A Cold Night at Saugus Center

Santa Claus led the crowd into Town Hall to warm up as the town hosted its annual Tree Lighting and Festivities

For the first time since 2019, Saugus Town Hall opened its doors to the public as hundreds of residents and visitors celebrated the Annual Tree Lighting and Festivities. The town ushered in the holiday season with one of its most popular events of the year as people gathered on the lawn outside for two hours – awaiting Santa’s arrival. At about 7 p.m., Santa got out of his sleigh in front of the Saugus Public Library and walked through the crowd up the walk to the entrance of Town Hall. Once climbing the steps, he grabbed the microphone, wished everyone a Merry Christmas and gave the instructions for the official tree and other trees bearing thousands of festive holiday lights to be turned on – and they will remain on through the first part of January. Once the lights were turned on, town officials escorted Santa into Town Hall and up to the second-floor auditorium, where dozens of kids got in line to have their photos taken with Santa. It was glove and mitten weather for the three-and-a-half-hour event with tractor-drawn hayrides and trackless train rides, as temperatures dipped into the low 30s and upper 20s. But there was plenty to warm the hearts of the people who turned out: hot chocolate to go with cookies, the popular petting zoo, a moon bounce and classic holiday music provided by New England’s Best DJs and Photo Booths. Participants found relief from the cold in the final 90 minutes as parents and other grownups snapped photos of kids sitting with Santa. Many of the kids had their faces painted. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler)