It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Saturday evening’s annual tree lighting ceremony at Skansie Brothers Park in downtown Gig Harbor — including an appearance by Santa Claus himself — marked the traditional start of the yuletide season in grand fashion.

A half-moon hanging in the sky, not even the chilly, just-above-freezing temperatures on a mostly cloudless evening could dampen the holiday merriment of the revelers who packed the park.

The hot cider, hot chocolate and cookies courtesy of the Gig Harbor Historic Waterfront Association didn’t hurt either.

The park was a study in Christmas cheer. A few of the boats in Gig Harbor Bay were decorated with Christmas lights, while Gig Harbor’s own Rokkerboxx treated the crowd to holiday favorites like “Blue Christmas,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Rock ’n’ Roll Christmas” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

People passed out Santa hats, children ran to and fro — and occasionally were slowed down just long enough by parents to capture a few photographs — and several canine companions got in on the action, too.

There was animated talk among the children about Santa’s upcoming arrival to help light the tree.

Kaden Kugle, 5, and his younger brother, Eli, 3, were both excited about seeing jolly ol’ Saint Nicolas in person. While Eli wouldn’t elaborate on his holiday wish list, Kaden had no such hesitation.

“An iPod,” he asked Santa to bring him.

“We’re new to Gig Harbor,” said the boys’ mother, Anaka, who also had 1-year-old Kinsley with her. “This is our first year.”

She said she moved to Gig Harbor in September and was invited by her sister-in-law to the tree lighting.

“Welcome to Gig Harbor’s tree lighting ceremony,” Laureen Lund, the city’s marketing director, said during opening remarks before she introduced Mayor Chuck Hunter.

“Thanks for being here tonight,” Hunter said. “Now we’re ready for Santa Claus to come.”

About 15 minutes later, Santa arrived, escorted by a single police officer on a motorcycle. Santa eschewed his usual reindeer-powered mode of transportation in favor of riding atop a Gig Harbor fire engine, with lights flashing and the occasional siren wail.

Santa waived to the rush of children and their parents gathered at the sidewalk before he got down from the big red truck and made his way through the crowd to the main stage to help light the tree.

Even a minor mishap — the first countdown didn’t result in the tree lighting up as planned — was no match for the Christmas spirit. A second countdown produced a perfectly lit tree festooned with blue, green, orange, red and even a few white lights, eliciting a cheer and clapping from the crowd. 

Gig Harbor’s Christmas tree, in all its glory, cast a warm glow on the park’s nearby American flag.

The tree lighting completed, Santa made his way to a nearby gazebo to hear children’s Christmas wishes. A line quickly formed, and Santa was last seen taking in what area boys and girls would like to find under the tree on Christmas morning.

No doubt Santa’s checking his list to see who was naughty and who was nice.