Bringing in the ho-ho holidays in RVC

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Dozens of children weaved in and out of the crowd of hundreds of Rockville Centre townspeople standing on the darkened village green. They yelled and laughed as they chased each other, while the youngest children sat on their parents’ shoulders clapping their hands to Christmas songs performed by South Side High School’s choir and wind ensemble.

Teenagers and adults stood in the dark with small cups of hot chocolate in their hands, waiting. Then, Mayor Francis Murray took the stage in front of the choir, flanked on both sides by his grandchildren Shannon and Sean Kelly.

He made a speech, asking for the townspeople to keep world peace foremost in their minds. In light of instability around the world he said, “Peace on earth and goodwill towards men takes on a new meaning.”

After introducing a handful of village and local officials that included State Assemblyman Brian Curran, State Senator Todd Kaminsky, and Village Justices William Croutier and Kevin McDonough, Mayor Murray handed the light switch to Shannon and Sean.

The townspeople counted down from ten and suddenly the darkened field lit up with warm white light coming from the four-story tall tree at the edge of the green.

Then, a special guest arrived. “You hear that?” Mayor Murray said over the loudspeaker, as sirens could be heard coming from around the corner. The children ran frantically to the edge of the field towards the sound, as Santa appeared waving from atop a Rockville Centre fire truck covered in multicolored Christmas lights.

“It’s fun to see the whole town out here,” said RVC resident Emily Corvelle, 33. She said she hadn’t been out to the tree lighting in about 10 years, but the warmer weather was appealing. “We’re not going to get frostbite tonight,” she joked.

“It’s a start to the season,” said 16-year-old Julianna Lee-Cassara, who came to see her friends in the choir and wind ensemble.

Kristen Clancy stood holding 8-month-old Juliette, while Ellie, 5, and Jack, 6, milled about around her feet. She said she and her husband, Michael, grew up in the village and had been going to the tree lighting since they were children. “Years and years,” she said of the tradition.