GIRARD — “The Christmas spirit came early this year,” said Dalton Propst of Girard when he attended the second Christmas in the Park on Saturday at David Tod Memorial Park with his wife, Jenn, and son, Zane.

For late November, the weather cooperated, which drew a large crowd.

“It was really cold and snowy last year when we did this event in December, so we moved it up. We thought it would be an early start to the holidays,” said Girard Mayor Mark Zuppo.

Several picnic tables in the pavilion were like the products of Santa’s workshop. Each was filled with toys and plushies at least 12 inches high. Girard firefighters, Girard police officers and CSX officers ran the toy giveaway.

“We have 500 toys. We partnered with CSX Police and their Pride in Service First Responders Children’s Foundation Toy Express. I just told them how many toys we needed and they brought them to us,” said GPD Chief John Freeman.

After walking around the park with his 4-year-old daughter, Carmela, Joel Tacsik of Girard was enthusiastic about the gathering.

“I moved here a year-and-a-half ago, and it is so nice to see what they do for the community here,” he said.

In difficult economic times, he was appreciative of the numerous toys his daughter received.

“Any toy she wanted, and as many as she wanted, it wasn’t just like ‘pick two or three.’ It was like, grab everything you want. A literal box full of different games and toys, and teddy bears, everything,” Tacsik said.

Girard Free Library had crafts for children such as making reindeer food and writing a letter to Santa.

The jolly old elf himself rode in on a Girard fire truck. The Girard High School Marching Band played as he made his way to the gazebo. Along with one of his elves, Santa listened to children’s Christmas wish lists.

“This is something to do with the family,” said Katrina George of Girard as she stood in line with her daughters, 5-year-old Noelle Wolfe and 11-year-old Jordyn Wolfe, to talk to Santa.

Bree Sotirovich, Girard Free Library Youth Services librarian, sat on a rocker and read “Have Yourself a Cheesy Little Christmas,” by Jory John, to Rosalie Wheeler, 4, and Charlie Wheeler, 7, of Girard who sat on a cozy rug in front of her. The book is connected to John’s food group series of children’s books.

Other families who live in the area are aware of the park facilities.

“I want to support the Girard community and the park workers. We come here all the time,” said Liza Yavorsky, of Girard, who was at Christmas in the Park with her 3-year-old son, Barrett and her husband, Cody.

Christmas in the Park had numerous activities for children, but it also had something for all ages such as a horse-drawn carriage, which rode around the streets near the park.

About 20 vendors sold homemade baked goods, jewelry and crafts and three food trucks were on site, with coffee to burgers to Puerto Rican food available for purchase.

Mary Werblan of Girard described her first visit to Christmas in the Park positively.

“This is a beautiful gathering of community, and I feel at home here with the many different cultures. It is an inclusive event,” she said.

If the difference between the first year and second year of Christmas in the Park is an example, the event will continue to grow and bring holiday happiness to even more people who will attend it.