Farmingdale's holiday season officially began last Wednesday with the annual lighting of the Village Tricentennial tree. Beginning at 6 p.m. on Dec. 5, several local residents, village officials and other dignitaries gathered on Village Green outside Village Hall on Main St. to light the tree and kick off the holiday season.

At the ceremony, which has been a tradition in the Farmingdale community since 1989, members from several local organizations, including the Farmingdale-Bethpage Historical Society, the Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club of Farmingdale and the Village Beautification Committee, in addition to other event sponsors, village officials and County Legislator Salvatore Pontillo greeted residents and celebrated with the community.

Village Historian Bill Johnston, coordinator for the event, and Deputy Village Historian Dan Looney, thanked all members of the organizations for attending and for their large role in helping make each holiday season in Farmingdale a success. Among those who contribute to the effort each year are the Kiwanis Club of Farmingdale, who not only annually serves hot chocolate to residents in Village Hall after the ceremony, but this year made sure that flags they had posted throughout the community following the events of Sept. 11 remained posted as a great symbol of Farmingdale's patriotism and support. In addition, Chamber of Commerce President Edwin Lucie spoke to residents regarding the Sept. 11 tragedy, telling them that while everybody certainly has to reflect on the occurrence, they also have to accentuate the positive.

The Chamber sponsored one of the musical groups which performed festive selections both this year and in years past, the South Shore Brass Ensemble; recently sponsored a Holiday Parade in the village and also bought decorations which were placed around the village by the Village Beautification Committee.

In addition to the South Shore Brass Ensemble, residents enjoyed choral selections from the Junior Chorus of Northside Elementary School, under the direction of Judy Feuss.

As in years past, Farmingdale Mayor Joseph Trudden, following his annual holiday message, did the honors of lighting the tree with the help of enthusiastic local youngsters helping him and other residents count down the seconds to the lighting.

"Every year I come up here and ask for peace on earth," Mayor Trudden said, "but it's a little hard to do that this year," he added, reflecting on the events of Sept. 11. "We ask you to pray for those people, [who are fighting for our freedom] in Afghanistan," he said, adding that the village would like to thank the heroic efforts of local volunteer firemen from Farmingdale, South Farmingdale and East Farmingdale.