MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - It's a bird, it's a plane...no, it'a a firetruck! Christmas came early for five young kids in Meridian Township as they received their very own toy firetruck.

The Meridian Township Fire Department assembled their gear and hopped in the truck as they made their way to each child's home to deliver their special prize.

"Ohhh it's exciting, I've done this before... this is the 2nd or 3rd time Ive gone out and delivered presents and it's always fun to go out and see the reactions of the kids getting the toys from the fire department and bringing the fire trucks over to their house," Captain Bill Richardson of the Meridian Township Fire Department excitedly mentioned.

The kids gathered outside and were overfilled with excitement as they watched the big, red firetruck pull up to their house.

Ali Andrews (one of the prize winners) when asked on a scale of 1-10 how happy she was, replied "I'm very excited!!" (She said this while jumping up and down with a grin from ear to ear).

The trucks given out ranged in size from big to small and the look on these kids faces were priceless when the firefighters handed them their gift.

So how did these children receive these toy firetrucks?

During Meridian Township's Halloween Open House event, the fire station had children submit their name into a drawing to win a toy firetruck.

"Traditionally we've had open houses at the fire station to promote fire safety and we've always had drawings to give children toys, fire trucks typically to promote fire safety," mentioned Captain Bill Richardson of the Meridian Township Fire Department.

The lucky winners were drawn and to their surprise had no idea that a real life firetruck was going to deliver their prize this Wednesday evening.

Not only did the kids jump up and down with pure joy as they showed off their new toy, but they also took turns sitting in the driver's seat of the firetruck as well.

"A lot of times they're more excited about the fire truck than they are the toy," Captain Richardson said.

And as the old saying goes..."it's the little things in life that make life worth living"...and to these kids, these firetrucks (real life or toy) was life changing.

"I assume that this will be a tradition that will last throughout my career and beyond and so I assume we'll continue delivering the toys annually for the Halloween open house," mentioned Captain Richardson.