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General News: Tree Lightings Mark Start of Christmas Season
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| Mayor Gross and the Stormy Weather Players count down to the lighting of the tree. |
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| The village Christmas tree. |
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| Santa listened to the wishes of young children at the firehouse. |
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| The middle school band played lively Christmas carols for the crowd at Highland Engine Co. |
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| Aisling Cuffee signed autographs before lighting the tree. |
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| Santa returned for another holiday season in Cornwall. |
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| Town tree lighting, Chadeayne Circle in 2010 |
December 06, 2010
The Christmas season officially started in Cornwall this weekend with the ceremonial lighting of Christmas decorations in the village and the town, followed by a visit from the jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus.
This year, the ceremonies were coordinated so that residents could partake of both events that are filled with community spirit. In Cornwall-on-Hudson, the Stormy Weather Players filled the bandstand in village square to lead the crowd in singing Christmas carols. Nearby, children ran circles around each other and a tall menorah with five bulbs lit in honor of Hannukah.
Mayor Joseph Gross did the honor of counting down the seconds until the towering 60-foot tree was lighted. At his side was Colette Fulton, who said that the tree-lighting ceremony will her last official act as chairman of the bandstand committee, athough, she said, “my hear is still really in it.” Fulton resigned the position earlier this year after 25 years.
Once the tree was ablaze with lights, attention turned to Hudson Street where Santa Claus arrived on the back of a fire truck. The young children squealed with delight and many in the crowd followed him down to the Storm King Engine Co. firehouse, where they waited in line for a chance to share their dreams with Santa or sampled some of the hot drinks and cookies served by members of the Ladies Auxiliary.
Cuffe Is the Honorary Figure at Chadeayne Circle
Down at Chadeayne Circle, members of the Cornwall Central Middle School band and their families were among the first to arrive for the tree-lighting ceremony held outside the Highland Engine Co. firehouse. Band members, many dressed in festive holiday hats, got the Chrismas spirit going when they began playing carols under the direction of band leader Steve Kessler. Many in the crowd hummed or sang along.
The Greater Cornwall Chamber of Commerce sponsors the lighting of the tree and the other decorations on Chadeayne Circle each year. Chamber president Helen Bunt said that this year the group purchased new lights for the tree, 1500 LED bulbs to be exact.
Bunt welcomed cross-country running champion Aisling Cuffe to perform the honorary role of flicking the switch to turn on the light display. Cuffe said that she was a bit nervous about the role because she understood that some people didn’t turn on the lights at the first try and she wanted to be sure that everything went smoothly. As she waited, she signed copies of newspaper articles about her running accomplishments for Bernie Sussman, a local resident who closely follows her career.
When the time came for the countdown, Cuffe and chamber member Randy Clarke crossed over to the flagpole in the circle, where they turned on the lights, igniting first the tree and, after some effort, the remaining decorations. Moments later Santa Claus arrived on his firetruck, where people young and old raced to greet him, then followed him inside the hirehouse for more sharing of secret wishes and cups of warm cocoa and cookies.
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