UPDATED:

COLUMBUS - Residents had some early holiday cheer Thursday night with a Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

Dozens gathered around nine colorfully-lit cone trees at Frankfort Square.

“I think it’s amazing," Jan Zurcher said.  "I’ve been out here in the past and I really enjoyed it when they did the whole stroll up and down the streets and this is kind of compact and it seems to be a little more traditional.”

Despite the low temperatures, folks warmed up with hot cocoa and treats and kids decorated cookies and wrote letters to Santa.

The Columbus Downtown Business Association hosted the event.  They said they decided to do this instead of the Downtown Stroll from previous years, while keeping that holiday tradition going.

“Columbus is growing so rapidly and you need to have a tradition continuing," coordinator Barb Siedlik said.  "You grow up with it, your grandparents, your parents, now their children.  Grandparents are bringing their kids down.  It is so important to have some type of event downtown to bring people downtown.”

Siedlik said downtown Columbus businesses donated the cone trees, snacks and money to help put the event on.

Some attendees said they enjoy the changes it brought.

"It reminds me of back in the older days where they have the caroling and the strollers," Zurcher said.  "It’s more of a just a hands-on, ‘everybody gather together’ type of thing.”

The CDBA already said they're going to hold the tree-lighting ceremony again next year.

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COLUMBUS - Residents have some early holiday cheer to look forward to Thursday night with a Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

It happens at 6 p.m. at Frankfort Square.

The Columbus Downtown Business Association is putting it on.  They said they'll be lighting nine cone trees.

That's not all: They'll also be providing beverages and treats.  Folks can also decorate cookies and kids can write letters to Santa.

The CDBA said they're doing this instead of the Downtown Stroll because it's safer and that they needed to hold something that keeps the holiday tradition going.

“Columbus is growing so rapidly and you need to have a tradition continuing," coordinator Barb Siedlik said.  "You grow up with it, your grandparents, your parents, now their children.  Grandparents are bringing their kids down.  It is so important to have some type of event downtown to bring people downtown.”

The CDBA said everyone is welcome to come.

Again, it happens at Frankfort Square at 6 p.m.