PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Holiday festivities got underway in Rittenhouse Square Tuesday evening.

Lots of folks came out for the annual Rittenhouse Square tree lighting ceremony:

“Santa came and we counted down and everything lit up!”

“It just got so much brighter and it was amazing.”

“Now I’m gonna have to go home and probably start decorating.”

Kuznits: “Right, now that the tree’s up in Rittenhouse Square!”

“Yeah, absolutely I’ve got no excuse now but at least I’ll have help.”

Kuznits: “Your elves?”

“Yes, my elves!”

John Dougherty with IBEW local union 98 says it takes a lot of lights to make the square look this festive:

“There’s 25,000 lights on the tree and there’s 687 new globes, which have about 100 or so LED lights per bolt or per wrap so this park’s gonna be lit up pretty good this holiday season.”

The kids say they’re feeling the holiday spirit:

“This is definitely getting me in the spirit for Christmas!”

Reported by Hadas Kuznits, KYW Newsradio