South Habersham Middle School Chorus accompanied by leader Memrie Cox, performed at Demorest’s Tree Lighting.
The heart of downtown Demorest was lined with small candles along its pathways Wednesday night. The scene was the annual lighting of the city’s Christmas Tree, and many people came to watch, and listen, and enjoy.
Mayor Rick Austin welcomed the crowd to what he later called “just a nice community celebration.” One Demorest resident, who had been attending the ceremony for 22 years, called the 2015 Christmas Tree Lighting “the best!”
The combined choirs from two city churches began the night singing Christmas carols from a stage with white lights strung from end to end. Live manger scene actors stood in place in a rustic shelter beside the stage, but turned their costumed heads to watch the choir sing. The audience – from babies to the elderly – listened to the pastor of one church tell what she called “The Greatest Love Story Ever Told” – the story of Jesus’ birth. She described Jesus as “the Light of the World” and small candles, handed out to the audience, were lit one by one, until downtown “glowed.”
When the Christmas Tree was lit, voices in the audience were heard saying, “awesome!” “very cool,” “it was about Jesus,” and “I think it looks great!” The same young voices were heard again when “Santa Claus” arrived downtown in a fire truck escorted by police cars, and employees of the City of Demorest provided cookies and hot chocolate to the crowd.
As Santa talked with young children and they had their pictures taken, two young ladies stood to the side, with their handheld candles still lit. They stood, facing “a grandmother” and and Christmas carols to her, one after another. “That makes my Christmas,” the grandmother said. “That makes my day.”
“It has been a nice ceremony,” Mayor Austin added.
