Santa Lights Darien Christmas Tree on Sunday [VIDEO]

Stop by the parking lot behind Darien Sport Shop late Sunday afternoon before Santa arrives by fire truck at 5 p.m. and lights the Darien's Christmas Tree.

The Darien High School Brass Ensemble will play, and if pictures from previous ceremonies are any indication (see attached photos), carols will be sung and kids will get a chance to meet Santa.

"It's all about lighting up the parking lot," said Gina Zangrillo, president of the . "The tree is always magnificent when it's lit, but what makes it special is all the other lights in the parking lot. Everybody sort of strolls around and sees the Nativity scene or waits in line to talk to Santa."

Mr. Belly-Like-a-Bowl-Full-of-Jelly has popped in for the event for more than three decades, now (same Santa, too).

This is the second year the ceremony will be using a 20-30-foot-tall spruce that replaced a 110-footer which after the March 2010 storm left it too weak to remain. The former tree was thought to be a century old.

Stephen Zangrillo, the founder of Darien Sport Shop, started sponsoring the ceremony three decades ago. Sunday is the one day between now and Christmas that the store will be closed, but Santa will be there off and on through the Christmas season.

Remember to be there before 5 p.m., because Santa is expected to arrive on the dot—it's his busy season, and he's got a deadline to meet.