Each Christmas season in Easton, Pennsylvania, a giant candle-shaped tower is erected over the Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Monument in Centre Square, creating one of the city’s most distinctive holiday traditions. Begun in 1951 as part of an effort to restore elaborate seasonal decorations, the candle was proposed by Virginia Purdy as a noncommercial symbol of peace across religious lines. Its first lighting joined Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant clergy with the mayor, and it was dedicated to local service members. Rebuilt as earlier versions wore out, the massive structure has remained both a festive landmark and a focal point for civic debate, protest, and local identity.

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Easton, Pennsylvania · USA