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Editorial: Launched into Christmas
Op-Ed · December 14, 2017
What can we say to fully express our gratitude and congratulations to the organizers of yet another marvelous Christmas Past celebration?
West Branch Community Development Group, the City of West Branch and the Hoover campus, not to mention scores of volunteers and civic organizations and churches and businesses, teamed up to put on another family event that helped us move more into the Christmas spirit.
Oddly enough, the relatively warmer weather that made it difficult to believe Christmas is near is the same thing that brought out big crowds — the Gibson family itself counted more than 2,000 just at the West Branch Fire Department to see its holiday-themed model train display — both Friday, Dec. 1, and Saturday, Dec. 2, to enjoy the festivities. With temperatures in the 30s, it was just cold enough to feel like December, but warm enough to invite folks out of their homes for the fun.
Once again, the event provided so much to do that one person could not get around to everything and spend enough time to appreciate it all. It may be a tired old phrase to say “There was something for everyone,” but that phrase captures this weekend so well.
Children burst into stores looking for elves on shelves, families gathered around fires for hot dogs and doughnuts and s’mores, groups of friends climbed into horse-drawn wagons to ride through downtown and the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, lines snaked through the Tales of the Sea-themed Christmas tree display at the Hoover Library-Museum, costumed volunteers stood still for a live nativity scene, businesses invited folks in from the cold with hot chocolate and cookies, churches offered complimentary meals, the North Pole Outlet gave children a chance to provide presents of their own, and carolers offered up their voices and so much more.
West Branch United Methodist Church’s Praise Band, made up of teenagers, likely made the I’m-too-cool-for-that crowd cave a little bit to the merriment of the holiday season by performing at the tree-lighting ceremony. And, when a patch of lights did not turn on at the end of the countdown, Hoover Site Superintendent Pete Swisher rolled with it with a bit of humor, “Join us tomorrow when we light the rest of the tree!”
Out taking pictures, our reporter met many people from out of town, from college-age visitors to entire families, and saw many who had moved away and returned to be greeted on the street with hugs and handshakes from old friends.
Of all the magic that occurred during A Christmas Past, two things stand out the most: the joyous children whose eyes reflect the twinkling lights and spirit of the season, and the heartwarming interactions of the throngs of people.
It is the most wonderful time of the year, and A Christmas Past plays a big part in getting us from “fall” to “Merry Christmas!”
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