A-Charmed Friend

I got to show my friend Holly around A-Town last night, and I think she was thoroughly charmed. We picked this night to get our families together because, it so happened, there was an A-Town Christmas Festival going on the same evening. We’d have our supper and then take the kids to see Santa, sing carols, make Christmas crafts, and so on. That was the plan. And it worked! (Don’t you love it when plans work?)

The John and Holly family arrived a little late because I had failed to emphasize how truly “forever” it takes to get here from either of the major metropolitan areas to our east or west (at least that’s what first-time visitors often tell us: “I felt like I was driving forever!”). But that was OK. Kids eat fast (if they eat at all), and the grownups had about a half-hour to chat over Gypsy Stew before we hustled up the block to witness the Christmas tree lighting and join in the caroling. We were in view of the Courthouse lawn when the lights went on. We weren’t there, but we didn’t completely miss it, either. Good enough. (And, as it turned out, the lights malfunctioned a couple times during the caroling, so we got to see the tree “re-lit”…and relit again.)

“Fa-la-la-la-la!” Holly and I were enthusiastic carolers. Where we were standing, we felt like the only ones singing. Undeterred, we joined our voices and crooned with gusto. Holly is a really good singer who can harmonize without any written music in front of her. I was impressed.

As a bonus, Santa Claus showed up on an A-Town Fire Department ATV right where we caroled. The kids were duly duped and dazzled, and they earnestly offered their requests to the man in red. When I told Holly that the jolly old guy was the M-A-Y-O-R, she Awww’d with appropriate small-town sentimentality. (I was later corrected by Will, who knows everything-about-everything about local politics. Santa was a Village Trustee who had recently served as the interim M-A-Y-O-R—details, details…still sweet.)

The bonus of Santa coming to us was that we could head straight back to the house. “Baby, it was cold outside.” We sent Vi and pal to the Fire Hall with the pack of merry-makers and returned to the Waters residence for cake, cookies and coffee. Then, after about 45 minutes had passed, Holly and I went to retrieve the girls, which allowed me to show my friend a bit more of A-Town, sans little ones. We strolled by our church, the local pizza place, the Fire Hall (where Vi and friend had waited the full 45 minutes in line for balloon weiner dogs), and ended up at the Main Street coffee shop, one of my favorite spots on the globe. Along the way, we discovered my dad out walking. He joined us on the trek to the coffee shop, where a community band was playing a concert of holiday tunes. Enchanting.

We listened for a bit, then made our way back home, by way of the downtown craft co-op/variety store, where Holly found an oh-so-charming picture frame she simply had to have. And even though the proffered discount of the day was 15 percent and not the 50 that Holly’s optimistic ears had heard, she purchased it anyhow, because it really was delightful.

Back at the homestead, Holly announced to John that they were moving to A-Town. I second that Christmas wish!