By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA – The countdown to Christmas is on and one tradition that Helena residents cherish happens on Christmas Eve, where Santa Claus will visit various stops in the city atop one of the Helena Fire Department fire engines.

Santa will begin his routes on Dec. 24 starting at 2 p.m. where he will try his best to make it to every street on the schedule.

“Due to Santa’s busy schedule, he will not be able to go on every street. He will be on a major roadway in every part of the city,” according to the HFD. “Listen for the siren that lets you know he is near.”

The HFD has provided a list of various routes with the names of streets Santa is scheduled to visit.

The three routes Santa is scheduled to make have been broken down into a gold, red and green route list.

The following streets and neighborhoods listed in the gold route are as follows:

Timber Lakes, Saddlewood, Sterling Lakes, Long Leaf Lakes, Glen Gate, Asbury Parc, Laurel Lakes, Silver Lakes, Glasgow Green, Country Side Lane, Oak Park, Chestnut Forest, Quail Ridge, Creekwater, Oak Brook, Shelby County 13, Honeysuckle, Prescott Place and Mossbend.

The following streets and neighborhoods listed in the red route are as follows:

Stonecreek, Cahaba Falls, Riverwoods, Old Cahaba, Hillsboro, Tocoa Park and Falliston, Jackson Square and St. Charles, Coalmont Road, Shelena Estates, Wyndham, Ashley Brook, Brandywine and Fieldstone, Breckenridge Park, Rocky Ridge, Scurlock Road, Dunham Farm, Shamrock, Sunnybrook and Royal Pines and Fox Valley Apartments.

The following streets and neighborhoods listed in the green route are as follows:

Chadwick, Bearden Lane, Cunningham Drive, Lake Davidson, Old Town, Second and Third Street, First Avenue West, First Avenue East, Rolling Mill, Helena Road to Shelby County 17, Roy Drive, Parkside, Jenkins Circle, Shannon Glenn, Cedar Bend, Roy Court, Hickory Point, Harbor Town, Fox Haven and Kingridge, Braelin Village, Timber Park, Laurel Woods, Amberly Woods, Cherokee Crest/Navajo Hills, Village Parish, Tradewinds Circle, Dearing Downs, Woodvale and Augusta Pointe, Surrey Trail, Sugar Creek, Cottages of Dearing Downs, Bridlewood/Bridlewood Parc and Plantation South.

The Helena Fire Department insists that this list is only a guide and is subject to change should an emergency arise or inclement weather occurs.