On behalf of the Ram Pasture Christmas Tree Lighting Committee, member Diana Johnson, on Monday, December 8, issued “sincere apologies to the whole town” for the abject failure of a new lighting option in the luminarias provided by the Chamber of Commerce and placed down Main Street, adjacent streets, and around Hawley Pond, a traditional prelude to the annual tree lighting.

Mrs Johnson admitted that the decision to eliminate traditional candles from the luminarias was a failed experiment. The Parks and Recreation Department had hoped to cut back on the need for overtime workers hired to snuff out candles, and the Ram Pasture Christmas Tree Lighting Committee sought to accommodate the fire marshal’s suggestion to eliminate live flames in the paper boxes.

Instead of the traditional plumber’s candle placed inside the sandy bottom of the more than 2,000 luminarias intended to set Newtown aglow, Friday evening, December 5, this year committee members agreed with Parks and Recreation staff to use two glow stick candles in each paper box.

Ms Johnson’s reaction as she drove down Main Street at 5:30 pm, Friday evening, was one echoed by nearly all of Newtown.

“I was horrified. I couldn’t believe it. It didn’t even look like [the luminarias] were lit,” she said.

Committee members thought they had thoroughly tested the glow stick samples. Fellow committee member Janet Woycik had accompanied her to Ram Pasture one very dark and somewhat drizzly evening last month, said Ms Johnson. They placed a glow stick they had considered in previous years into one luminaria box; a plumber’s candle into a second box; and the two new glow stick samples into a third luminaria.

“[The new glow sticks] were okay,” she said. While not emitting the warm glow of a candle, the glow sticks appeared to be bright enough to substitute. “We thought they would be passable,” Ms Johnson said, but to be certain the paler, greenish light would work, she took another set of glow sticks home to test .

“I put them out, and they were really glowing,” she said, so she is unable to explain why the glimmer of luminarias was not to be seen on the night of the tree lighting. The light was so weak, that one had to be standing over a box to be certain there was a light within.

Not only did the glow sticks fail to light the holiday spirit, but it was an expensive experiment, said Ms Johnson, for the Chamber of Commerce, which supports the Annual Ram Pasture Tree Lighting. The cost of the glow sticks exceeded estimates, costing the chamber nearly twice as much as is normally allotted for candles.

“Of course, we were disappointed,” said Parks and Recreation Director Amy Mangold. “The event itself, though, was as beautiful as ever. The performers were great, and in the rain, I think the lights on the tree looked more brilliant than in the past. But unfortunately, the luminaria experiment was not so successful,” she said.

Ms Mangold stressed her appreciation for the patience and understanding of all those involved.

“There is a lot of coordination involved, and hard work put into this event. It involves many residents and volunteers,” she said.

“It just didn’t work,” agreed Ms Johnson. “We are beyond disappointed, and feel so badly, on so many levels — not just for the people who put them out each year and try to make them look so nice, but for the whole town.”

Until modern technology comes up with a more affordable and equivalent replacement for the plumber’s candles, residents can anticipate Newtown luminarias powered by candlelight, for future holidays.

“Next year, our plan is back to candles,” said Ms Johnson.