Photos: UT Health Tyler hosts 33rd annual Christmas tree lighting

As Christmas approaches, places around East Texas have various events to light up the tree and bring holiday cheer. There are several tree lighting ceremonies scheduled across the region:

Tyler

UT Health Tyler Originally set for Nov. 28, this has been postponed. No new date yet.

CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital at Tyler will have a tree lighting Dec. 6 at the main entrance on 800 East Dawson Street at 5:30 p.m. The tree will be lit by River Hardy, the 2024 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Miracle Child.

City of Tyler 38th Annual Tree Lighting on the Square has been postponed with plans to reschedule. A date has not yet been announced. The 2024 Miracle Child will light the tree. 

Oak Hills Terrace Memory Care Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 7 at 2651 Elkton Trail. Their annual “Light the Tree” fundraiser event will donate proceeds to the Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County. Oak Hills Terrace will provide purple Christmas ball ornaments for people to write their loved ones names. In addition they will hold a candlelight vigil.

Bullard

City of Bullard will host Magic on Main on Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. at Bullard Masonic Lodge, 113 N Phillips St, Bullard, TX 75757. Magic on Main will be located on the greenbelt in front of Hondo and Shorty’s in Downtown Bullard. The event will include food vendors, shopping at Mistletoe Market and kid’s activities and photos with Santa.

Lindale

Little Russell Memorial Library, 200 E Hubbard St, Lindale, TX 75771, will host Lighting and Blessing of the Memory Tree on Dec. 1 from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There will be a special blessing and prayer of the tree by Pastor Offett from Life Source. People can purchase ornaments to honor loved ones at the library for $5 before the lighting of the tree and after at Santa’s Bake shop the following day.

Edom

Edom Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Stroll on Dec. 2 will be at the Edom Historical Society Museum, Highway 279, Edom Texas, at 5 p.m. The event will include photos with Santa, holiday music, cookie decorating along with the tree lighting ceremony.

Whitehouse

Whitehouse Christmas on Main tree lighting will be at 6 p.m. on Dec. 2 at 309 East Main Street, Whitehouse, TX 75791. The event includes a parade, food trucks, vendor markets and ice skating. Mayor of Whitehouse James Wansley will light the tree.

Arp

Arp Christmas Festival and Parade at Arp City Park on Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The parade starts at 6 p.m. and will end with the mayoral tree lighting. The parade will start at Gillispie/Arnold field and end at the park.

Longview

Longview Mall, 3500 McCann Rd Ofc, Longview, TX 75605, will host their Annual Outdoor Tree Lighting on Dec. 2 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. At the main entrance people can gather to watch the tree lighting. Children can decorate ornaments for the tree. The Gladewater High School Honey Bears will kick off the countdown. There will be Christmas music, games, hot chocolate and photo opportunities for families to celebrate.

Jefferson

Jefferson Texas Lions Club will host a tree lighting on Nov. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Lions Club Park, 515 E Jefferson St, Jefferson, TX 75657. They encourage people to join in the flip of the switch. Santa will be present.

Henderson

The Historic Downtown Henderson Christmas Parade will have a tree lighting and kickoff on Nov.  30 at 6 p.m.

Athens

Holiday on the Square will host the Christmas tree lighting at the Henderson County Courthouse, 132 N Prairieville St, Athens, TX, on Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. Santa will light the tree and be there for the kids until 8 p.m.

Rusk

Rusk Chamber of Commerce, will host Rusk’s Hometown Christmas in Historic Downtown Rusk and light the tree at sunset on Nov. 25. The event will be from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. and includes a walk-in human size snow globe, the FunRun train, a new ice skating rink, Santa and local entertainment.