And The Survey Says, It's A Christmas Tree in Mount Sinai

The people have spoken (and emailed and Facebooked and filled out both online and paper surveys) and the new name of the seasonal celebration in Heritage Park is the "Annual Christmas Tree Lighting," according to Heritage Trust, the nonprofit that runs the event.

Since 1996, there has been a yearly Christmas tree lighting in Mount Sinai but recently it came under fire over the term "holiday," which was used to promote it to the public.

where more than 100 people gathered to convince the four member board of the Heritage Trust to change the name.

A survey emailed to over 1,046 members of the organization along with paper ballots filled out the night of the meeting were tabulated on Sunday, the day this year's Christmas tree lighting was scheduled to take place.

According to a report generated by the Heritage Trust, 328 people responded to the emailed survey with 276 or 86 percent of them saying that they agreed or somewhat agreed that the name of the event should be changed from a "Holiday Tree Lighting" to a "Christmas Tree Lighting."

Thirty-two people or 10 percent of those who answered the survey said that they either somewhat disagreed or disagreed with the name change.

Thr rest were neutral or did not answer the question.

Next year, signs, flyers and websites will invite the public to come witness the "Annual Christmas Tree Lighting" for the first time.

According to a story in Newsday [subscription required], Lori Baldassare, vice president of the Heritage Trust and the one who originated the event in Mount Sinai back in 1996, informed people gathered to see the tree lighting that the name would be changed for 2012.

"Baldassare's announcement sparked cheers from the crowd, which then broke into a chorus of 'Jingle Bells' at her request," the paper reported.