Springfield on the Move and tree lighting holiday celebration

Downtown Springfield was inundated Friday night, Dec. 1, by throngs of families participating in Springfield on the Move’s holiday program.


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Springfield on the Move and tree lighting holiday celebration BY TRINA MENARD, The Shopper December 5, 2017 holiday Santa lit Springfield’s Christmas tree. Photo by Trina Menard. SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Downtown Springfield was inundated Friday night, Dec. 1, by throngs of families participating in Springfield on the Move’s (SOM) holiday program. It was a glorious night filled with music, both from the Springfield Community band and the speakers that were attached to the lampposts downtown. Sharon Morris, SOM board member, commented, “The turnout has been awesome this evening, the kids are very excited.” SOM and the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce collaborated on the evening’s itinerary and the organization of 27 areas businesses to participate on the children’s holiday sticker map. The children started at 6 Valley St., the SOM office, at which point they were given goody bags containing their sticker map, Scholastic holiday book, and glow stick necklaces for safety. holiday Springfield on the Move and area businesses sent children on a tour of downtown, collecting stickers for their maps and prizes. Photo by Trina Menard. The map started at Barrett & Valley Associates continued to the United Methodist Church, Perkins Country Deli, People’s United Bank, Lamb & McNaughton, P.C., Graham & Graham, P.C., Springfield Cinema 3 Movie Scoop, Sheri’s Place, John C. Duff, OD, Haircuts Just Around the Corner, Village Pizza, Lawrence & Wheeler, Vermont Department of Labor, Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce, Gallery at the Vault, SHA Huber Building, Town Hall, Claremont Savings Bank, First Congregational Church, Edgar May Studio Momentum, Springfield Town Library, H&R Block, Dark Mountain Games, Clever Cow, Alaura’s New Nails, Shannon’s UpScale Resale, and finally back to the SOM office. Each establishment gave the children a token of appreciation, and when the children filled their sticker maps and brought them back to the SOM office they were given another special treat. The line to visit Santa started early, before 4:30 p.m. The Springfield Community band valiantly played a never-ending list of traditional carols to be sung along to, they also pulled in children from the audience to play the sleigh bells. The evening came to its climax with a magnanimous arrival from Mr. and Mrs. Claus. They arrived by fire truck with a full police escort. The children greeted the merry couple with shrill shrieks of pure joy! Santa scooped up the first child in line and lit the Springfield town tree. Santa’s special house was brightly illuminated and a perfect place to make memories for years to come.