Season 'begins'
By Kirsten Ballard
Published in News on December 2, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Emily Barona, 3, looks back at Marbles the miniature horse while her mother takes a photo before Emily took a carriage ride Monday night at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base's tree lighting celebration.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Liam Kelly, 3, and Keanu Gapusan, 4, play in pine straw while waiting in line to see Santa at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Monday night.
Col. Mark Slocum was ready to begin the countdown.
"Let's get this party started," he shouted.
And when, moments later, he and a group of children lit the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Christmas tree Monday evening, the holiday season officially began on the Goldsboro installation.
But the 4th Fighter Wing commander's comments turned serious when he reminded the crowd that for those airmen currently deployed, the coming of the holidays would mean more milestones missed.
So he urged those in attendance to be there -- not just for the men and women currently serving overseas, but their families, too.
"Send care packages," Slocum said. "Let's look out for our deployed families."
Monday's celebration included carriage rides, pine straw battles, music and dancing.
But the highlight of the festivities -- for many of the children who turned out -- came in on a truck.
Santa Claus had come to town.
Reagan Wortman, 3, waited patiently in her red tutu to take a seat on Santa's lap.
This year, she asked him to leave Barbie dolls under her family's tree.
And 8-year-old Jada Rose wanted a puppy -- but not just any puppy.
"A really good one," she said. "A beagle."
Other children had a different kind of Santa experience.
Gianni Verde, 2, seemed more interested in showing Santa his toy sword than asking for presents.
And 1-year-old Brooklyn Wortman spent her time on the jolly man's lap in tears -- calling for her mother and father to take her back into their arms.
Tasha O'Hara said she enjoys the family events hosted on base.
"Anything to just get (the children) out of the house," she said.
Hers spent their evening chatting with Santa, riding in the carriages and participating in a pine needle battle.
"We've done it all," she said.
Other attractions included performances by the Chapel Praise Choir and Miss Greater Sampson County Emily Tucker.
But it was the holiday karaoke -- and 6-year-old Nicholas Mousseau's rendition of "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" that stole the show.
The little boy grabbed the microphone and sang both the lyrics and instrumental parts -- dancing to the music all the while.
"It felt good," he said. "I've sang this probably three times."