TAFT, Calif. (KERO) — Taft kicks off the holidays with its Tree Lighting Ceremony, honoring Earlene McMillin and paying tribute to her late husband, Shannon McMillin.
- This year’s tree lighting ceremony honors Earlene McMillan, who portrayed Mrs. Claus alongside her late husband, Santa Claus, for 15 years before his sudden passing on October 3.
- Earlene is committed to continuing her and Shannon’s legacy of giving back, knowing it’s what he would have wanted.
- The tree lighting ceremony will take place on December 5th at 6:30 PM at the 5th Street Plaza and Center Street in Taft.
The annual Taft tree lighting ceremony is just hours away, and this year's event carries a deeply emotional tribute.
Earlene McMillan, a beloved figure who has long portrayed Mrs. Claus at the ceremony, is being honored this year in memory of her late husband, Shannon McMillan. Shannon, who played Santa Claus alongside Earlene for years, passed away unexpectedly on October 3.
“This Santa loved snickerdoodles, his favorite cookie,” Earlene reminisced. “And when he would try to get kids to smile for a picture, he would say, ‘Say snickerdoodles.’”
For the past 15 years, the McMillans brought joy to the Taft community by embodying Mr. and Mrs. Claus at various events, including the Christmas parade and the tree lighting ceremony. Earlene reflected fondly on their experiences together, “We've had a lot of fun doing it. I will miss being part of it, and I am honored to be asked to turn the tree on this year.”
Earlene recounted the challenges and joys of their role, from posing for photos with tearful children to outgoing Christmas requests. “We’ve had kids cry, and we’re taking pictures with us crying with them and asking for the most ridiculous things for Christmas, with the parents behind us going, ‘Don’t promise, don’t promise,’” she shared with a laugh.
Their holiday schedule was always packed. Earlene recalled how they would walk through town, handing out candy canes, “This is our community, and this is the way we gave back.”
Though Santa and Mrs. Claus won’t be present in costume at this year’s ceremony, Earlene emphasized the importance of the event. “It’s exciting. We have music, and we sing and enjoy being with one another,” she said.
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