Rochester has got a pretty solid Christmas tradition with its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony – the selectmen welcome the crowd, the Rochester Memorial School band and chorus provide the Christmas ambience, the Christmas poster winner is announced and then he gets to flip the switch that lights up the tree in front of the Town Hall in time for Santa’s extravagant arrival via fire truck.
This time, though, there was one detail that made this year’s tree lighting different and pleasantly surprising to the people of Rochester.
Instead of a star-topped tree of purely white lights, this year the tree was trimmed with strands of multi-colored lights – a treat for those of us who prefer the dazzling display of color in our Christmas.
It was a warm December day on Monday the 3rd, but the crisp closing-in-on-Christmas air quickly cooled as the festivities unfolded, making that post-tree lighting cup of cider and cookies inside the warmth of Town Hall even more enjoyable.
This year’s first place winner for best Christmas poster was Cadel Bosma. All the poster entries will remain on display inside the Town Hall throughout the month.
By Jean Perry