With Christmas Cheer, Mount Kisco Lights its Tree & Welcomes Holiday Season

Mount Kisco kicked off its holiday season Friday evening with a tree lighting ceremony downtown.

Even Santa Claus showed up, while close to 200 spirited community members used their caroling voices to coax Jolly Saint Nick out of the doors of Village Hall and greeted him with hugs, handshakes, and high fives. 

"[The holidays are] such a stressful time of year for everybody," Vince Lemma, president of the Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce stated. "Once and a while, you have to take a deep breath, see your neighbor, have fun with everybody, sing some songs. That's what it's all about."

The chamber, of which Patch is also a member of, put together the tree lighting event. They received help from the Highway Department, which hung lights, ribbons and wreaths, as well as Four Seasons Flower Shop and the Holiday Inn. The American Legion provided space for people to hang out afterward.

Former Mayor Pat Reilly's piano playing and past Chamber of Commerce President Nancy Hack's voice riled up the crowd of expectant children and adults. Armed with candles and song books, the audience joined in on traditional Christmas songs such as Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Santa Clause is Coming to Town. Making sure to include everyone in the festivities, the group belted out Feliz Navidad and helped Linda Cindrich, the wife of Mayor Michael Cindrich, with I Have a Little Dreidel.          

Although Father Christmas' arrival garnered the loudest audience squeals, his entrance was rivaled by another exciting event - the lighting of the village's Christmas tree. Cindrich took the microphone to lead a loud countdown which ended with the illumination of countless colored bulbs.  Once the tree, which shares the lawn with a menorah, was lit and Santa's sleigh had successfully landed, the procession followed its red suited leader to the American Legion for cookies and cocoa.

Children waited in line to sit on Santa's lap, whisper their Christmas wishes, and collect crayons, coloring books and candy canes. Mythri Galpotthawla, 8, whose favorite part of the holidays is spending time with her family, had a smile across her face.

"I hope you enjoy the holidays...and all you young people be good!" Cindrich remarked to the crowd, which included his daughter and granddaughter. "This is what Mount Kisco is all about!" He declared.