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Manchester Aglow With Holiday Cheer
By Keith Hagarty
 | | Twenty-one-month old Rachel Kessler gets a boost from her sister Nicole for a better glimpse at the Christmas tree and the arrival of Santa Clause. The Kessler family was joined by dozens of rosy-cheeked residents who were all smiles despite the chilly temperatures at last week’s annual tree lighting ceremony at the municipal building on Colonial Drive. |
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The township sent a warm message of happy holidays to residents who braved the frigid temperatures on Friday night for Manchester’s annual tree lighting ceremony. After the countdown by township officials, the tall evergreen shined forth with bright white lights seen from blocks away as the bundled up crowd was more than ready to ring in the holiday season joining in the singing of traditional Christmas carols.
For some, the annual tree lighting is a time for peaceful reflection, while for others it signifies something else.
“It reminds me that I still have a lot more shopping to do,” said Lakehurst resident Denise Cavallero, who attended the festivities with her husband, Carl, and her sister, Janet.
“This is the third year I’ve been here, and it’s just always such a nice night,” she said. “It’s definitely cold, but I think that’s what Christmas should be.”
 | | --Photos by Keith Hagarty |
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While parents looked to keep their kids warm during the night, most of the kids had a singular purpose for being there, and that was to get a chance to meet the North Pole’s most famous resident.
“She really wants to see Santa,” said resident Theresa
Kessler as she held her 21-
month-old daughter, Rachel. “We’re having a real nice time. It’s a beautiful tree.”
Delores Rayner has seen almost every one of the tree lighting ceremonies since it began over a decade ago. While she’s seen many things change in her 30-plus years as a resident of Manchester, there’s been one consistent theme she’s most proud of.
“It’s about family here,” she said. “This town has always been good in keeping it an inviting place to be.”
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