Tag: Holiday Lights

MORE Holiday Lights and Cocoa Drives 2020 map #GloucesterMA 🚗☕🎄✨⛄Update 1

Posted on by Catherine

NEW photos

Essex Avenue stretch between Causeway and Richdale; Western Avenue near Stage Fort Park; Kent Circle and Stage Fort Park. Check back as more neighborhood batches are added.

Holiday lights & cocoa drives Gloucester Mass as of Dec. 1, 2020

 

Tour by car or keyboard! 
printable PDF Holiday Lights and Cocoa Drives 2020 Gloucester, Mass. by c. ryan (updated Dec. 21)Download

First batch posted pictures for 2020 

below the break

Continue reading “MORE Holiday Lights and Cocoa Drives 2020 map #GloucesterMA 🚗☕🎄✨⛄Update 1” →

Holiday Lights and Cocoa Drives 2020 map #GloucesterMA #CapeAnn 🚗☕🎄✨⛄

Posted on by Catherine

When I was a girl, my family, like many other families, considered every nocturne drive a chance to look for Christmas lights. Of course we carried on this tradition with our own children. The magic of the season is so easy to find in neighborhoods throughout Gloucester and all of Cape Ann. Coasting past classic New England home styles decorated for the holidays– while driving along bends and dips in the roads by charming coves– is sheer visual delight. There is a surprise around every corner.

Plus the season’s early nightfall is most welcome for little ones’ bedtime enchantment. Throw on some comfy holiday attire and toss in a thermos of hot chocolate to make it an extra special treat for the youngest, and the young at heart, and the perfect outing for social distancing in this year of Covid. Repeat visits are encouraged because there’s so much to see and more added every day.

Last year readers asked for a map. Here are some of the homes spreading cheer NOW with their Christmas lights and holiday yard displays, and it’s not yet December 1, 2020! Is your favorite friendly seasonal character out there? Or favorite color lights twinkling bright? I’ll continue to update the map and photographs, including specific requests and location recommendations from GMG readers.

Holiday lights & cocoa drives Gloucester Mass as of November 30, 2020

FAQ HOW TO PRINT THE MAP- Two steps: First click the empty rectangle to be taken to the map page. Once at the URL for the map page, click the three dots for the pull down menu and select “print”. Here is the PDF option in the horizontal format as of Dec. 2.

PDF Holiday Lights and Cocoa Drives 2020 Gloucester, Mass. by c. ryan (updated Dec. 21)Download

NEW for 2020: And still more attractions with festive lights coming soon.  First Annual Winter Lights Display on Cape Ann starts December 7th. Check out all the businesses and organizations readying light displays downtown and local shopping!

More photos

Pages: 1 2

Thanksgiving lights 🍂🦃🍁#GloucesterMA

Posted on by Catherine

1860 Osman Babson Carpenter house Washington Street

Get ready! Holiday Lights and Cocoa Drives #GloucesterMA #CapeAnn 2020 – already found a few sparkling before Thanksgiving ✨😀 Lobster Trap Buoy Painting is ON!

Posted on by Catherine

So looking forward to sharing photos of winter lights for some merry drives and cocoa nights this holiday season! Were you planning to go big on lights or take a break this year? Hopefully this post may convince some readers on the decorated home & yard fence to GO FOR IT! Please treat the community to some creativity and smiles. The city and neighboring towns of Cape Ann have some special holiday light plans in the works thanks to Discover Gloucester’s First Annual Winter Lights Display on Cape Ann. Check out all the businesses and organizations readying light displays and local shopping!

What I wrote in 2019 still holds true in 2020: “If you’re wondering about holiday lights near you, in addition to the city’s beautiful seasonal trees and sparkle downtown, rewarding drives through Gloucester neighborhoods abound.”

These local homes were shining bright and it’s only the week before Thanksgiving. GRAB SOME HOT CHOCOLATE AND GO! The drives are festive, free, and social distancing safe for all. Perfect for 2020.

I’ll add more photographs of merry lights and displays as days go by and maybe a map if there are enough. Which houses and streets will be most lit up in 2020? Which ones not to miss?

