2023 Holidays In Montclair: Tree Lighting, Christmas, Hanukkah

MONTCLAIR, NJ — There are plenty of ways to celebrate the 2023 winter holidays in Montclair, including several local events and attractions.

Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, starts at sundown on Dec. 7 and ends at nightfall on Dec. 15. Christmas will follow on Dec. 25.

You don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the season in Montclair, however.

The town’s annual holiday tree lighting will take place on Thursday, Nov. 30 at the Church Street Plaza (learn more here). Activities will start at 5 p.m., with the tree lighting scheduled for 6 p.m. The event will include holiday music and a visit from Santa. Other attractions include photo opportunities inside a giant snow globe, a holiday magic show, toy soldiers, a gingerbread slide inflatable and kids activities.

Have a letter for Santa Claus in Montclair? It can be mailed to 205 Claremont Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07042, or dropped off at the Montclair Recreation Office. The deadline is Dec. 15.

For those celebrating Hanukkah, Chabad of Montclair will be hosting a free, public menorah lighting event at the Wellmont Theater, 5 Seymour Street, on Monday, Dec. 11. The "Chanukah Fest" will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and will include a laser light show, live music and "sizzling latkes," among other attractions. Learn more here.

Here are some other news stories that might help to get the holidays off to a good start in Montclair (click the headline to read the article):

• 2 Montclair Spots On List Of 'Holiday House Tour' Destinations
• Replica Maps Of Early 20th Century Montclair For Sale: 2023 Holidays
• Where To Buy A Fresh Christmas Tree Near Montclair
• Where To See Santa Near Montclair This Christmas Season
• Free Holiday Lights At Turtle Back Zoo Will Return For 2023

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

Attending the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is a bucket list item for many families. If you can’t be in New York City, the parade will be livestreamed on NBC and Peacock, the network’s streaming service, from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

This article contains reporting from the Patch national desk

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.