A Touch of Santa in North Bellmore

For the fourth year running, jolly old Saint Nicholas – aka Santa Claus – paid a visit to A Taste Of Home bakery on North Jerusalem Avenue in North Bellmore on Sunday, Dec. 5, treating children of all ages to a bit of holiday magic and bringing a little brightness and good-spirited fun to the neighborhood.

Assisted by bakery elves behind the counters and in the kitchen, proprietor Rose Fuger made sure there were treats for the kids: ginger bread, pastries and other fancy baked goods, to go along with a full breakfast.  After the lovely holiday meal, a special holiday season visitor made his way to the store.

The place was abuzz all morning and, just as hoped for, around 11:30, Santa himself came striding through the bakery parking lot on North Jerusalem Road and through the front door of A Taste Of Home. Mr. Claus delighted the children in the crowd and the camera-clicking moms and dads who came along with them.

"It's a great turnout," said Fuger, who is pleased to report that Santa has found a way to pay a visit to A Taste Of Home four years in a row. "... It's a great event. We get to see kids grow up right here in our community. We pretty much know everyone by name."

It's all about community for Fuger, who is president of the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce, not to mention having grown up here and being a product of the local school system.

"Small businesses are part of the community, the large ones come and go, but not the small ones," she said ."So I believe local business has to give back to the community, and the community has to support local business. This is an example of that."

If that's an example you believe in or if you're interested in seeing Santa himself at A Taste of Home bakery, cafe & sweet shop at 1992 North Jerusalem Road, why not drop by? For a list of other Santa Claus appearances, click here.