Millersburg Lions to host annual courthouse tree lighting Nov. 14

Every year it seems more people than ever are saying, “I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas already.”

Well, it’s getting close to being that time of the year again, and the Millersburg Lions are happy to oblige in ushering in the Christmas season with a time-honored tradition.

The annual Lions tree lighting ceremony at the Holmes County Courthouse in Historic Downtown Millersburg will take place Friday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. on the courthouse lawn, and it should be a good time as the community gathers to welcome in the Christmas season.

The evening will feature free hot chocolate on what should be a cool November evening, along with music by the West Holmes Chamber Choir.

According to Lions Club member Sue Dye, the Lions have gone all out to introduce some new items to the courthouse decorations including adding a new look to the giant spruce tree on the northeast corner of the courthouse.

“We’re going back to placing the larger bulbs on the tree this year to really make it stand out,” Dye said.

So when the countdown begins moments before 7 p.m., the night sky will be lit up in Christmas colors to get people into the Christmas spirit.

As donations continue to come in for the Lions, the local nonprofit group that has decorated downtown Millersburg for the Christmas season continues to pour money back into the community. According to Dye, they will add some new centerpieces around the courthouse lawn.

“We’ve got some new scenes this year for the lawn including a nutcracker, a new arch, two new bells,” Dye said. “We’re excited to really brighten up the lawn for the Christmas season, and I know this is an event that a lot of people really look forward to attending.”

Dye said while this is always a lot of work, it also is a lot of building unity and camaraderie within the Lions group, and they always have a blast getting everything ready for the Yuletide season.

“It’s become a time-honored tradition for both us as a group and for the community,” Dye said.

In addition, she said it is neat to get the young adults from the WHHS Chamber Choir involved, not only because it adds a beautiful aura to the event, but also because it gets younger people involved.

“Our hope is that someday soon many of these young people will be part of our Lions Club,” Dye said.

Dye said last year they had a nice turnout including a group of young women dressed in Victorian garb.

Once the evening is complete, the lights will come on every night to create a Christmas atmosphere throughout the season, inviting people from near and far to bask in the glow of the downtown lights and decorations.

“We’re excited to see a whole lot of people come out to help us usher in Christmas,” Dye said. “We know it may be cold outside that night, so we invite everyone to throw on a coat and mittens and join us for a wonderful celebration.”

In addition to the courthouse area, the Lions also are in charge of decorating the “Y” park on the south side of town. Dye said they will spruce up that area with Christmas decor Nov. 8.

A rain date is set for Saturday, Nov. 15, should inclement weather roll in.