While thousands of lights lit up the holiday tree on the Green, several small flames illuminated a corner in Westville.
Thursday was a night of lights in New Haven, as two holiday ceremonies celebrated flashes of brightness in the midst of the darkest season.
On the Green, hundreds came to see the city’s Christmas tree light up for the Holiday season.
Across town, at the corner of Whalley Avenue and Blake Street, a dozen people gathered to celebrate the second night of Channukah with the lighting of a menorah.
Just before 5 p.m., the enormous evergreen stood unlit on the Green, waiting for someone to throw the switch and turn on the thousands of colored bulbs that city workers have labored to decorate it with over the past weeks.
Nearby, children admired a pen of white rabbits that occupied a miniature Christmas village.
The penned-in bunnies were overseen by a matching man-sized floppy-eared hare. Lucas Blinn, who works in an office for the parks department, was lucky enough to land the rabbit suit this year.
“It’s alright. It’s warm,” he said of his uniform. He shared his special qualifications for the position. “I used to work at Chuck E. Cheese’s.”
Tyra Santangelo and Doreen Larson, two other parks employees, were also on “bunny duty.” Santangelo said the bunny village was “a little bit of a whim” put together by Christy Hass, deputy director of the parks department, whose brother raises rabbits.
The kids are into it, Santangelo said. “They seem to like it. They don’t care that it was nothing to do with Christmas.”
Elsewhere on the Green, Zeb Esselstyn was showing off the benches that he and his brother Ted made from last year’s holiday tree. Their company, CityBench, was formed in July and makes furniture from old city trees.
Esselstyn said he and his brother are going to give the benches to the city and plan to make more from this year’s tree.
Not far away, people from New Haven Reads were giving away children’s books.
Katarina Hartmann and Ella, her 17-month-old daughter, both from Germany, admired the carousel.
As a long line formed to whisper wishes to Santa, who was yet to arrive, Frosty offered his services for family photos.
Pedi-cab operator Paul Hammer, in a seasonal cap, cruised the Green toting bundled passengers.
Meanwhile, across town in Westville, Rabbi Yossi Hodakov was readying to light a menorah. The outdoor lighting ceremony was meant to happen Wednesday night, as part of a big celebration that happened at the Westville library Wednesday, the first night of Channukah, but the lashing rain prevented it. The events were cosponsored by Westville Chabad and the Westville Village Renaissance Alliance.
Addressing a dozen people gathered on the street corner, Rabbi Hodakov said the menorah serves to remind people of a Channukah lesson. Big tasks can seem daunting, but they are all made up of small steps, he said. Each night of Chanukah, you light just one more candle than the last. “You take it one step at a time,” he said.
With just a little difficulty, Hodakov lit the special all-weather candles. On the other nights of Channukah the menorah will be lit by electric bulbs.
Before and after the lighting, Hodakov led the group in Hebrew prayers.
Then the group partook of some hot apple cider. Menorahs, dreidels and chocolate “gelt” coins were also on offer.
Hodakov reminded people that gelt means money. “Kids, be sure to ask your parents for the real thing,” he joked.
“Joy!” Hodakov said as he handed out mugs of cider. “Happy Channukah!”