As autumn slowly fades into winter, color and lights gradually emerge from the cold. Milford homes and businesses are decorated with holiday colors and lights, adding a festive glow to the festive season. Lights and people crowd the streets, excited for the celebrations to start. Neighborhoods and local areas start to gear up in the holiday spirit. Everyone is counting down the days until this year’s Milford Tree Lighting, waiting to see the tree shining on the Milford Green.
Around 150 million winter holiday lights are purchased across the United States per year. These are used to light 80 million houses around the country (Rainbow Holiday Design Services).
Decorating for the holidays is one way to unite people of different backgrounds and connect individuals. It brings a joyful and festive atmosphere to the town and to individual homes.
Senior Sandy Alves says, “The lights and decorations are some of my favorite parts of the holidays.”
Many different holiday celebrations from different cultures and religions are shown throughout the season and offer others and glance at different or new backgrounds. Christmas is not the only winter holiday that brings decorations and traditions to Milford.
Freshman Meadow Kaufman shares her Hanakuah traditions and says, “I like lighting the menorah and singing, but my favorite tradition is sitting down and eating latkes because it connects our family together.”
Whichever holiday is being celebrated, Milford knows how to decorate the town and cover it with festivity. Celebrations like the annual tree lighting ceremony on Milford Green are one way that this town shares its traditions with others and embraces the holiday spirit.
Freshman Carter Blake has lit the tree multiple times and says, “It feels very special,” to take part in such an important tradition.
He enjoys the holiday season and all the decorations being put up, “Christmas spirit is enjoyed more when there’s snow and lights out. The lights make me feel like I’m a little kid again,” he states.
The ceremony includes many different festive activities like live music, a Santa meeting, holiday caroling, photo booths, and of course, the tree lighting itself. Major Anthony Giannattasio says the Milford Christmas Tree lighting is a community event that brings people of all ages together.
“This gathering has become a special tradition in Milford. Year after Year, it continues to create a sense of community and unity,” he says.
There are many different ways people in Milford can celebrate the holidays together and share the holiday spirit. Giannattasio says, “I feel that it is especially important around the holiday that we do our best to be worthy of this slogan: be a good neighbor, work to leave this world better than we found it, and most of all, kindness.”
