Once again, Santa Claus will be making his pre-Christmas rounds through Murfreesboro on the Barkaroo Santa Express, beginning Monday, Dec. 12.

He’ll be making his list and checking it twice as he rides throughout the neighborhoods, so families are encouraged to blink their porch lights or wave to Santa as he passes, to make sure he has their address correct.

Santa’s Express will be making several stops along the way, at which children can give him their wish lists for Christmas.

Barkaroo, Santa’s dog at the North Pole, says children are also encouraged to bring along gifts for Santa’s four-legged friends. These gifts will be passed along to help the Rutherford County Animal Shelter and The Beesley Animal Humane Foundation, but children are not required to bring gifts in order to visit Santa on his Express route.

The Beesley foundation is a new beneficiary of the program this year.

“We are excited to welcome The Beesley Animal Humane Foundation to the Santa Express this year,” said Kimberly Honeycutt, organizer of the event. “The Santa Express will assist this nonprofit animal clinic by collecting much appreciated supplies, and bringing awareness to this wonderful community resource for all four-legged family companions.”

This is the eighth year that Santa has been trekking throughout Murfreesboro’s neighborhoods, according to Honeycutt, who began planning it 12 years ago with the help of city officials.

“I came up with this idea and met with some city officials about it,” Honeycutt said. “The first year it boomed.”

The first year, Santa and his elves kicked off the event aboard a lighted-up truck that looked like a parade float.

“As Santa in the Neighborhood slowly rode by, honking horns and announcing over a speaker,” Honeycutt said. “The children ran to their windows … others flashed porch lights, running out in their pajamas; we even watched an older lady jump off her chair as she kicked an object across the room to get to the door!” 

The fourth year, Honeycutt created the Santa Express, Santa’s VIP vehicle he uses at the North Pole, and from that day forward the event was known as the Santa in the Neighborhood aboard the Santa Express.

In the sixth year, Honeycutt decided to make the event more meaningful and added the benefit for the local animal shelter. At that time, it became known as the Barkaroo Santa Express.

 In 2010 Honeycutt developed the Santa in the Neighborhood network as a comprehensive listing of United States “Santa in the Neighborhood” visits. 

Since then, the Santa in the Neighborhood program, which is the umbrella name for the Barkaroo Santa Express, has grown to include more than 40 events in dozens of other cities, some as far away as California.

Some of them are new events, but others found out about Santa in the Neighborhood and wanted to join up their existing events.

There is now a new effort afoot among all Santa in the Neighborhood programs.

“My goal is to take Santa in the Neighborhood and turn it into a Toys for Tots for animal shelters and rescues – that they will be able to benefit from it.”

The Barkaroo Santa Express is already a benefit for two local animal programs, but some of the other programs across the country are not on board yet. They’ll have until 2015 to get on board that train, Honeycutt said.

The program isn’t all about the dogs and cats, though. In the end, it’s all about the children and their time with Jolly Ole St. Nicholas. Although some communities call their event other names, all have the same goal in providing Santa in the Neighborhood.

“It’s just nice to watch the kids’ faces – to see them light up when they’re talking to Santa,” Honeycutt said.

Stops (All Routes begin at 6 p.m.)
Monday, Dec.12: Murfreesboro/Barfield
6:10 Savannah Ridge Pool
6:35 Indian Hills Golf Course Club House
7:00 Innsbrooke Pool area
7:40 Oxford Hall/Indian Park Dr. corner,
8:00 Wargo Court, Southridge Blvd.
8:30 Laramie Court loop

Tuesday, Dec.13: Murfreesboro
6:05 Mitchell Neilson Primary School
6:35 Blake Court
7:15 corner of Lauren Lane/Morris Drive
8:00 Northfield School side street
8:15 Saddlebrook Apartments

Wednesday, Dec. 14: Murfreesboro
6:05 River Downs-Whittle Court
6:30 Fellowship UM Church Boyscout Tree Lot, 2511 Hwy 99
7:00 Cason Lane Academy School
7:30 116 Chaffin Place @ Sandwich Factory (by Clarion Hotel). This stop offers the community a warm wait inside this location.
8:00 Franklin Heights

Thursday, Dec.15: Murfreesboro
6:15 Meigs Drive/Jenkins Drive loop
6:25 Abbie Road
6:45 Corner of Reidhurst Drive/Lee Lane
7:15 Arrow Court
7:40 Beesley Animal Humane Society, 2215 Keeneland Commercial Dr. (behind Subway)
Surprise Neighborhood visits.

Friday, Dec. 16: Murfreesboro
Private /Shut-In visits.

Saturday, Dec. 17: Rockvale, Eagleville
5:15 Cedar Park Mobile Estates Community Center
6:30 Jeremiah Court
7:00 6121 Hwy 99-Dollar General Parking Lot
7:30 Main Street, Eagleville
Surprise Neighborhood Visits