Christmas, Hanukkah Events In Scotch Plains: Parades, Tree Lightings

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — There is no shortage of things to do in Scotch Plains to get the winter holiday season off to a rollicking good start.

Christmas and Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, intersect this year, with Hanukkah running Dec. 18-26. Christmas, of course, is on Dec. 25, but you don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the holidays.

Tree and menorah lightings in Scotch Plains are:

• Scotch Plains will have its tree lighting on Sunday, Dec. 4 at the Alan M. Augustine Village Green at 5 p.m. The event will also include hot chocolate, food trucks, horse-drawn carriage rides, a petting zoo, a canned food drive and much more.
• Chabad of Union County will host a menorah lighting at the Alan M. Augustine Village on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 5 p.m.

Christmas parades — often complete with Santa Claus, festively decorated floats and marching bands — are a holiday tradition, both nationally and locally.

Several big parades are taking place this year, including the Mayor’s Annual Christmas Parade in Baltimore City, Maryland; and the Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, California.

Parades in Scotch Plains may not be able to match those in size, but the heart behind them is just as big. Parades to catch near home include:

• Parade And Tree Lighting Ceremony Planned For This Week In Madison

Holiday lighting displays are another holiday favorite. Some to catch in New Jersey are:

• 'Festival Of Trees' Returns To Cranford This Holiday Season
• Winter Walk Among Thousands Of Lights In Essex County Through Jan. 15

Clarification: An earlier version of this story mentioned the defunct Target Holidazzle Parade in Minneapolis, which no longer takes place.