Hundreds of Seymour residents gathered at the town’s business center Saturday night to watch a Christmas tree lighting and welcome Santa Claus.
The festivities were hosted by the Seymour Culture and Arts Commission and officially launched the holiday season in town, according to commission chairman Judy Simpson.
“It begins the shopping season, the first Saturday of December, for the downtown stores,” she said.
This was the first year for a tree lighting, but the seventh year that the commission has sponsored a First Saturday holiday festival, Simpson said.
The high point of the evening, at least for the children in attendance, was Santa Claus’s arrival on the 7:15 Metro North train.
Amid cheers, Santa waved and cheerfully shouted, “Merry Christmas, Seymour!”
Four members of the Connecticut Yuletide Carolers — Sarah Henry, Mike Souney, Holly Clough and Ken Miller, dressed in Victorian costumes like characters from Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” — strolled the downtown area singing traditional Christmas carols, and a few updated tunes as well.
The Christmas tree was donated by Kim and Mike Dulka, owners of the All-American General Store. It was placed at the American Legion Post at the corner of Bank Street and Wakeley Street, and was decorated by local Girl Scouts, who made the ornaments with bird seed so our feathered friends could have a merry holiday too.
Most downtown stores and restaurants joined in by serving special treats, and the Walnut Hill Community Church provided hot chocolate and cookies.
“You get psyched all week for it, and then when it comes you’re excited,” beamed JoElle Anderson, owner of Dragon Flies Studio, a gift shop on Bank Street.