Here we go, Patriots fans, do you have a favorite fan photo at home or at work, have you decked out your car or your home in anticipation of the big game Sunday? If your answer is yes to any of the above, we invite you to share your photos here on Peabody Patch and show off your Patriots pride! Just click where it says "Upload Photos and Videos."

There was an air of excitement in Wiggin Auditorium Monday night as Ted Bettencourt formally took office as Peabody's new mayor. The 2012 inaugural ceremony was held in City Hall with all its expected pomp and circumstance.

To celebrate the start of Chanukah at sundown this past Tuesday, Rabbi Nechemia Schusterman from Chabad of Peabody climbed a ladder with Maytor Michael Bonfanti to place lit candles atop a menorah in a public display at City Hall. Afterward, there were traditional Jewish foods and activities for youngsters, including latkes and crafts. The eight-day Jewish celebration commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after a group of Jewish warriors defeated the occupying Greek armies in the second century B.C. (circa 165 B.C.). For each day of the commemorative festival of light…

Remember those festive holiday decorations we mentioned earlier inside 24 Lowell St? Each year, City Hall employees get into the spirit of the season by adorning their office doors with holiday decorations. On a recent spin through City Hall, we captured some of the festive displays on camera.

Have you seen the Fire Department's new aerial platform truck yet? Fire Chief Steve Pasdon and a contingent of training officers demonstrated the operation of the new 95-foot ladder truck to Mayor Michael Bonfanti, city officials and the public on Friday up at the Department of Public Services. Pasdon says all uniformed firefighters have been trained on the new equipment, which will go into service on or about Jan. 1, staging from the Prospect Street firehouse as Ladder 1.

Several families stopped down to the Sutton Room of the Main Library Saturday to sing along with Dara VanReemortel in some familiar holiday songs.

Santa Claus arrived by boat at Pope's Landing in Danvers on Saturday, and among the hundreds waiting to greet the man in red in from the sea were a number of Peabody folks. Were you there as well?

State Sen. Fred Berry hosted a night of “Thanks Giving” at the Peabody Marriott on Nov. 17 to bring in seed money to get a new Web-based donation system up and running for local food pantries. Berry's goal is to help struggling pantries get regular funding all year round. Berry also took the opportunity Thursday night to publicly announce that he was retiring from office and would not seek re-election in 2012.

Peabody Tanners' football finally broke its winless streak against divisional opponents in the CAL/NEC Tier 1 Friday night in Lynn. The Tanners came back late in the game to tie things up at 27 with the Rams from Lynn Classical, and one unanswered field goal later put Peabody on top. The Tanners are 4-5 going into the annual Thanksgiving Day game against Saugus to end the season.

The turnout for sign holders and other campaign team members was high on Tuesday, although the 70-degree weather didn't do much to help overall voter turnout. Only 40 percent of voters visited the volls on Election Day.

The Halloween celebrations at Brooksby Village started on Saturday with trick-or-treating and arts and crafts with local youngsters who came to visit. The residents and staff at Brooksby held their own party on Monday.

The staff at the McVann-O'Keefe Skating Rink put on a Halloween-themed night of fun for kids of all ages Saturday. There were prizes for best costume, skating, face-painting, music, and of course, candy.

The Torigian Family YMCA held its first Halloween Bash on Saturday, replete with a rubber duck race in the pool and all sorts of other spooky fun for members and non-members alike.

The Annual Interfaith Blessing of the Pets took place in the Brooksby Village Chapel on the morning of Oct. 4, a marked contrast from the flash flooding occurring elsewhere in the city. A number of pet owners who live or work at the retirement community brought their dogs, cats and photos of late pets, some pictures dating back to the 1940s, to the ceremony.

The Higgins Middle School baseball team held tryouts earlier this month before officially starting the Hawks' competitive season on Sept. 22 at Breed Middle School in Lynn. Peabody hosts Breed today (4 p.m.) and then heads back to Lynn to play Pickering Middle School Wednesday (4 p.m.) and hosts St. Pius on Oct. 4 (4 p.m.).

The ArcWorks Community Art Center hosted a jewelry show by Shine Jewelry last Thursday evening. Visitors to the show perused the collection of handcrafted beaded jewelry designs made with gemstones, freshwater pearls, crystals and other unique beads. All pieces were designed exclusively by clients at Heritage Industries, which is run by Northeast Arc.

Peabody and Swampscott, conference opponents, battled to a scoreless tie on Tuesday evening in Peabody. The Lady Tanners were missing their star scorer Hayley Dowd and just didn't seem able to hit the back of Swampscott's net. The Peabody ladies are now 2-0-2.

Sunny weather and clear skies made for enjoyable conditions at The Meadow for the 2011 Annual Peter Torigian Golf Classic on Monday. The annual tournament, co-sponsored by the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Peabody, benefits a scholarship fund for Peabody high school students. The winners of the tournament will be announced at a later date.

The new Saturday Farmers Market, a test run this year over six weeks, finished up for the season this past weekend. The market was held in the courtyard of the Main Branch Library and featured live entertainment, a book sale and wares from various artists and crafters in addition to the fresh fruits and vegetables, and even some lobsters. The Tuesday market continues until mid October (on Railroad Avenue next to the Little Depot Diner) if you're still hunkering for some fresh local produce.

The weather was perfect for a day out in Peabody Square in a sea of people and tasty delicacies from around the world. The 28th Annual International Festival saw its usual sea of visitors on Sunday, as crowds milled from booth to booth, taking in the culture, entertainment and food that makes Peabody a cultural melting pot on the North Shore. Kids Day activities were held at the Leather City Common and local artists showed off their works at the International Festival Galleria on Chestnut Street in addition to the booths and entertainment around the square. And don't forget to check out …