Sunday was the perfect evening for Tamaqua's annual holiday tree lighting ceremony.

Tamaqua Mayor Chris Morrison welcomed a throng of people who attended the event, and pointed out the beautiful weather seasonably cold but clear, unlike prior years where the tree lighting ceremony took place in rain or snowstorms.The Tamaqua High School Jazz Chorale, under the director of John Buglio, provided entertainment with holiday songs even when the sirens and blaring horns of emergency vehicles going by on Railroad and Broad streets drowned out their voices.The emergency vehicles were headed to a structure fire in Mary D, and they lent a somber note to the celebration.Maureen Donovan, assistant director of Workforce and Community Services for Lehigh Carbon Community College, reminded people about the true spirit of the holidays."It's spirit and it's community, and you live in a community where people care," Donovan said. "Appreciate what you have here in Tamaqua and remember that it's not the presents under the tree that are important; it's the people who surround the tree."While the Jazz Chorale sang Silent Night, the borough's tree was illuminated.The tree lighting was the finale of the borough's Spirit of Christmas Festival, which included about 20 events beginning Friday.