Manassas, Va. — The Christmas tree in Old Town Manassas will once again be lit up for the holiday season with the help of New York City firefighters.
The tree lighting will take place tonight at 6:30 outside the Manassas Museum, but the festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with holiday music and the arrival of Santa Claus, according to city officials.
This will not be the first time New York City firefighters have been in attendance for the tree lighting ceremony, as a group of them attended Manassas’ tree lighting ceremony in Dec. 2001, months after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
This year eight firefighters will be escorted alongside the City of Manassas Fire and Rescue Department’s Honor Guard.
John Martin, Chair of the Manassas Christmas Parade Committee, shared some thoughts on seeing the firefighters arrive in Manassas 10-years-ago:
As you know the Greater Manassas Christmas Parade Committee has invited the New York City Firefighters back to Manassas for the kickoff of the holiday season at this weekend’s Merry Old Town festivities. I wanted to relate a story regarding the first year they were here in Manassas for Merry Old Town in December of 2001.
There were 21 firefighters and 2 New York City police officers that came that year and after I met with them Friday afternoon to fill them in on the events for the weekend, they met with Mayor Gilliam and received a key to the city. In return, the Mayor was gifted a FDNY rain coat.
At the Christmas Tree Lighting that night- Santa arrived on the VRE and we escorted him over to the Museum, as we always do, for the Christmas tree lighting where over 5000 citizen’s had assembled. The stage was set to welcome Santa and light the tree, all the dignitaries had been introduced, but our guests from New York City had not arrived.
All of a sudden, from the street we could hear applause but we couldn’t see what or who was there to warrant such a welcome. Finally, we saw the crowd part and down the sidewalk marching 2 by 2 were the Firefighters and Police Officers from New York, walking towards the stage. By the time they got to the steps the applause was thunderous and there was not a dry eye among the crowd, or these brave men. When I saw a tear coming down Santa’s cheek, I knew their presence had touched everyone. I found out later the story from our New York friends, that as touched as they were by the reception they got from the crowd, the real water works started when about half way down the sidewalk to the museum steps they heard a little boy on his Daddy’s shoulders say, “Daddy get closer so I can touch a Hero”. I still say it’s not the amount of breaths we take, but how many moments that take your breath away that count.
-John Martin
