festivities enliven
Hall of Records plaza
Hanukkah, Christmas
festivities enliven
Hall of Records plaza
By clare MARie celano
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — More than 400 men, women and children gathered in front of the Monmouth County Hall of Records on the evening of Dec. 2 to mark the beginning of the holiday season.
Some came to celebrate the lighting of a 45-foot-tall balsam fir Christmas tree (the official "kickoff" of the Christmas season), others came to commemorate the holiday Hanukkah and to observe the lighting of a giant menorah.
The holiday event is sponsored by the Freehold Center Partnership.
Santa and his better half, Mrs. Claus, toured the town’s streets on a fire truck. Accompanied by lights and sirens, the Christmas couple made their way up and down the streets of the town, bringing "Ho, ho, hos" and Merry Christmas greetings to people of all ages.
While the fire truck paraded Santa and Mrs. Claus around town, children from Congregation Agudath Achim, Broad Street, were observing the lighting of the Hanukkah menorah at the Hall of Records Plaza by Rabbi Kenneth Greene.
Hanukkah began on the evening of Nov. 29 and ended on Dec. 7.
The lighting ceremony was accompanied by song, performed by more than 150 children from the congregation. Under the direction of Cantor David Amar, the junior choir sang prayers and were later joined by the other children for more holiday songs.
Following the lighting of the menorah, holiday music was provided by the St. Rose of Lima handbell choir and the brass ensemble concert band from Freehold Borough and Freehold Township high schools.
The simultaneous celebration of Hanukkah and Christmas pleased Jayne Carr, the executive director of the Freehold Center Partnership.
"With all the unrest in the world today, it’s nice to see people coming together," Carr said.
The St. Rose of Lima handbell choir, under the direction of conductor Janos Major, has been providing Christmas hymns and holiday music at the partnership’s holiday event for more than 10 years.
Choir members dressed in warm coats, hats, scarves and gloves provided holiday music to touch spirits and warm hearts, despite the 30-degree temperature of the evening. The gently tinkling sounds from the shiny golden bells provided tunes like "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Here Comes Santa Claus."
Next on the program was entertainment provided by students from the brass ensemble concert band from Freehold Borough and Freehold Township high schools.
Under the direction of Michael Heap, from Freehold Borough High School, and Edward Gottschalk, from Freehold Township High School, who also played with the band, musicians played festive tunes like "Jingle Bells," which caused 4-year-old Hannah Burgess of Marlboro, and many others, to get into the spirit.
Covered from head to toe, bundled in a light blue snowsuit, Hannah moved her little body to the rhythm of the music.
"We came here to watch the lighting of the menorah," said Hannah’s mom, Lauren. "But she loves the music."
Downtown Main Street was filled with the spirit of the holidays as the children anxiously awaited the arrival of Santa, whose ETA at the Hall of Records was scheduled for 6 p.m.
Mayor Michael Wilson and Monmouth County Freeholder Ted Narozanick were both on hand to wish the community a happy and healthy holiday. Wilson offered up a prayer of encouragement to families whose loved ones are in the armed forces and will not be spending the holidays at home.
On cue and on time the Clauses arrived. Maybe not with a clatter on the roof, but certainly with noise and flashing blue and white lights.
Children smiled with delight despite the frigid weather and waited patiently for their turn to sit with Santa and answer his age-old annual question, "What do you want for Christmas?"
Some children came with lists, other needed prompting.
Parents were able to snap pictures of the moment, freezing time for a long-lasting memory.
Sylvia Allen, of Allen Consulting, Holmdel, whose firm has arranged many events for the borough over the last 10 years, said she thought it was wonderful to have the Christmas tree lighting and the menorah lighting on the same evening.
"It’s wonderful that this event has brought so many people together. Freehold has always had a great sense of community," Allen said.