Community
CHRISTMAS TREE-LIGHTING TRADITION ON THE LAWN OF TOWN HALL Cherished Custom Included New Tree, Christmas Story and Candlelight Sing-Along
Of all the many enduring traditions that help Prosper keep that unique small-town character, perhaps none is as dear to residents as the official Town Tree Lighting downtown by our Mayor. This year’s celebration took place at Town Hall on the evening of December 3rd. The beloved tradition, while still closely cherished by local families, was slightly updated this year, as the Town of Prosper inaugurated a new tree on the lawn of the recently-opened Town Hall in downtown Prosper at 200 S. Main St. Residents have, for a good number of years, previously gathered around the live evergreen, next to the old post office building on Broadway, to keep the annual tradition unbroken, even in the face of harsh weather. In fact, many long-time residents have seen that live evergreen grow each Christmas, from a five-foot sapling almost a decade ago to what is today a 12-foot tall tree with a generous girth. The number of lights and ornaments increased each year to keep up with the tree’s growth, applied with great care by the Town’s very own staff members. While we gathered around a different tree, the tree-lighting tradition continued downtown, by popular request, even when the Christmas Festival was moved from the downtown sector to the more spacious and accommodating Frontier Park. Prosper families were invited to attend the celebration to help keep the tradition alive. It was a rather chilly evening, but there was hot chocolate for all and the spirit of Christmas ran high. Holiday music resonated from the speakers as everyone gathered around our new Town Hall for this special celebration.
12 | December 2018 WeArePROSPER.com
Dudley Raymond, Director of Parks and Recreation, welcomed the crowd and introduced Prosper Community Library Director Leslie Scott who read “A Visit from St. Nicolas”. The story began with the iconic line: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Parents and children alike, who had read and heard the story over and over again during their lifetimes, recited along from memory. The celebration continued as the talented Rogers Middle School choir sang Christmas carols. Mayor Ray Smith then asked all the children in the crowd to join him as he prepared to flip the switch. As they came to the front, he introduced several Councilmen, the Police and Fire Chiefs and joined them in wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. They then began the countdown, and as they reached the end, the 30-foot tall community Christmas tree was illuminated with hundreds of bulbs. Town of Prosper staff had passed out candles to the crowd, and as the flames were lit, the community sing-along began to a beautiful rendition of Silent Night, led by the Roger Choir. “Historically, the heart of Prosper has been the site of the official Town Tree Lighting and we look forward to continuing that tradition,” says Dudley Raymond. “The hometown Christmas tree will be displayed at Town Hall for years to come and we’re excited to celebrate with the community.”