‘Tis the Season. Gloucester’s Annual Lobster Trap Tree

2018

Gloucester’s Lobster Trap Tree adorned with hundreds of “ornaments”- buoys hand-painted by local children– is no doubt the sweetest and charming tree around.

I thought this Scotland effort was a pretty kindred spirit. Like Gloucester, the smaller* town of Newburgh, Fife, loves celebrating art by local children for their Annual Christmas Lights Display. A public appeal for funding this year surpassed its goal.

*Gloucester population 30,000 | Newburgh population 2100

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Due to Covid-19 precautions, Cape Ann Art Haven buoy painting started early this year.

“It’s buoy painting time! We are instituting reservations for buoy painting. We will be open Saturdays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. starting November 7th. For health and safety reasons, we will have a maximum of 10 people at any one time. Masks will be required as well as social distancing. Please sign up on our Events page or click the reservation button below and come paint!”

Reservations

Please support Cape Ann Art Haven’s efforts here.

2019

Get ready! Holiday Lights and Cocoa Drives #GloucesterMA #CapeAnn 2020 -Found a few sparkling before Thanksgiving ✨😀

Posted on by Catherine

So looking forward to sharing photos of winter lights for some merry drives and cocoa nights this holiday season! Were you planning to go big on lights or take a break this year? Hopefully this post may convince some readers on the decorated home & yard fence to GO FOR IT! Please treat the community to some creativity and smiles. The city and neighboring towns of Cape Ann have some special holiday light plans in the works: First Annual Winter Lights Display on Cape Ann. Check out the businesses and organizations readying light displays!

What I wrote in 2019 still holds true in 2020: “If you’re wondering about holiday lights near you, in addition to the city’s beautiful seasonal trees and sparkle downtown, rewarding drives through Gloucester neighborhoods abound.”

These local homes were shining bright and it’s only the week before Thanksgiving. GRAB SOME HOT CHOCOLATE AND GO! The drives are festive, free, and social distancing safe for all. Perfect for 2020.

I’ll add more photographs of merry lights and displays as days go by and maybe a map if there are enough. Which houses and streets will be most lit up in 2020? Which ones not to miss?

‘Tis the Season. Gloucester’s Annual Lobster Trap Tree

2018

Gloucester’s Lobster Trap Tree adorned with hundreds of “ornaments”- buoys hand-painted by local children– is no doubt the sweetest and charming tree around.

I thought this Scotland effort was a pretty kindred spirit. Like Gloucester, the smaller* town of Newburgh, Fife, loves celebrating art by local children for their Annual Christmas Lights Display. A public appeal for funding this year surpassed its goal.

*Gloucester population 30,000 | Newburgh population 2100

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Due to Covid-19 precautions, Cape Ann Art Haven buoy painting started early this year.

“It’s buoy painting time! We are instituting reservations for buoy painting. We will be open Saturdays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. starting November 7th. For health and safety reasons, we will have a maximum of 10 people at any one time. Masks will be required as well as social distancing. Please sign up on our Events page or click the reservation button below and come paint!”

Reservations

Please support Cape Ann Art Haven’s efforts here.

2019

Covid Halloween #GloucesterMA

Posted on by Catherine

The Scream at the head of the harbor. Feeling it.

location, location, location 🙂

All candles lit Temple Ahavat Achim lobster trap menorah #GloucesterMA

Posted on by Catherine

Temple Ahavat Achim, Gloucester, Mass. Hanukkah December 2019

 

from Middle street_GIF lobster trap menorah lit eight nights_ December 2019_Temple Ahavat Achim_Gloucester, Mass._ photograph copyright © c ryan

sweeping view at turn_GIF lobster trap menorah lit eight nights_ December 2019_Temple Ahavat Achim_Gloucester, Mass._ photograph copyright © c ryan

Candle lit on the first night of Hanukkah | Temple Ahavat Achim #GloucesterMa

Posted on by Catherine

December 22, 2019 the first light Temple Ahavat Achim Gloucester, Ma., 2019 – An additional (buoy) candle on the giant lobster trap menorah will be lit each night until full illumination on the 8th night.

