Skip to main content

Small Town Christmas

 So we stood there, my wife and I, looking at a train display in the window of a small bank, my eyes as wide as saucers as I watched the toy train chug around the track.  One of the cars had a moveable searchlight on it, and that brought back warm memories.

                My wife said something to me but I had already traveled back in time to when I was 8 years old and my brother and I were playing with a train set that took up the entirety of my grandmother’s dining room.   One of the rail cars on her train set had a search light on it too, another car had a missile that you could shoot up and into the tree; which was exactly what my brother and I were doing; trying to knock ornaments down.  

Sort of looks like me.  Even has a beer.

                Even today I swear that every Christmas packages were as high as the roof as chorales sang of old kings and new and it always snowed on Christmas day.  Memories of my father dressed up as Santa year in and year out as generation after generation sat on his leg.

                My mother asked my brother and I why we did not wish to take over for him…it was, for me at least, my father’s job.  No other person, not even his sons, would ever replace him as Santa. 

                I thought about all this as my wife and I shopped the small Mom and Pop stores near us.  We were really not looking for anything specific; we were just out enjoying the day and the sights of a small town Christmas.

              
    A little girl who probably didn’t realize how much she looked liked Cindy Lou Who was getting her picture taken in front of a Grinch display while off in the distance a high school band was playing “Silent Night.”

      Living in the middle of farmland the way we do it wasn’t uncommon to pass a decorated tractor or other piece of farm equipment.  Recently the nearby Stoneboro Fairgrounds had an event that was exactly that!  

     For the first time since my mother died last October, I felt that I had the Christmas spirit.   It’s not a bad feeling.

      I’m not a religious person; knowing all the pagan myths behind the holidays.  However far be it from me to deny anyone’s need to believe in something.  I think this desire to believe in something greater than ourselves is actually one of the defining traits of humanity. 

      After all, isn’t Christmas about family and community?    

      In some ways the “Christmas Spirit” is strong this year.  Last year everything was smaller, more confined and subdued.  It seemed like we did everything twice or three times last year as we wanted family to see our new home, but also had to make sure that everyone felt safe and secure in the visit. 

      So it feels good to mingle with strangers as we shop the small shops and share a cup of cocoa with a young Amish family.  

A Candy Display at a shop.

      Each of the small towns near us are holding similar events, but on different days which allows families to partake in as many as possible.   This time of year really is for the kids.

    It also helps that I've been involved with the local Odd Fellows, who are doing a variety of charity events going into the new year.  So maybe, just maybe this old City Mouse is enjoying the holiday season in the country.   Just maybe his heart will grow three times its normal size too.  You just never know. 

    Be sure to check out and like our Facebook page too.  Bring a little joy into as many lives as possible. 

Labels:
Location: Stoneboro, PA 16153, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

What all the cool kids are reading.

The Home Improvement Blues

      When I sit down to write something, I do so for two reasons; the first is that yes, I want to remember my thoughts and feeling about a particular moment in time, so in some ways this blog serves as my journal.  The second reason is that I hope to impart some knowledge or information on.  In the hope that you, gentle reader, might learn something new or, more likely, avoid the mistakes I make.        I leave that decision up to you.       Thus, in some ways you can blame our youngest cat, Bobble, for our upcoming spending a lot of money on window's and other home improvements.       Our first winter in Western Pennsylvania was not really that bad.  This year it seemed we had weeks of sub zero temperatures and several feet of snow.  Our house was physically colder.   Now if your wondering why I'm blaming the cat then please read on dear reader.   ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The American Climate Corps and other good news

 Generally speaking I don't trust the government when it comes to climate.  Here in America we basically have an Oligarchy - where a few rich asssholes are more concerned with maintaining their own power than doing what is best for the country overall.   This has not given me much hope for the future.  In fact, I've reached the conclusion that we simply will not be able to relay on the government going forward.  I'm not a doomsayer but the government at the highest levels simply isn't functioning the way it should and because of that it's simply not going to be able to handle the environmental and other climate related challenges in the future - such as massive immigration caused by failing crops.  Due to their age, most of our leaders are living in a world that no longer exists. So, why does President Biden's American Climate Corps pigued my interest? Two reasons really, it is an understanding that we have to do something sooner than later.  Wel...
2 comments
Read more

A taste of the secret Amish Kitchens

     I don't know what attracts me to "Amish Cheese's."  I came across a few recipes while putting about on the interwebs and was taken by them.  They do seem rather simple to make and they require little in actual work but they do require time.  While not exactly a "set it and forget it" cheese, these cheeses often used milk that has spoiled naturally over time or "Clabbered."       Which, considering the Amish lifestyle, makes perfect sense.  The Amish are not a wasteful people.        One cheese that caught my eye is called Amish Cup Cheese.   It is a soft spread where you heated the milk to room temperature first (about 72 F) then let it cool, letting the curds seperate from the whey.    Then you add a bit ingredients and again...you "rested" the cheese for 12 hours before moving on to the next step.  Then, again add some more ingredients then rest for 5 hours before moving on.  It's...
Post a Comment
Read more