When the snowy season blows into town, the county’s most caring organizations kick into high gear. Enter Westchester’s Christmas Dinner, which has been supplying warm meals, clothing, and plenty of holiday cheer since 1994. And despite its name, the festive evening is open to people of all backgrounds, explains event coordinator Gordon MacGill.
“It’s very multi-denominational, and we are not strictly Christian, nor are we looking for people who strictly celebrate Christmas as volunteers or as guests,” says MacGill. “Our door is open to everybody.”
According to MacGill, the charity began with just a handful of people celebrating Christmas with some food, a pot of coffee, and cookies. Today, the event has grown to include activities such as Mrs. Clause holding court as master of ceremonies, a photo booth, crafts table, entertainment, and a visit by the big man himself, with elves and gifts in tow.
It is all meant to bring a bit of holiday cheer to some very deserving families. “We are putting on the full event in the gymnasium of St. Mary’s School in Katonah and the plan is to have 300-plus guests,” shares MacGill. “It’s a whole new team, and we are excited to move ahead with this new iteration.”
This time of year is similarly busy for American Christmas, a renowned commercial decorating company based in Mount Vernon. They create displays for Radio City Music Hall, Macy’s, Rockefeller Center, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Cartier. “While our focus is still New York City, we are seeing rapid growth around the country, and namely in the South,” says American Christmas CEO Dan Casterella.
Since 2017, the company has almost tripled its revenue and now boasts a distribution center in Memphis, a production and storage facility in Maryland, and an outpost in Tampa, along with its original 110,000-square-foot Mount Vernon location.
This success has birthed one of Westchester’s newest seasonal traditions, Holiday Lane, in which American Christmas opens its Mount Vernon showroom to the public from November 17 to December 23 with all ticket proceeds benefitting The Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club, the Youth Community Outreach Program of Mount Vernon, and the Northeast STEM Starter Academy of Mt. Vernon.
“It’s the third year we are holding Holiday Lane, and in the past two I believe we have raised $142,000,” says Casterella of the event that includes a dazzling array of lights, decorations, and even animatronics. “These three organizations in Mount Vernon are all about the kids, and I would say 98% of what we donate goes to help children.”
For Casterella, there is no sign this kindhearted work is ebbing. “I am all in,” he says. “My staff supports Holiday Lane, and for me it has been a really good experience to give back to the community and to see families come in and enjoy it.”
MacGill echoes this sentiment: “There is a need for us all to be together in this world, where it is difficult for us to make time for each other and to serve one another,” notes MacGill. “This is a great opportunity to join as a community and do just that.”
Related: 9 Dazzling Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremonies in Westchester
