The Homer Chamber of Commerce hosted a Christmas tree lighting in the back lot of the Visitor Center on Nov. 30. Complete with Santa, hot drinks and a fire pit where celebrators young and old made s’mores, more than 100 watched the inaugural two-hour event. 

Santa talked to more than 40 kids, and people were served 80 cups of hot chocolate and 50 cups of cider. 

Chamber Executive Director Monte Davis said that during the chamber’s landscaping make-over last summer he “saw this gorgeous spruce tree in the back lot and thought the chamber needed to sponsor a tree lighting,” something that hasn’t occurred in Homer for some time.

Chamber business members shouldered the bulk of the cost of the event with in-kind donations and labor. 

“I want people to consider the Visitor Center as a community meeting place and share this wonderful space,” Davis said.

With all the lighting permanently in place, “we’re definitely going to do this for the next 3-5 years.”