For three consecutive nights, neighbors, friends, and loved ones gathered in different areas in town to witness tree lightings that marked the start of the holiday season for many.

“Welcome to the 35th tree lighting at Ram Pasture,” Diana Johnson, a longtime member of the Tree Lighting Committee, said at the Friday, December 6, 35th Annual Ram Pasture Tree Lighting.

People were gathered round to hear songs by three Newtown High School groups, watch dancers from both Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance and Lathrop School of Dance, and see the two trees on the property lit. People’s United Bank and Union Savings Bank offered free cookies and cider throughout the event. First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, his wife, Meri, and their son, Ben, counted down to the lighting of the trees.

After the trees were lit, the shining multi-colored and clear blue lights reflected on the frozen ripples of Hawley Pond as some people scooped up small snowballs to toss, either at the pond or at each other playfully. Santa and Mrs Claus met local children near the larger of the two trees.

Sandy Hook Trees

Lighting the next night were two trees lit one after the other in Sandy Hook Center. Casting a rainbow of color was the traditional tree standing on The Glen next to Sabrina Style, while seconds later, the symbolic green and white tree brightened the hillside on the corner of Washington Avenue and Riverside Road, in remembrance of 12/14. In the hour prior to guests crowding the street corners as 6 pm drew near, children and parents gazed up at Santa, who handed out small gifts and listened to whispered wishes for Christmas. Behind Santa was “snow” falling, attracting many guests to swirl in the blizzard that comes around 5 pm each year, falling suspiciously in the same spot outside what is now the Whip Salon Newtown.

With “snow” covering the sidewalk, parents and young children enjoyed the brief wonderland, sparkling trees, and holiday spirit.

Hawleyville ‘Threes’

It has been a tradition to light three smaller trees near the intersection of Hawleyville and Barnabas Road, adjacent to the commercial plaza that partners with the Stony Hill Four Corners Association on the last of three community tree lighting events, this year on Sunday, December 8. The association that supports businesses in far western Newtown and adjacent Bethel tapped volunteers at Hawleyville Fire & Rescue to safely deliver Santa and Mrs Claus to the annual tree lighting in the company’s brightly decorated “quint” truck, where more than a hundred gathered families and officials, including Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal and his Bethel colleague Matt Knickerbocker, appropriately welcomed the Christmas couple with the popular carol “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.”

Organizers Donna Ball and Madeline Bunt, assistant vice president and manager of the Union Savings branch at Stony Hill, ensured talented entertainers from Dance Etc got their program of seasonal songs and dances off on schedule, and for the first time, welcomed surprise guests — three huge balloon characters portraying two waddling penguins and a smiling snowman. As the crowd counted down, the three Hawleyville trees illuminated to cheers, and then all enjoyed refreshments and pizza from the plaza merchants along with fancy gingerbread cookies, while kids of all ages waited their turn to speak to Mrs Claus and the “Jolly Old Elf” himself about what they hoped to find under the tree on Christmas morning.