Friday, December 3, 2010

Merry Maple lighting 2010

Merry Maple. Tony Maroulis, Amherst Chamber of Commerce Executive Director recording the auspicious moment on his iphone

Yes folks, that's it. The (in)famous Merry Maple. Only in Amherst.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very silly. You're right Larry, only in Amherst would they refuse to actually light a pine tree and call it - heaven forbid!!! - A Christmas tree! Only in Amherst!

Larry Kelley said...

"A rose by any other name..."

I really don't care what the heck they call it, I just wish they could have dressed it up a bit better.

Anonymous said...

Kinda lame this year because the amp for the carollers wasn't working, and you couldn't hear them at all. It was just like hanging out in a cold parking lot.

Anonymous said...

The Merry Maple is weak. Why not decorate more than one tree? Cheap!

And why allow a menorah if no Christmas tree? Why not a tree, a menorah, a Kwanza bush, and any other symbol?

What the heck, Amherst?!

Anonymous said...

I think that while the tree itself is certainly lousy compared to the 'classic' Merry Maple (large and surrounded by the wooden bench). The event itself is fantastic. Ranen and the chorus, the band and the man in red on the fire truck, carols and cocoa, and cold. Always a great time, big tree or not.

Helen said...

I remember when they decorated the large maple; now THAT was the Merry Maple!
Too bad that the card day today didn't seem to bring too many people out. They need more participation from the other businesses in town. I never even got to use my card, because the only business I bought something from that was participating had limits on what you could use it for. I bought things from other places in Amherst, but they weren't participating.
I do have to say that the Amherst Winter Market at the junior high school is great!

Anonymous said...

The entire town needs to be blasted 24/7 by The Fish singing "Christmas with a Capital C". Amherst is so interested in being "PC" it's forgotten how to be genuine OR humble. It's forgotten that some of us had ancestors who fought for religious freedom (it was called the American Revolution, remember?) but now many of you are willing to let ALL that go down the toilet because SOMEbody doesn't like the Christ in Christmas. How long has it been since a Nativity scene was on the town common? Atheists & Jews and anyone else who doesn't like it can look the other way. And if I don't care for THEIR religious display, I can do the same. This is on the same playing field as not keeping score at T-ball games. Heaven forbid the rug rats should get their feelings hurt cuz they LOST?! Why, I think the Super Bowl with no scoring would be SUCH fun. Keep having plain vanilla, medium-sized noodle fun, Amherst, and don't you dare express your spiritual or religious beliefs publicly. We wouldn't want anyone to think Amherst supported the American Revolution!

Anonymous said...

LOL, thank God, Amherst, since raising it's property taxes can afford the lighting of the Merry F##king Maple....and ignore the pot holes in every street....drink more town water.....WTF?????

Anonymous said...

I'm Jewish and I continue to be dumbfounded that Amherst sticks a giant menorah in the town square for Chanukah, which is a minor celebration on the Jewish calendar. Meanwhile, they can't bear to utter the word "Christmas" and can only manage to eek out a Merry Maple tree?

Come on, if you can celebrate publicly and openly a minor Jewish festival, why can't you even mention the name of one of the most important days in all of Christianity.

Again,I will repeat. I am Jewish and I don't even celebrate Christmas, but seriously folks, Merry Christmas!

Larry Kelley said...

And a belated happy Chanukah to you.