in the gazebo during the entertainment before the parade began.
Gathering among friends
“I enjoy the lights [and] the people. It is a warm feeling,” said John Medina. He has been a Secaucus resident for eight years and was at the holiday festivities with his wife Debra Medina, daughter and her husband, and his 5-year-old twin granddaughters.
“I just love the community feeling and happiness of it all,” said Mary Fause, a resident of 25 years. Her granddaughters traveled from Alpine and enjoyed time with Santana the alpaca and the petting zoo. Children of all ages enjoyed petting animals such as a cow, sheep, and rabbits.
“That they’re fluffy,” said 4-year-old Bella Brian about what she liked about a gray bunny she was petting, named Peter Rabbit.
Adriana Rambay Fernández may be reached at afernandez@hudsonreporter.com.