Charlie Breitrose
Santa Claus waved from the middle of his adoring fans at the Watertown Tree Lighting Celebration.
The grassy area of Watertown Square teamed with anticipation Friday evening as scores of children and their parents waited for Santa Claus arrive.
The fifth annual Watertown Belmont Chamber of Commerce Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration proved to be a big draw on an unseasonably mild night. This year, the Rotary Club of Watertown joined with the Chamber to sponsor the event.
When Santa rolled into the Square on his sleigh, a bright red Watertown fire engine, he was mobbed by enthusiastic youngsters.
Charlie Breitrose
The trees in Watertown Square shine with new lights put on by the Department of Public Works.
After Santa greeted the children, and posing for some photos, the countdown for the tree lighting was lead by Chamber President Mike Albano. The large tree provided by Russo’s, a pine standing about 25-feet tall, lit up with multi-colored lights. Moments later, the big trees in the Watertown Square Delta, illuminated with bright, white lights.
The trees might seem brighter this year, and Public Works Superintendent Gerry Mee said that is because DPW workers replaced the old ones with new sets of LED lights.
“(The old ones) had been up there a long time,” Mee said. “It required a lot of work putting up the new ones.”
Charlie Breitrose
The Watertown High School Acapella group sang carols during the Tree Lighting Celebration in Watertown Square.
The strings of light wrap around the limbs of the large trees, but they were wrapped loosely so the tree can grow, Mee said.
The Christmas tree also needed some work from the DPW to be ready for primetime.
“There is a huge steel plate with a big collar that the tree slide into,” Mee said. “The (DPW’s) Highway Division made it.”
Charlie Breitrose
A reindeer mascot from WROR radio greeted children during the Tree Lighting Celebration.
Before Santa arrived, WROR radio entertained with Christmas carols and seasonal tunes, and a reindeer mascot greeted children. Attendees could also enjoy cider, hot cocoa and some treats from the Rotary Club of Watertown and Watertown Savings Bank.
After the trees were lit, the Watertown High School Acapella group sang carols, while people wandered over to Watertown Savings Bank for more drinks, snacks and a picture with Santa.
It’s called a Christmas Tree Charlie…
That is what it was dubbed by the organizers.
Decorating a tree in winter was adopted from the northern European tradition of bringing greenery indoors during the dark of winter to celebrate Winter Solstice aka “the return of the light” which celebrates longer days after the shortest day of the year (Winter Solstice December 20/21) – it was co-opted from pagans & has no historical connection to Christianity (much like December 25)
Thank you to the organizers of the Holiday Tree Lighting, the trees look great!
Yes, the Christmas Tree originated as a pagan ritual. Early Christians used the pagan symbolism to cover their celebration of Christmas in eras when they were persecuted.
Nice solstice tree Watertown! Let everyone of all faiths, or lack thereof, celebrate Peace on Earth and goodwill to all.
Early on the Catholic Church adopted pagan practices to lure new members and the Pope moved Jesus of Nazareth’s birthday from the summer (as the historical records from the census show) to line up with the Winter Solstice & Roman celebration of Saturnalia and co-opted many pagan traditions (like decorating the tree) to make it easier to get people to convert, understand and practice their new religion.
All things are possible through education.
Peace on Earth, goodwill toward all!
Bonus holiday fact:
Rabbits and eggs are fertility symbols taken from pagan Spring Equinox celebration Ostara to ensure successful planting and good crops – again nothing to do with Christianity or Jesus but Christians tapped into the rebirth/resurrection theme and called it Easter to increase their popularity and make it easier to understand and practice for their growing membership