Santa's Sleigh Spotted in Grosse Pointe Park

Santa’s sleigh and reindeer have been spotted in Grosse Pointe. The team of antlered high-flyers, led by a particularly striking buck with a glowing red nose, first made their appearance during the annual Grosse Pointe Santa Claus parade on Nov 24, and had been accompanied by Santa and Mrs Claus along as the sleigh moved down Kercheval. Now, the sleigh flies high in front of Grosse Pointe Park’s municipal building on Jefferson.

The sleigh, unveiled in 2005, was the brainchild of John and Betty Stevens, who started the nFriends of the Grosse Pointe Parade, and asked another Grosse Pointe Park resident and creative designed for GM to design the sleigh as a centerpiece for the annual parade. According to C&G Newspapers, Dick Ruzzin, who retired after a carer that included a stint as GM Europe’s design director and a similar role for Chrysler, created a sleigh that would self-propel and that shows the holiday in a childlike way. A scale model of Grosse Pointe serves as a base for the sleigh after it makes its appearance in the yearly parade.

The sleigh remains on display outside Grosse Pointe Park’s municipal complex, 15115 East Jefferson, through the holiday season. At night, floodlights make the sleigh particularly striking, and a sight little ones might find pretty awe-inspiring.

Photos for Patch by Rebecca Golden.