The promise of seeing near countless lights turned on to welcome Santa and the season as well as hearing traditional Yule music and song from high school students from both Ripon Christian and Ripon High schools drew some 200 citizens to the Veterans’ Memorial Park at Locust and First streets in downtown Ripon Monday night.Miss Ripon Amanda Neeley was introduced by chamber of commerce board chairman Larry Stewart and chamber president Tamra Spade, who spoke on a microphone from the porch of the Veterans’ Memorial Museum. Stewart took the moment to thank Save Mart manager Mike Moreno for providing the hot chocolate and Helen Caetano for baking the homemade cookies. Throwing of the switch that activated the trees lights was assigned to Neeley , who stepped up to the porch, bringing applause from the crowd at the 15 foot Christmas tree came to life, heralding the beginning of the Christmas season in Ripon.