Lights, beer and much-needed holiday cheer kicked off the holiday season for visitors and residents in Baltimore.

The fourth annual “Christmas Village” at the Inner Harbor and the decades-old, light display “Miracle on 34th Street” in Hampden were unveiled on Saturday.

At the Inner Harbor, families gathered at the West Shore Park, which was transformed into a German market of wooden huts, German vendors and a beer garden, and featured an appearance by the Christkind, the traditional gift giver in European countries like Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Nina Difabion of Rosedale said she's been visiting the Christmas Village for three year. The native of Bavaria, Germany, is visiting her family, and the much bigger German open-air market, in a few weeks.

“This is getting us started,” she said. “It's like a little foretaste of home.”

Rashmi Hande, who was visiting from Charlottesville, Va., said the Christmas Village was an unexpected stop on her tour of Baltimore attractions. But the smiling faces were a welcome distraction.

“It's my favorite time of year,” Hande said. “After the election, we need a lot of merriness.”

Travis Young of College Park said he learned about the event from his co-workers at Under Armour and it was the first stop on his family's holiday event tour before Hampden's 34th Street.

“It's a good way to get the kids pumped up,” Young said. “Trying to keep them cheerful about more than just what they're getting this year.”

As dusk drew near, 34th Street resident Bob Hosier put the finishing touches on his distinctive end house.

The 35-year resident, considered the organizer of the now-famous street, said it's children's smiles and the spark in their eyes that have kept the tradition going for more than 25 years. “Dazed and amazed,” he said. “Us living on the street, we don't get the full effect of it until we see them.”

Colt Kearns, Hosier's 11-year-old grandson, who lives across the street, has watched his grandfather decorate all of his life, and started helping last year.

Last year, he got to arrange light bulbs. This year, he got to hang them and take the lead on his own yard's decorations since he is now the same age Hosier was when he began decorating. “I love watching my grandfather do this,” Colt said. “He said I could keep it going when he's gone. The tradition part is so cool.”

Kurt Hoffman, who has lived on the block for seven years, said he's still getting used to it. “I had no idea what the hell I was getting myself into,” he said with a chuckle. “It's like living on the boardwalk in Ocean City without the water for six weeks.”

Joining lights and oversized decorative ornaments on his magnolia tree this year were the words “compassion,” “love,” “hope,” “unity” and “kindness.”

Sharon Burke said that in her 71 years living on 34th Street, nothing has kicked off the Baltimore holiday season like the Miracle on 34th Street. “It never gets old,” she said. “ 'Tis our season.”

erica.green@baltsun.com

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