Quantcast

5 Uniquely Long Island Christmas Traditions

Lighting The Lighthouse
What could be more quintessentially Long Island than stringing lights on the Montauk Lighthouse?

Montauk Lighthouse Christmas
Montauk Lighthouse —photo by Digital World of Paul via Dan’s Papers

Windmill Wonderland
It’s not just lighthouses that get lit up. So do our windmills.

Windmill lighting ceremony 2
The Stony Brook Southampton windmill lighted for the holidays. Courtesy Stony Brook Southampton via Dan’s Papers

The Leg Lamp
A Christmas Story may have been set in Indiana, but the Northport Hardware store  was so inspired by the classic movie that the store has held an annual lighting of the famous leg lamp from that flick for years.

640px Christmas Cheer 12 22 13j 11629521415
The leg lamp made famous by A Christmas Story. Photo by inkknife_2000

Flying Santa
Each years, locals reenact the days when a pilot dressed as Santa would drop gifts off for the Fire Island Lighthouse keepers and their families by flying by in small, low-flying airplane.

DVD cover 1
An airplane dropping gifts at the Fire Island Lighthouse (NPS photo)

Deck The Duck
LI’s most iconic roadside attraction, The Big Duck, gets all done up for the holidays with a traditional lighting ceremony each year.

162771 1417714450
The Flanders Big Duck, decorated and lighted for the holidays. Photo credit: Jennifer Meihofer via Dan’s Papers

Sign up for Long Island Press’ email newsletters hereSign up for home delivery of Long Island Press here. Sign up for discounts by becoming a Long Island Press community partner here.