Flanked by Manhattan and Montauk Point, Long Island is ablaze in the sparkling twinkle of Christmas lights and bustling with joyous activity. Tis the season for all, young and old, to immerse in the magic and cheer that is Christmas, and Long Island offers ample opportunity to do just that. The start of the holiday season was ushered in by the seventh annual lighting of the lighthouse in Montauk Point. New York State’s premier shoreline beacon is now illuminated for the holiday season with more than 7,000 white lights that outline the museum and tower in sparkling splendor. The historic landmark was constructed in 1796 and is the fourth oldest active lighthouse within the United States. Long Island’s famous mascot, the iconic Big Duck, has donned his festive digs as illuminated swags of garland, embellished with colorful ornaments, encircle his neck and drape down from his shoulders to mimic the appearance of a winter scarf. Constructed during the early 1930s, The Big Duck’s stature stands a colossal 20 feet tall and measures 30 feet in length from bill to tail, and his glowing crimson eyes were created from a pair of Ford Model-T taillights. Be sure to duck indoors to browse for duck-themed gifts and stocking stuffers. The Big Duck’s nesting site is located on Route 24 in Flanders. Heading further west, causeway traffic builds up nightly as folks excitedly make their pilgrimage to the newly revived Holiday Lights Spectacular at Jones Beach. The 2.5-mile route through the west end of the beach offers more than 150 scenes to celebrate the season, earning the display the superlative title of the largest Christmas light display on Long Island. In Manhattan, the world’s most celebrated Christmas tree attracted thousands to Rockefeller Center for the traditional annual lighting. This year’s majestic Norway spruce hails from Danville, Pennsylvania and towers at 85 feet tall. Sparkling with more than 45,000 lights and crowned with a 9.5-foot wide Swarovski crystal star, the spectacular holiday symbol has adorned the center every December since 1933. Other captivating holiday displays can be observed throughout Manhattan’s parks and shop windows. From east end windmills to residential homes across two counties, there are numerous holiday light exhibits to marvel at. Two homes of note that are dazzling immense crowds are located on Elm Avenue in Coram and on Hancock Court in South Setauket. The South Setauket home, owned by the Ligouri family, flashes, blinks and twinkles with 35,000 lights that synchronize with Christmas music. Visitors have the option of contributing donations, which are allocated to two charities that benefit brain cancer patients. The Coram house lights are also set to dance emphatically to Christmas music, and donations are given to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and to Suffolk County’s Make-a-Wish Foundation. There is enough stress, hustle and bustle throughout the year to fill our weeks. Christmas morning will be spent opening gifts over sweet breakfast treats around the tree. Until then, take a time out this weekend to revel in the season’s simple and timeless pleasure of gazing at some of our area’s Christmas light displays. |
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AuthorCat Troiano grew up on Long Island, where she subsequently attended SUNY Stony Brook, married, worked and declared her lifelong home. She works as a freelance writer, enjoys gourmet cooking and dining, loves the beach and continues to reside in eastern Suffolk County, Long Island, with her husband Brian and their cats. Archives
August 2015
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