Still more Holiday Lights and cocoa drives#GloucesterMA

Posted on by Catherine

Have you seen these festive lights December nights? Merry drives and cocoa Part 3 scenes all around Gloucester, Massachusetts, including a few extra GMG reader tips and requests:

Holiday Christmas lights 2019_ decorated homes_Gloucester MA_Dec 21 and Dec 22 _photograph © c ryan (11).jpg

 

photos below- Looking past Man at the Wheel on the left, through wreath, Beauport Hotel tower lit red and green 

 
Merry drives and cocoa nights 2019 (mobile photos #nofilter)
12/8/19 Part One here
12/19/19 Part Two here
12/23/19 Part Three (this post)

Merry drives and cocoa day 2019 (wreaths, traditional displays and/or mostly white lights) 12/13/19  here

 

1985 Holiday Lights decorated homes competition | throwback Gloucester Daily Times article #GloucesterMA from Pauline

Posted on by Catherine

In response to the recent Holiday Lights posts on GMG, Pauline Bresnahan shared a fun memory about a holiday lights competition sponsored by local realtors on Cape Ann in 1985. Her father, Philip McComiskey, won the most festive home category that inaugural year. This First Lighting Contest held by Lufkin & Brown Inc., awarded prizes in three categories.

Reporter Ken Fish wrote that “Midge Kart’s display on 729 Western Avenue, Magnolia – a combination of red velvet ribbon, Christmas lights and spotlights — won in the most traditional category…Philip McComiskey’s lighted trees at 514 Essex Avenue won the festive award…The creche at Lester Mountain Sr.’s home at 2A Pigeon Hill Ct., Rockport won in the religious category…”

Judges were Fitz Lufkin, Ruth Pino, John Kent, Sharon Surma, Diane Polley (author of Let’s Go! Animal Tracks in the Snow, a Cape Ann Reads Honor book), Susan Scola and AnthonyMilitello. Read the article for the fun details and bonus – find out who was awarded the honorable mentions!

Gloucester Daily Times article, “A Light Touch for Christmas: Light Displays”, by Ken Fish (click to enlarge the photos of the article or here for a Printable PDF “A Light Touch for Christmas” GDT article)

 

 

Tonight! Lobster Trap Hanukkiah Lighting 🕎 #GloucesterMA

Posted on by Catherine

Temple Ahavat Achim

Lobster trap menorah lighting

Sunday December 22, 2019 at 5:30pm

IMG_20191222_082453.jpg

IMG_20191222_082614.jpg

More Holiday Lights and cocoa drives #GloucesterMA 2019

Posted on by Catherine

Here are a few more twinkling neighborhood lights in Gloucester,  Massachusetts, from December 2019, including a few GMG reader requests and tips following the “merry drives and cocoa” post part 1.

Holiday lights decorated homes_ Christmas 2019 Gloucester Mass_20191219_©c ryan.jpg

Holiday lights decorated homes_ Christmas 2019 Gloucester Mass_20191210_©c ryan (7)

(you can double click the photos to enlarge and pinch and zoom)

 

There are plenty of local homes decorated with white lights only or candles in every window aglow with single color bulbs. I love these, too, but my phone camera not so much.

Holiday lights decorated homes_ Christmas 2019 Gloucester Mass_20191219_©c ryan (2).jpg

photo caption below- I’ve always been in love with holiday lights. Personal distinction or traditional inspiriation- I’m grateful for all creative cheer each year. Decades ago ca.1970s, this home and yard (on Lowell Street between Peabody and Lynnfield) was trimmed all in pink lights. Just pink. 

Peabody home had pink Holiday lights 1980s decorated homes_ ©c ryan

photo caption below: Decorated Saugus condos just off Rt. 1 and homes off surrounding streets  if you happen to be in that neck of the woods. 

