When a neighborhood welcomes Santa Claus with a police escort and a fire engine motorcade, Santa knows it's going to be an extra special Christmas gathering.
"There's a lot of love in this neighborhood," said the jolly fellow in the red suite as he prepared to dispense gifts on Morris Road in Irvine.
Neighborhood children hooted with glee as an Irvine motor officer and the fire engine company turned on their sirens to signal Santa's arrival. Firefighter Seth Andres explained that's allowed "for special occasions. And there's nothing more special than Santa at Christmas time."
Down the block, a band was playing holiday songs, a buffet table offered snacks and hot spiced cider, and hundreds gathered for a neighborhood tradition now in its fourth decade.
If this sounds like quite the elaborate Christmas celebration for one neighborhood, you can credit Andy Zelinko, a now-retired CHP officer who loves nothing more than to share his Christmas passion.
"He just loves giving to the community. That's what it's all about for him," said son Andrew Zelinko, now in his 30's, but a newborn when his parents first started the December 23rd tradition. This year Andrew was accompanied by his fiance Brittany Heath, who confided she's never seen a family that embraces Christmas the way the Zelinkos do. "That's OK," said Heath. " I love it too."
Zelinko daughter Andrea now lives and works in Denver, but still returns every year to help with the arrangements and take part in the celebration. Her duties include managing the line to see Santa. Her dad, she says, "is almost a Santa Claus. He loves to give."
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In the kitchen, Andy's wife Carol was preparing another batch of hot spiced cider. Many of the guests she is meeting for the first time. "Friends bring friends," she explained. "Everyone's welcome." It's a lot of work, but she knows how much it means to her husband, and to the neighborhood.
"I can't believe how generous this man is," said longtime neighbor Cleo Dougherty, sporting a pair of fuzzy toy reindeer antlers.
"It's great that our neighbor does this," said Sheni Olora, 18, a San Francisco State University student home for the holidays. Olara and his brother Dele brought their 9 year old sister Tori, who surveyed the joyful scene and observed, "It's so cool."
The two year old daughter of Melissa Glenn of Orange looked forward to meeting Santa, while her ten week old sibling stayed warm in the stroller, "All the kids are having fun, and all the community is out. It's nice," Glenn smiled.
How much it costs to do all this, Zelinko has no interest in discussing. And when you ask him why he goes to so much effort year after year, he looks at you as if you'd just stepped off a spaceship from Mars. "Because it's Christmas!" Zelinko explains, resisting the impulse to add, "Duh!" and instead concluding, "What else is there to say?"
At some point, Zelinko is hopeful of moving the party to a larger, public place, perhaps the Irvine civic center, where he envisions a community Christmas tree. But if that does not come to pass before next Christmas, Santa still knows where to go on Morris Road.
