The town’s three Christmas/holiday trees will be formally lit for the holidays, December 4-6.

Newtown’s oldest tree lighting celebration will open the weekend.

The 31st Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at Ram Pasture is scheduled for Friday, December 4. The event will begin with musical performances at 6:30 pm, and culminate with the tree lighting at 7, followed by caroling, refreshments, and visits with Santa and Mrs Claus.

Jen Landgrebe, director of account management at Curtis Packaging Corporation, has been given the honor of lighting the tree this year. Curtis Packaging is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce of Newtown, which presents the Ram Pasture Tree Lighting. The Sandy Hook company also donates the boxes used for the luminarias each year.

“Jennifer has been our point person there for many years, and has been simply wonderful,” said Diana Johnson, a member of the Ram Pasture Tree Lighting Committee, on the decision to give Ms Landgrebe the honor this year. 

During the hours leading up to the big event, members of the Ram Pasture Tree Lighting Committee will be out, placing luminarias around Ram Pasture. Lit around sunset, the bags — which will also be set out by owners of surrounding properties along Elm Drive, Hawley Lane, and the sections of Sugar Street, Main Street, Main Street South, and Glover Avenue in the immediate vicinity — will lead everyone to Ram Pasture for the first tree lighting of the season in Newtown.

Luminarias will remained lit until 10 pm Friday.

Saturday: Sandy Hook

The Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in Sandy Hook Center will follow on Saturday, December 5.

The event will begin at 4 pm, leading to the lighting of two trees at 6:30 pm. The traditional tree at The Glen, at 2 Washington Avenue, will be lit first, followed by a tree planted two years ago, at the corner of Washington Avenue and Riverside Road.

Residents are invited to celebrate the joys of the holiday season with fun festivities that will engage and entertain in the time leading up to and immediately following the trees being lit. Among the participants this year will be Faith At Newtown providing a live Nativity; Family Fun Kuts and Fun Kids Consignments will have $5 hair feathers, discounts, and refreshments; Porco’s Academy of Karate will have an open house, and Sandy Hook Baptist Church will be offering refreshments.

The Graceful Planet will again be sponsoring karaoke, and members of the Newtown Middle School Chorus will be caroling beginning at 6 pm.

PJ’s Laundromat has arranged for Santa to arrive via a Sandy Hook Fire Truck at 5 pm. Santa will stay until 6:30 and have something special for the children. Children can bring letters they have written to Santa to the tree lighting ceremony. A mailbox will be stationed there so that all letters can be delivered straight to the North Pole.

Everyone planning to attend the tree lighting is asked to bring a food pantry item with them, to be donated to FAITH Food Pantry. Santa will be in front of Sandy Hook Hair Co., 102 Church Hill Road. Food pantry donations should be given to Santa at this location at 5 pm. Upon giving a food pantry donation to Santa, each family will automatically be entered into a raffle to win a drawing to light the holiday tree.

This event is being coordinated by Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity (SHOP).

Sunday: Hawleyville

The 6th Annual Hawleyville Tree Lighting is scheduled for Sunday, December 6, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, at Hawleyville Plaza, 23 Barnabas Road.

The event will double as a toy drive for The Newtown Fund, a nonprofit volunteer organization that provides assistance to local residents and their families.

Santa and Mrs Claus are planning to visit courtesy of Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company.

Refreshments will be provided, and songs of the season will be featured.

The event is sponsored by Stony Hill Four Corners Business Association.