Cynics don’t and atheists won’t appreciate the beauty of the coming holiday: the Christmas lights, the carolers, smiling children all apple-cheeked from the cold, and if we have a white Christmas, the unmistakable smell of snow and pine needles.
Yes, snow does have a smell. Go ahead. Take a really deep breath now and you’ll smell it. Told you so.
Homes in and around Newburyport bejeweled with Christmas lights. Some are tasteful, others are gaudy and some are self-aggrandizement. Beauty and intention both being things of individual taste and mind, the joy and the good intentions are still there for those who can see them.
And who are the least jaded among us? Children.
Christmas is for all, but especially for the young. Warmly do I remember those Decembers many years ago, the nights spent tossing and turning, anticipating that magical morning which couldn’t come quickly enough. It is because of those memories that I give generously at Christmas that no child should go without.
It is not hard to do for Newburyport is blessed with people who selflessly give of time and money that others may share in our bounty at Christmas and year-round as well. They inspire me to do the same.
The Salvation Army does a magnificent job. Allied with the Newburyport Fire Department, they are having a toy drive on December 14th at the the Port Plaza Kmart.
It’s called “Fill-a-Fire-Truck.” Let’s make it a five alarm toy drive.
Carolers. Is there any instrument wrought by human hand more beautiful than the voice?
I don’t think so. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket, but I sure do envy those who can. Christmas carols, how they touch me deeply.
And the underlying spirituality. It’s there if you look for it. Lord knows Americans could use a little more spirituality in the face of our culture of materialism sadly epitomized by a holiday with deeper meaning. We acquire wealth and goods to achieve happiness and when such happiness proves fleeting, we acquire more, like a dope fiend after that next fix. When the high wears off, watch out. We’ll spend a day at the mall renewing a wardrobe, but the thought of spending an hour renewing the spirit can be daunting.
Many families hop in the car for the ritual December ride through town to see the lights along the streets, bejeweled trees in bay windows and yards, whole houses and yards strung with lights and planted with reindeer and Santa and elves and creches. I even saw a beautifully bedecked boat on Bridge Road.
But think about what the automobile does. It insulates and isolates you inflicting a kind of sensory deprivation.
We are a hurried and harried people. We’ll hop in that car just to go a few blocks for a quart of milk and a loaf of bread, not because we’re lazy (though we are) but because we’re in a hurry to get nowhere fast. I realize I am restating the obvious, but when you hop in the car, you miss so much. You see only the big picture and what you do see goes by in a blur. What are you missing? To recycle an old saw, the devil is in the details.
Park the car several blocks from down town and walk the side streets.
Slowly.
This is the one time of year when all your senses are stimulated. You’ll realize what you’ve been missing. Pause. Appreciate the sights and sounds. Join in with the chorus of carolers. Let your eyes drink in the homeowners handiwork. Feel the cold touch your cheeks and the snow crunch beneath your feet. Take a deep breath. Smell the season and store it up for future savoring.
And when you reach downtown Newburyport, if you’ve planned right, it’ll be Invitation Night, the first two Fridays every December.
Partake of the ciders, wines, snacks, and sweets many of the town’s merchants offer. Rub elbows your fellow revelers, travelers from near and afar. It’s pretty hard to greet strangers and friends with smile and hello from your car.
Those of us who live in Newburyport and environs often lose our appreciation for the many things the town offers, especially around holidays. Why do so many people make this town a summertime, holiday, or often anyday destination or place to call home? For the very things we can take for granted. December exemplifies, amongst more noble things, Newburyport’s allure.
Finally, when you’ve put away the American Express and mailed the last Christmas card, take out that holiday smile and wear it for all to see.
It looks good on you.
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Learn more about the Salvation Army in Newburyport