By Stephanie Prokop, Staff Writer
With the holidays right around the corner, many municipalities are encouraging residents to come out and join together for festive holiday tree-lighting ceremonies to kick off the season of good tidings and cheer.
Bordentown City
The city is striving to make its main street glow warmly with twinkling lights, as nearly 100 small Christmas trees were being set up all along Farnsworth Avenue earlier in the week.
The thought behind setting up the trees is to “bring some cheer” all around town, said Mary Barns, proprietor of the HOB Tavern and president of the Downtown Bordentown Association.
“We just had a lot of conversations within the group, and decided that we wanted to make this holiday season as bright as we could make it,” she said.
The brightness will be literal, as the 4-foot-tall Emerald Green arborvitae trees that line the street will feature lights plugged into nearby businesses, creating a seasonal corridor guests and shoppers will see when they come into town.
The trees were purchased from Chesterfield Gardens, and were expected to be completely set up on Tuesday.
The piece de resistance, the big tree in town, stands on an island in the intersection of Crosswicks Street and Farnsworth Avenue.
The tree lighting will be Nov. 29, between 5 and 6 p.m.
The holiday program is set to feature traditional holiday carolers, outfitted in old-time holiday garb, and a Consolidated firetruck will bring Santa into town.
The holiday kickoff is a collaborative effort among the Downtown Bordentown Association, the Bordentown City Garden Club, and the City of Bordentown.
Bordentown Township
The annual tree-lighting ceremony in Bordentown Township is slated for 6 p.m. Dec. 1.
The ceremony will begin outdoors, weather permitting, in front of the Municipal Building.
The Bordentown Middle School Chorus, directed by Ellen Kirk, will perform three holiday songs after the welcome speech is given by Mayor Bruce Hill. The event will then move indoors to the Senior Community Center, to begin the award ceremony.
Peter Muschal School students (grades 1-3) and MacFarland School students (grades 4-5) were expected to participate in creating a drawing that depicts holiday memories. The Bordentown Regional Middle School (eighth grade) will submit an essay that reflects the same theme.
First-place winners will award a trophy and a ribbon. Second-place and third-place winners receive a ribbon. Winners will be contacted through the school and will be announced at the ceremony.
Light refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the ceremony.
Florence
The annual tree lighting will take place in front of the Municipal Building, on Broad Street, on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m.
Tom Sahol, assistant township administrator, said that in addition to the tree lighting, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will be in attendance, welcoming children of all ages, giving out small seasonal tokens to the younger ones.
The Florence High School Marching Band will also perform, playing seasonal music selections.
North Hanover
North Hanover will plug into the season’s festivities Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m., in front of the township Municipal Building at 41 Schoolhouse Road.
After the lighting, hot cocoa and snacks will be served across the street at the Clarence B. Lamb Elementary School.
Santa will make an appearance at the tree-lighting ceremony, and will hand out toys to children under the age of 10.
This year the tree lighting will feature a sing-along, with local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops leading guests in seasonal songs.
Mansfield
Residents and guests are invited to attend the seventh annual light tour of Columbus on Saturday, Dec. 6.
The light tour will feature an old-fashioned wagon ride through the Village of Columbus, with wagons leaving every half-hour from 5:30 to 7:30p.m. at the Municipal Park.
A bonfire will be keeping guests toasty, as they listen to the Mansfield Township Elementary School band, and caroling, with a special appearance from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Refreshments will be served, and the municipal tree will be lit at 6 p.m.
The cost for the wagon ride is $6 per person, with children ages 4 to 10 are $3. Any child under 3 is free.
Anyone interested in purchasing tickets for the wagon ride can do so by contacting Holly Berg at 609-298-3448.
New Hanover
A historic carriage ride and Christmas tree-lighting ceremony will be taking place Sunday, Dec. 14, from 6 to 9 p.m.
There is no cost for the carriage rides, which leave periodically throughout the evening from in front of the historic Godfrey House, at 27 Main Street, in Cookstown, said Township Clerk Jay Todd.
“No tickets (are) needed for the rides, the public is invited to come out and participate,” he said Tuesday.
After the rides there will be an outdoor Christmas tree lighting in front of the house.