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Medford lights up its Christmas tree Mail Tribune / Drew Fleming Artificial clouds and snow added atmosphere to the tree-lighting ceremony Tuesday night at Vogel Park. Medford Mayor Lindsay Berryman set the tone of the evening by emphasizing the theme: Christmas for Caring. Ceremony has it all, right down to the chestnuts By Dani Dodge Al Hanscom and his wife took two cars to Medford�s Christmas celebration in Vogel Park Tuesday. They couldn�t fit themselves and six grandchildren into just one four-door sedan. "I want them to see what Christmas is really about," Hanscom said as a half-dozen children in brightly colored ski jackets ran circles around him and his wife, Sherry. "It�s not just about what�s under the tree. It�s really about friendship and coming together as a community. It�s about Jesus Christ and family." More than 3,000 people enjoyed Medford�s annual Christmas celebration. Even the weather, which had been forecast for rain, was perfect. Cool and crisp and clear. This is the fourth year Medford has held a tree-lighting ceremony downtown in Vogel Park. Mayor Lindsay Berryman set the tone of the evening by emphasizing the theme: Christmas for Caring. "The festivities of the evening and our tree-lighting ceremony is meaningful to each of us in different ways," she said. "This tree-lighting ceremony to me represents the outreach of love and joy throughout the world, especially here in the Rogue Valley." Berryman urged people to reach out in love and understanding to not only friends and family, but people of different cultures, religions, ethnic backgrounds and lifestyles. "May the light of love shine in all of us," she said. The two-hour celebration began at 5:30 p.m. with songs by the Sweet Adelines and a parade. The parade included the city�s two high school marching bands, a fire truck and a few community groups. Along the three-block route, downtown merchants gave coffee, hot chocolate and apple cider to crowd. Among those sipping hot beverages and cheering the marchers were Joseph and Barbara Policastro. The couple recently retired to Medford from New York, where Joseph had rarely gotten to see a parade purely as a spectator. As a cop, he was always working. "It was the shortest parade I�ve ever seen in my life," Joseph Policastro said. "But I liked it." The parade ended at the park, where high school choirs sang and Garry Smith, of Balloons by Garry, fashioned red, green and white balloons into fanciful reindeers and hats with long unicorn-like candy canes sticking out of them. Workers from ACCESS roasted hundreds of chestnuts in iron skillets over two barbecue grills. Most people tasted the traditional Christmas treat for the first time. Several didn�t even know to peel them. "I expected it to look more like an almond," said Todd South, who sampled the delicacy with his wife, Melanie, and 10-year-old daughter, Hailey. And although the Souths were pleasantly surprised by the sweet-tasting nut, a nearby youngster was less enamored. "Icky," declared Jared Blackman, 9, of White City. Even Santa was in a jolly mood as he took orders for Barbie dolls and Pokemons and handed out candy canes. Although he did field some tough questions from the crowd. "Are you the real Santa?" Teresa Sigfried, 5, asked in a serious tone as she poked at Santa�s belly with her index finger. "Sure I�m real," he replied. "Then where�s your reindeer?" "I had to park them around the block so I didn�t get a parking ticket." She nodded and unwrapped her candy. After the tree was lit and the last carol sung, the evening ended with a flurry of fake snow pouring out across the park. Al Hanscom, his wife and six of their 17 grandchildren played in the fluffy blizzard. "The commercialism of Christmas won�t go away � it goes with the freedoms we have in this society," Hanscom said. "But sometimes we get caught up in it rather than celebrating life, love and family." Tuesday, the Hanscoms and thousands of others in Medford truly celebrated. Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.