Yuletide cheer and exhilarating physical stunt-work were on display at Springfield's holiday tree lighting ceremony last week.

Children sang holiday songs and town officials and employees gave speeches. But that was all a preamble to the two main events, which were the lighting of the large tree on the lawn outside town hall and the dramatic appearance of Santa Claus.

Santa appeared on the roof of town hall shortly after the tree was lit, and sprinted down a firetruck ladder to the ground below, were he ran in circles around the lawn to the pealing delight of children.

Once the excitement was lowered to a reasonable din, he received children at the stairs of town hall.