In Downtown Crossing, the holiday season began with the flick of a switch Friday night.

Macy’s lit its mammoth holiday tree on the Summer Street marquee of its downtown department store. Strings of white lights – bearing hundreds of bright bulbs – flicked on as children and parents shouted in delight and confetti rained on the roadway. For revelers, the annual celebration was a traditional break from the daily routine, an injection of vibrancy and Christmas spirit into the heart of Boston.