As Christmas week arrives and the glow of the holiday season settles across our community, I wanted to take a moment — on behalf of everyone at Folsom Times and All Town Media — to pause, reflect and simply say thank you.
To our readers. To our advertisers. To our contributors, photographers, partners, first responders and community leaders who trust us with their stories. We wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah and a joyful New Year.
December is always a special time in our region, but this year it felt particularly full — full of events, full of tradition and full of moments that remind us why community matters. For us at Folsom Times, the holiday season isn’t just about looking back at what happened. It’s about helping you plan, participate and connect before those moments arrive. From the earliest days of December, we worked to bring you advance coverage of holiday events across Folsom and the surrounding communities so you could build your own local holiday itinerary, whether that meant attending a tree lighting, catching a performance, supporting a local business or simply gathering with neighbors.
And when you couldn’t get out to experience those moments yourself, we did our best to bring them to you.
Somewhere along the way this month, we unofficially became the area’s holiday “Santa stalker,” and we wear that title proudly. We were there before, during and after many of the traditions that define this season — from the annual Folsom Christmas Tree Lighting that drew thousands to the Historic District to watch the tree illuminate and Santa arrive at the community’s beloved Christmas Cottage, to the Hanukkah celebration at the Folsom Community Center, to holiday entertainment taking place across the region. These events are not breaking news. They don’t dominate headlines. But they matter deeply to the families who attend them, the volunteers who organize them and the kids whose memories are shaped by them. And they matter to us.
One of the most cherished traditions we cover each year is the Folsom Police Santa Run. This season, we previewed it extensively so residents knew when Santa would be rolling through their neighborhoods. Then we joined our local officers on several of those December nights, bringing readers the imagery and moments that make this tradition so special, especially for those who couldn’t be there in person.
We did the same in El Dorado Hills, where the Santa Run returned in traditional fashion and on a bigger scale than ever. This year’s run featured a ladder truck transformed into Santa’s sleigh, complete with reindeer, spreading joy across neighborhoods and drawing smiles from residents of all ages. After one of those nights, the El Dorado Hills firefighters sent us a message in response to our Instagram coverage that simply said, “Thanks for always showing up.”
That message captured everything we strive to be. At its core, Folsom Times is about showing up. Being present. Being engaged. Caring enough to be there — even when it’s late, cold, or when the story isn’t considered headline news.
I say this somewhat bittersweetly, but it’s also an honest reflection of the state of local journalism today: this year, we were often the only local news resource out covering these traditions in real time. Many outlets that once did this work have disappeared or diminished. Others clock off at 5 p.m. and miss the moments that happen after dark — the ones families remember most. In some cases, we’ve seen organizations wait for agencies to share images rather than show up themselves, or worse, help themselves to our work while ignoring copyright and intellectual property laws.
Someone new to the industry this may not be surprising, but for a 169 year old news company, it’s pretty grinch like for certain. But in the spirit of the season, we always make sure those special folks still receive a gift from us — sometimes we just have to send those types of gifts certified since Santa is too busy for that kind of stuff and we know that old saying “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” right? We can talk more about this in a future column though, now back to the holiday talk.
This isn’t the first December I’ve spent chasing Santa, and it isn’t the first newsroom I’ve done it for. But what makes this different is why we do it here. We cover these moments because they are community. They are tradition. They are the shared experiences that connect neighbors to one another and define the place we call home.
As Folsom Times and All Town Media approach our third anniversary, I couldn’t be more proud of what this community has helped us build. Today, more than 2 million average monthly users look to FolsomTimes.com as their go-to source for local news and entertainment. Our social media platforms now reach nearly 2 million viewers a month combined, making us the most followed and most engaged local news source in the Folsom area. That growth doesn’t happen without trust, and we are deeply grateful for it.
The purpose of this column is simple. To wish you happiness during this holiday season. To thank you for the support that allows us to keep doing what we do. And to let you know how much we value bringing you coverage that is unique, meaningful and rooted in the traditions of this community.
We have exciting additions and expansions coming in 2026, and we look forward to sharing more about what lies ahead in the new year. Until then, enjoy the holidays in whatever way feels right to you. Slow down when you can. Spend time with the people you love. Take part in the traditions that bring you joy. We’ll be right here — showing up — and we are truly grateful for the gift of your support each and every day.
Bill Sullivan is the co-owner and publisher of Folsom Times.
