This is Ground Control to Santa Claus.
Saint Nick surprised the Woodstock crowd once again with his mode of transportation this year, arriving by space shuttle to onlookers who braved the frigid single-digit temperatures Christmas Eve.
A sparse crowd had gathered by 5 p.m., filling only the Village Green perimeter at first. But soon, the Green was filled and people gathered across Tinker Street as carolers persevered through the cold.
At around 5:40 p.m., a float with singers performing Christmas songs arrived, followed by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer operating Mission Control, as David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” played.
The crowd yelled, “Santa, Santa,” then counted down along with the song. The shuttle’s cargo bay doors opened and Santa Claus popped out of the top, greeting the crowd.
The frigid temperatures led most of the crowd to disperse quickly, though many commented it was a good arrival.
We shall see what surprises Santa brings us in 2023.
Join the family! 
