PHOTOS: Celebration and Illumination in Lexington

Taken on their own, neither votive tea lights nor white paper bags say much about a community. But putting them together to light the night is one of the ways Lexington shows its support for local scholarships and educational programs.

From 5 to 7 p.m. this past Sunday, Dec. 4 residents around town set homes and pathways aglow with luminary kits purchased from the Lexington Historical Society and LexFUN!, organizers of the annual Luminary Night event.

Proceeds from the kits—sold for $20 each at local elementary schools and participating preschools, as well as between Nov. 28 to Dec. 2—benefit LexFUN’s preschool scholarship fund, local PTAs and the Lexington Historical Society’s educational programs on colonial life and the American Revolution.

This year’s was , a young tradition started by the Historical Society, which borrowed the idea from Wellesley in 2009 and partnered with LexFUN last year.

According to participants, Luminary Night often turns into a community event in which neighbors celebrate together and light up their homes, historical landmarks and other places around town. 

And some folks can get pretty creative with their kits.  

For instance, luminaria set up at Sunday night spelled out “Save This Farm,” a reference to campaign urging the Board of Selectmen as the selectmen also consider affordable housing and recreational uses on the town-owned parcel.

Click through the above photos for a glimpse of Luminary Night in Lexington or or upload your own to our gallery.