Faith Njuguna, Kaleigh Bernier, Linda Monahan, Samantha Pajer, Abigail Bernier and Meghan Bernier

Photo Credit: Daniel Castro

LEICESTER, Mass. — Leicester was aglow with Christmas Spirit on the Common Saturday night as the lights of the bandstand Christmas tree were switched on, and the holiday cheer continued to resound after a choir of more than fifty voices took the stage inside 1st Congregational Church.

The festivities began with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree, a tradition usually reserved for the winner of the Leicester Historical Society's scholarship recipient

This year, LHS grad and Johnson & Wales student Lindsay Kustigian was selected to receive the award, though a school project kept her from the honor of lighting the tree.

The tree itself has been decorated for years by Girl Scout Troop 727 and friends, who this year would be graduating from Leicester High School and passing on the gauntlet to a new batch of young Brownies.

Yet before the girls left behind the tradition, they helped get the momentum of Christmas Cheer going by leading the crowd of Leicester families in caroling at the bandstand.

The singing was prelude to the choir that was about to perform inside the church, as this year marked the first time that the celebration would continue on with a concert.

"Christmas is Forever" was performed by the multitude of voices that made up the Christian Community Choir.

Conductor Linda Cross led the fifty plus singers that came from the East Brookfield Baptist Church, St. John the Baptist RC, Mary, Queen of the Rosary RC, First Congregational of Brookfield, First Congregational of Leicester, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart RC, and Lowell Assembly of God.

Together, the over fifty voices that make up the  The choir will perform four times during the Christmas season, with the kick-off being at Leicester's tree lighting.

Upcoming performances of "Christmas is Forever" will be held at the East Brookfield Baptist Church at 4 p.m. on Dec. 11 , the Overlook Masonic Home at 2 p.m. on Dec. 18 and at St. John the Baptist RC at 2 p.m. on January 8.