Springfield Tree Lighting Celebration is Today

Mark the holidays with your neighbors.

Santa is coming to town today. The annual municipal tree lighting ceremony is tonight. The tree lighting will again be held outside town hall at Town Hall Lawn and North Trivett Avenue.  Santa Claus will again come to town to make himself available to children following a daredevil descent from the municipal building’s roof via a fire engine ladder. In addition, the afternoon will have hayrides, a petting zoo and an edible craft tables for children. And for those looking to give, local charity Springfield H.O.P.E will be collecting new unwrapped toys and Barnes and Noble gift cards. Are you going? Add photos of your family and friends to this article or email them to adamb@patch.com. 

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Poll: Should Springfield Town Hall Have a Menorah?

Tell us what you think.

The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the annual question: should Springfield add a Menorah to the holiday decorations at town hall? Town hall sported a Menorah in the '80—see this story for background—but has since refrained from including the Hanukkah symbol.  What do you think? Tell us in the poll below.  Keep the conversation going by liking Springfield Patch on Facebook. 

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Photos: The 2011 Holiday Season

A look back at the photos that shaped our winter.

Here are our photos of the season. Add yours!

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Three Recipes for Hanukkah

Give it up for latkes, applesauce and brisket.

The winter holidays are upon us. Oh joy! In our house, that means scrambling to find gifts my kids might actually need and making brisket and applesauce from scratch and latkes out of the box. I know it’s heresy to use potato pancake mix and many of you foodies out there are probably gathering your potatoes and onions already. Go ahead. I have spent many nights, whipping out the food processor, peeling the potatoes, slicing them up so they fit down the chute, letting the processor grate them into mushy bits and then spooning them into a pan of hot oil, exhausted but secure in the knowledge in that I have peeled the potatoes myself and my family might love me more for it. But I’ve found that my kids can’t tell the difference between …

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Photos: It's Beginning to Look a Little Like Christmas...

Springfield homes have started showing holiday spirit.

Trees are on sale and decorations are on display; with the Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony approaching on Tuesday, Dec. 7. Springfield homes have already started showing their holiday spirit. 

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Patch for the Holidays

Christmas Tree Shopping Guide

Three Springfield businesses are selling trees.

This weekend is prime Christmas tree buying time. We're close enough to the day itself that a tree bought in the next couple days will retain most of its needles for present-opening time. Anthony Benett of seasonal Morris Ave. fixture Anthony B's Trees said he was looking forward to a busy mid-December.  Benett sells trees ranging in price from $35 to $150, and he currently has 900 on his lot.  The parking lot at Hotel 304 West—formerly the Holiday Inn—was likewise packed with firs. A sign leaning by a tree listed prices ranging from $19.95 to $49.95, and wished readers a jaunty "Feliz Navidad." Maplewood nurseries  on Springfield Ave. offers several nicely packaged trees as well. Their hours are generally from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Also …

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Patch for the Holidays

Photos: Springfield Holiday Celebration

Families braved the cold to meet Santa and enjoy Holiday cheer.

Shortly after the large pine tree outside of Springfield's Town Hall was lit with Christmas lights, gusts of wind hit it with enough force to make the large tree sway.  The lights held, but the moment illustrated the chill the dozens of families who turned out for Springfield's holiday celebration faced. Holiday cheer ruled the evening despite the weather. "For a cold night, I'm happy so many people came out," Springfield Director of Recreation Michael Tennaro said.  The highlight of the event was when Santa Claus climbed down from the Town Hall roof on a fire truck ladder, landed in the crowd and was swarmed by children. As old Kris Kringle conferred with Springfield's youngsters on their Christmas wishes, other family members gathered…

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Adam Bulger

7:07 pm on Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Apologies: I got to the event too late to get any pics of the Girl Scouts. But check back tomorrow: we will have video of the event that includes the Scouts' rousing version of "Frosty the Snowman." That said: I would be delighted to go along with Barry's suggestion and buy a box or two of cookies to make up for neglecting the young ladies' performance in the article above.   more ›

Springfield's 4th of July Celebration

Clips of this year's Independence Day celebration.

July 4 was a very busy and very hot day for Springfield. This year's  festival included great food, give-aways, the 1910 Fruitgum Company, a presentation of a flag to the mayor and, of course,  fireworks. In addition to a train ride, there was a water slide, moon bounce and a petting zoo. No Body Denied supplied a DJ, beach balls and games for children. United States Representative Leonard Lance (no stranger to Springfield) and Mayor Ziad Shehady recognized the 230th anniversary of the Battle of Springfield. In honor of the event, a flag was flown over the capital, which Springfield now owns. The party kicked up a notch, when '60s rockers the 1910 Fruitgum Company started jamming on stage.

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Springfield Index: Father's Day Presents For $100 A Pop

Still looking for gift ideas for the head of the family? Head out to 22 or Morris Avenue and grab one of these finds.

Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. It's a wonderful time of the year—the days are long and the weather has finally warmed up.  Families get together and make 'greeting card' memories at barbeques, around pools and parks. The Index is feeling sentimental this Father's Day (we were actually * ahem * born on Father's Day). So instead of checking for low-priced bargains for The Index we decided to see just what kind of manly presents we could find in the Springfield retail corridors on Route 22 and Morris Avenue for around $100. Sports Authority, Route 22 eastbound:  Our first thought was to look for a bicycle, but we were dreaming with prices starting way out of our range. We did see some nice retro-style bowling balls …

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Springfield New Year's Resolutions

New habits for the new year.

For some, this year's resolutions will be a real challenge, like travelling the world or writing a novel. For others, it's kicking old habits like smoking and gambling. But sure enough, Monday morning, flocks of hopefuls will sign up at gyms everywhere, promising themselves to cut the extra ten pounds. In this tight economy, let's be real. If you haven't been to the gym in the past six months, what's going to change? Just your credit card bill! A resolution should be a long-term commitment, not a false achievement that fades by February. Start small. If your goal is to lose weight, cut the carbs, start walking around your block once a day and get a home yoga instruction video. Try it for a month and if it feels right, then go to the gym …

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