EASTERN SUBURBS – From Nov. 25 through Dec. 5, the villages in the eastern suburbs rang in the holiday season with their annual tree lighting ceremonies. The free-to-the-public evening events featured sweet treats and surprise visits from Santa Claus via escorts from the local fire departments.
After Santa went around waving and giving out hugs and high fives at each gathering, the bundled-up attendees counted down from five or 10 and cheered as their community trees were lit up for the month ahead.
Fayetteville
This year’s tree lighting in the village of Fayetteville once again took place in and around the fire house on East Genesee Street the day after Thanksgiving.
During the ceremony, Mayor Mark Olson thanked the clerk’s office, the recreation committee, the trustees, the fire department, the firemen’s association and the department of public works among others for their involvement.
“This event would not be possible without a lot of help,” Olson said into the microphone.
The festivities on Friday, Nov. 25 included horse-drawn carriage rides down to the Cammot Lane area and back around. That night, villagers on the route turned on their porch lights for the passing wagons.
The partial lighting of the Memory Tree is a central part of the event. That evergreen came to be in 1979 as a fundraiser started for the Fayetteville Senior Center by village resident Doris Baldwin. It serves as a non-denominational way to cherish the memories of deceased loved ones and honor people who are still alive. By the end of the holiday season, more contributions are received for commemorative bulbs placed on the Memory Tree.
Trustee Mark Matt called the yearly tree lighting event “special” and “exciting.”
“The tree lighting to me is one of those things in the village of Fayetteville that’s just outstanding,” Matt said. “It really brings the community together.”
Jamesville
On Saturday, Dec. 3, the event “Light Up Jamesville” was coordinated as a joint effort from the Jamesville Chamber of Commerce, the Jamesville Community Museum and the Jamesville Fire Department.
The festivities began in the morning with a Breakfast with Santa event and concluded after the sun went down with the lighting of the new Christmas tree to the left of the Jamesville Community Museum on East Seneca Turnpike.
The event in the museum included raffles for a hand-stitched, queen-sized quilt donated by Custom Woodcraft out of Munnsville as well as a choice of books published by museum volunteers over the years.
Dressed as Mrs. Claus, hamlet resident Luana Impellizzeri read pop-up books by Robert Sabuda while Susan Titus played the role of a schoolmarm as she provided history lessons on one-room schoolhouses in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
That night there were also Norman Rockwell paintings and photos from past holiday events on the walls of the museum apart from the regular exhibits.
Manlius
The tree lighting in Manlius took place in the vicinity of the Village Centre on Sunday, Dec. 4.
Inside a packed auditorium on Arkie Albanese Avenue and outside the building before Santa’s visit, students from Wellwood Middle School displayed their singing chops.
In the auditorium the school’s chamber choir named The Wrong Notes performed a jazzy arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and the song “Shalom Aleichem,” a tune the conductor Marshall Pokrentowski described as “pretty” and informative about the history of Hanukkah.
“This year we were able to be inside and have the kids really perform for an audience,” Pokrentowski said. “It was nice to sing for a big group again.”
It was also the second year that there was a holiday season parade that began on Stickley Drive and went through the village.
Mayor Paul Whorrall presumed that the tree lighting had been going on for at least 60 years.
“It’s a great event and we always get a good crowd,” he said.
The Village of Manlius additionally put portions of its American Rescue Plan funding toward the lighting of trees, wreaths and garlands near the swan pond along with Christmas trees that businesses could use to decorate their facades.
Minoa
By the fire station on North Main Street, Minoa’s holiday tree is now “shining brightly” as Mayor Bill Brazill said.
That village’s tree lighting took place on Dec. 4 with, according to Brazill, one of the biggest crowds in the event’s recent history.
Brazill said the turnout was likely the result of indoor activities being reintroduced for the tree lighting.
“I think everyone just wanted to get out and come by with it being a beautiful night,” he said.
Members of the Onondaga Star chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star gave out popcorn, cookies, brownies and hot chocolate inside the fire station while Jeff the Magic Man tied balloons and the Minoa Elementary chorus sang holiday-themed songs.
Right around 6 p.m., Santa came up over the bridge and assisted with the lighting of the tree next to Brazill and Rev. Janet Gleason from the Minoa United Methodist Church.
Gleason shared words of prayer beforehand, hoping for people to be “light bearers” in a world “overwhelmed with darkness.”
Brazill thanked the group of people responsible for putting the event together and asked for the attendees to keep those serving overseas in their thoughts. He ended by wishing peace and “great holidays” to everyone in earshot.
Trustee Eric Christensen said it was a “team effort” to coordinate the event and that he appreciated the presence of so many Minoa residents.
East Syracuse
Before Santa arrived to the East Syracuse tree lighting on Monday, Dec. 5, a group of about 30 East Syracuse Elementary students—known as The Treblemakers—sang renditions of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel,” the last to make it an “inclusive performance” as their vocal teacher Samantha Darling said.
Keith Caiello, the assistant director of East Syracuse’s parks and recreation department, estimated that there were 150 people at the village’s tree lighting this year.
Caiello said the “not-too-cold” weather helped to encourage the satisfactory turnout. He added that it felt like the first “normal” tree lighting post-COVID.
Sugar cookies and cups of hot chocolate were up for grabs at the event, and kids crafted reindeer art with Hershey bar faces, paper antlers and googly eyes.
DeWitt
The Town of DeWitt’s tree lighting is being held on Friday, Dec. 9 in Ryder Park at 5400 Butternut Drive in East Syracuse, right next to the town hall.
The free event lasts from 6 to 8 p.m. with the lighting of the tree at 7:30. It will feature live music, an ugly sweater contest, coloring, wintry crafts, hot chocolate, cookies and a special, unnamed visitor.
