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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer 

ALABASTER – The Alabaster Fire Department will escort Santa Claus on Christmas Eve as he visits with local children on his stops through the city on Sunday, Dec. 24.

“It is a tradition,” Fire Chief Tim Love said. “People want to be able to see Santa come around on the fire truck and we certainly enjoy doing it.”

Each year, the Alabaster Fire Department puts on Santa stops by escorting Santa Claus atop a fire truck throughout the city for local children to see. The tradition helps provide a memorable experience for those living in Alabaster, and encourages families to come out and enjoy something before Christmas.

“There’s a lot of tradition, because you’ve got parents that are bringing their children out  because they (participated in) it as a child,” Love said. “The kids are excited for Santa. We’re always giving out some candy to all the kids. It’s a lot of fun.”

This year marks the third edition of the Santa Stops since the city changed its format.

“We’ve tried to reshape it this year a little bit so we can accomplish the same goal (and) meet the people’s expectations because a lot of people grew up in the city, they’ve seen this their whole lives and we certainly don’t want it to go away.”

Rather than doing brief stops in every neighborhood and pushing the tour well into late evening hours, there will be five trucks making stops at centralized locations for a longer period of time. The new version of Santa Stops allows Santa to spend more time at each location with the kids and prevents the event from going past their bedtime.

“We like that method a little better, we can control it a little better, (it’s) a little safer and we can get it done in a shorter period of time,” Love said.

The fire department plans on having a “command post” this year that will keep track of where the fire engines are so that parents can be informed on the progress of Santa’s journey.

“They can message us on Facebook and we’ll have a crew that monitors the radio (and) can talk to the (trucks) because sometimes they get behind, sometimes they get ahead,” Love said.

The 2023 Santa Stops are as follows:

• 1-2:30 p.m. Promenade across from Dairy Queen
• 1-1:3- p.m. First Presbyterian Church of Alabaster – 8828 Highway 119
• 1-1:30 p.m. The View Apartments pool 1300-1330 Third St. N.E.
• 1-1:30 p.m. Alabaster Church of God – 530 First Ave. N.W.
• 1:40-2:10 p.m. First Baptist Church – 903 Third Ave. N.W.
• 1:40-2:10 p.m. Abby Wooley Park, parking lot
• 1:40-2:10 p.m. Municipal park – 500 Warrior Drive
• 2:20-2:50 p.m. keystone Mobile Home Park – 1564 Kent Dairy Road near the office
• 2:20-2:50 p.m. Liberty Baptist Church – 306 Fifth Ave. S.E.
• 2:20-2:50 p.m. Patriots Park on Industrial Road
• 3-3:30 p.m. Grandview Club House – 136 Grandview Parkway
• 3-4:30 p.m. Thompson High School
• 3-3:30 p.m. Wellington Manor Clubhouse – 1500 Windsor Court
• 3-3:30 p.m. Empowerment Word Church – 1351 Royalty Drive
• 3-55-4:25 p.m. Meadow View Elementary School – 2800 Smokey Road
• 3:55-4:25 p.m. Hickory Hills Church – 190 Allen Drive
• 3:55-4:25 p.m. Evangel Church – 423 Thompson Road
• 4:35-5:05 p.m. The Branch at Mission Hills Church – 1669 Mission Hills Road
• 4:35-5:05 p.m. Weatherly School for Amazing Kids – 61 Weatherly Club Drive
• 4:35-5:05 p.m. Buck Creek Park – 701 Sixth Ave. S.W.
• 5-6:30 p.m. Veteran’s Park playground
• 5:15-5:45 p.m. Silver Creek Clubhouse -257 Silver Creek Parkway
• 5:15-5:45 p.m. Weatherly Clubhouse – 100 Wembley Way
• 5:15-5:45 p.m. The field on Victoria Station – across from 290 Victoria Station
• 5:55-6:25 p.m. Park Forest Clubhouse on Park Drive
• 5:55-6:25 p.m. Saddles Lakes Boat Launch on Canter Way
• 5:55-6:25 p.m. Creek View Elementary School – 8568 Highway 17