Shortly before the event began, the event’s main organizer, Shannon La Salle, and a few other volunteers handed out plastic candles to attendees to produce a bright glowing effect under the pitch-black sky.

Once attendees formed a wide semi-circle in front of the community Christmas tree, one of the event’s organizers, Désirée Tremblay-Giroux, opened the ceremony with a word of welcome where she emphasized how much she enjoys the tree lighting tradition.

To continue the ceremony, Tremblay-Giroux led the crowd in the renditions of several holiday classics, including “O Christmas Tree”, “Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer” and “Silent Night”.

After singing in unison, attendees counted down from five before a volunteer finally flicked the switch and ignited the lights on the Christmas tree.

After the ceremony, people migrated to the RA Hall decked out in Christmas decorations, where several volunteers had been preparing a number of activities for families along with plenty of delicious food and drink for all to enjoy free of charge.

Plus, RA member Shane Presley explained that the organization donated 100 gifts that they would hand out to kids to make sure everyone received something for Christmas.

“They all get a toque and a pair of mittens,” he said.

Inside the hall, a number of families decorated ginger bread cookies, while others roasted marshmallows over a bonfire, outside.

Kids even got a chance to meet Santa Claus in person who made an appearance mid-way through the event.

To help raise funds for the RA, a handful of volunteers sold tickets to a number of different raffles for a chance to win a variety of prizes, including two tickets to an Ottawa Senators game against the Montreal Canadiens as well as four tickets to an Ottawa 67’s home game.

For the first time since the event was put together three years ago, the RA lit up another Christmas tree, just outside the hall, giving people an opportunity to craft their own ornaments to decorate it.

“Everyone who participates can be part of this tree that will stay up until Jan. 6,” she said.

The RA also invited attendees to register for their annual house-decorating contest, which featured over 30 entries last year with some coming from outside the town, La Salle said. The winner will be announced on Dec. 14 at the Otter Lake Golden Age Club’s Christmas party.

According to La Salle, the event was originally organized as an effort to bring the community together to take time to get away from the stress that the holiday season brings.

“It’s not just for the children, it’s for big kids too, to just try and have one relaxed day that’s not about gifts or what you get, just to have the community all come together,” she said.

With plenty of families getting together to soak in the holiday spirit, La Salle was quite satisfied with the community’s response to the event.

J.D. Potié, THE EQUITY One of the event’s organizers Désirée Tremblay-Giroux reads song scripts with a group of children, during the ceremony.

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