Saugus condos_Holiday lights decorated homes_ Christmas 2019 ©c ryan
(Saugus condos just off Rt.1)

Lobster Trap buoy tree Gloucester MA © Margaret McDonald 2019
Home is best! Gloucester lobster trap tree lighting photo from FOB Margaret

Holiday wreaths and cocoa drives day #GloucesterMA 2019

Posted on by Catherine

Merry drives and cocoa – daytime

It’s beautiful out here! Wreaths adorning decorated homes and businesses make for merry daytime drives throughout Gloucester neighborhoods and Cape Ann.

Holiday wreaths Gloucester MA decorated homes and businesses _New England architecture winter _20191212_©c ryan (14).jpg

Twofers- bonus night illumnation for many!

Wreaths at night Gloucester MA decorated homes ©c ryan.jpg

 

Merry drives and cocoa – part 1, nights Holiday lights: here

Holiday lights Gloucester MA_20191210_©c ryan.jpg

Holiday lights and cocoa drives #GloucesterMA 2019

Posted on by Catherine

Merry drives and cocoa:

If you’re wondering about holiday lights near you, in addition to the city’s beautiful seasonal trees and festive sparkle downtown, rewarding drives through Gloucester neighborhoods abound. These local homes were shining last week. Can you guess which street was most lit up? Grab some hot chocolate and go!

With each new day, more merry lights brighten December nights. Did we miss a street?

Answer- Reynard Street is dazzling and concentrated. (See if you can spot the back fence illuminated with fish shapes when you go. Neighborhood kids could set up a hot chocolate stand 😉 easy. Walk or drive with the great complete street work by the City DPW.) Other streets with decorated homes: Maplewood, road into Annisquam (coming from Gloucester look off to second story star shining off Goose cove), Rt. 127, Abbott, and) 

Combine it with Middle Street Walk! Mark your calendars: December 14th

Middle Street.jpg

 

 

 

The Joys of Artificial “Pre-Lit” Christmas Trees!

Posted on by Sista Felicia

 

 

Print

tree 1

St. Barry checking all 900 lights to find the problem

A few years ago we had this very same problem, but only in one section of the Pre-Lit tree. After buying and using 2 different “Bulb tester” devices, that both didn’t work, after wasting several hours trying to find the “bad fuses and bulbs, we promptly return the failed “Bulb Testers and purchased a few sets of string lights, to fix the unlit section of the tree. This year St. Barry and BJ checked the fuses assembled the tree, and plugged it in to find more then half the tree lights OUT.  Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh….NOT AGAIN!!!!!!! and so the Pre-Lit Christmas Tree frustration set in! Out the door I went to purchase 12 boxes of lights. So much for “Pre-Lit”.  Someone in town with an electrical background could make big bucks during the holidays season, making house visits trouble shooting Pre-Lit Trees, Garlands, and Holiday Decorations. We will joyfully be your first customer next year!

tree2

tree4

Last night my mother Pat, AKA “Best Mother In The World” stayed late into the evening knowing my decorating partner, daughter Amanda, wouldn’t be assisting in decking out our home this year. Decorating our family room tree is not and easy task, and usually takes 2 days to complete with help. Mom and I banged up the ornaments, flowers, crystals and sheer organza swags in a few hours. We were thrilled to be making great progress in a short amount of time, until we turned around and noticed  something terrible had gone wrong with the Christmas Tree in our foyer…

tree 3

My first thought was “Really St. Nick…Really?” Lets just say this moment really completed the day I was having. The wise women I’m blessed to call MOM, said “Felicia you have to laugh,” and that we did. We laughed a lot while St. Barry strung lights onto that tree. My girlfriends and I often bring humor to bad situations with this fraise…”Seriously can’t make this “stuff” (SH_T) up!”

tree5

Mom and I found an old Peace Symbol Christmas Tree Topper as we unpacked the foyer tree decorations last night. It once topped my daughter’s pink Christmas Tree she had in her room when she was a little girl. I haven’t seen or used in several years.  I think St. Nicholas placed in in that box, as sign, knowing, how concerned we are for the ear problems our daughter is having. This year more then ever I pray for Peace. Peace in the world, and Peace of mind.  

peace

All I want for Christmas this year is peace of mine that my Family & Friends will be Healthy and Happy in the New Year!