AMHERST – There’s no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than by singing along to your favourite Christmas carols, sipping some hot cider and lighting up the Christmas tree. Although perhaps not that cozy, downtown Amherst was all lit up Friday night during their Downtown Christmas Light Up ceremony to kick start the holiday season.
First time ceremony visitor Linda Bickerton said she was very much impressed with the festivities.
“It was fabulous,” she said. “I think it’s great that so many people come out. There have been a lot of things going on downtown this past summer in the square and people are really supporting it.”
But what really got Bickerton’s attention was the ceremony at Dayle’s. The store had a theme in each corner to coincide with the singing of the 12 Days of Christmas. As each day was mentioned, the scene to correspond with it would light up.
“I’ve never seen this before either,” she said. “It was marvelous. The way it all goes around, it was very nice. They did a lot of work. It’s great that the community comes together. Look at the people.”
With her first impression of the ceremony ending on a positive note, Bickerton said she would definitely be back again next year.
Breanna Taylor was also a newcomer to the ceremony.
“It was really nice,” she said. “I liked it when they were playing the instruments in the church. The ceremony (at Dayle’s) was really cool. I’d come back.”
There ceremony started in Victoria Square with Mayor Robert Small and the town councillors lighting up the downtown, followed by a sing-a-long in the First Baptist Church lead by the Amherst Regional High School band. The ceremony finished off with the lighting ceremony at Dayle’s department store.
jturner@amherstdaily.com
.jpg){kind=small}
