Tree Lighting In Sea Isle City Launches Resort’s Holiday Season

SEA ISLE CITY – With hundreds of residents and visitors looking on – including throngs of bright-eyed children eager to meet Santa Claus – Sea Isle City officials launched the 2010 holiday season in grand style during the resort’s fourth annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Nov. 30.
The merry event, which was hosted by Mayor Leonard Desiderio, featured many special guests, including Cape May County Freeholder Director Daniel Beyel, county Clerk Rita Marie Fulginiti and county Sheriff Gary Schaffer. Adding to the festivities were City Council President Mary Tighe and Councilmen Mike McHale, Bill Kehner and John Divney.
The ceremony began at 6 p.m. when everyone gathered in front of the town’s Beach Tag Office on JFK Boulevard, where the city’s enormous Christmas tree is located. Moments later, while members of the Sea Isle City Tax Payers Association were handing out complimentary cookies and hot cocoa, the approaching sound of a fire engine blared in the distance. Before long, Mayor Desiderio was emerging from the fire truck accompanied by the event’s guest of honor, Santa Claus, who soon was giving high-fives and hugs to the many children who ran to greet him.
Following a brief greeting from the mayor, several holiday songs were rendered by the youngsters in the audience. Next, the mayor introduced a group of city employees, the City Hall Solid Gold Singers, who cheerfully sang two more holiday ballads for the crowd. Russell Briggs, a local World War II veteran who is considered the town’s “virtuoso in residence” then sang the holiday classic “Silent Night.” Briggs was followed by Carmela Desiderio, 12, who recited “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas.”
With a group of children assisting them, Desiderio and St. Nick then flipped a switch that illuminated Sea Isle’s giant holiday tree,
which stands over 30-feet tall and is trimmed with thousands of bright lights. After a moment of cheering, the mayor then wished everyone a merry Christmas and brought the ceremony to a close.
Other holiday events taking place in Sea Isle City this year include a Santa’s Calling Program on Dec. 6, a house lighting contest on Dec. 9, a holiday house your on Dec. 10, a VFW brunch with Santa on Dec. 19 and a New Year’s Eve celebration for children on Dec. 31, which will be followed by a public fireworks display to ring in the new year. For additional information about these and other community events happening in Sea Isle City, visit seaislecitynj.us.