Old time Christmas traditions, decorations kept alive by Arrow Rock community events

Curtis Roth of Blackwater helps hang greenery from the posts on the boardwalk in Arrow Rock Saturday, Nov. 28. The Hanging of the Greens event helps kick off the Christmas season each year in the historic village. While volunteers worked, singers belted out traditional carols. (Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Laura Roth tells Santa Claus what she wants for Christmas. The youngster was the first in line as Santa stepped from the Arrow Rock fire truck, his transportation in lieu of sleigh for the annual Hanging of the Greens event in Arrow Rock Saturday, Nov. 28. (Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

The words burst from Laura Roth seconds after Santa Claus descended from his fire truck "sleigh" Saturday, Nov. 28, at the annual Hanging of the Greens event in Arrow Rock.

The youngster exclaimed later that she also wants guitar lessons -- assuming Santa holds up his end of the deal.

A number of children from around the area clustered around Santa after he was escorted down Arrow Rock's Main Street by Arrow Rock volunteer firefighters Robert and Jason Hunter.

But Santa's visit is not the only Christmas tradition kept alive in the historic village of Arrow Rock.

Every year, volunteers led by Tom Beamer hang greenery along the eaves of the town's boardwalk while visitors and members of the community provide a steady stream of Christmas carols in the background.

Sandy Selby provided the musical accompaniment while Mary Burge announced each Christmas carol.

Another traditional holiday event occurred the night before in the J. Huston Tavern, where community members and guests gathered to decorate the historic building.

Liz Huff, proprietor of the tavern, hosted the decorating party and attracted a crowd of volunteers by offering Thanksgiving leftovers as a reward for their help.

"It's always been a tradition for townspeople to come the day after Thanksgiving and the day before the Hanging of the Greens to trim the tree at the tavern," she said. "I thought 'I've got all these Thanksgiving leftovers. If I feed everybody I'll get more people to come,' and by gosh we did."

Huff also did some research on old-time Christmas decorations, in keeping with her efforts to make the tavern's ambiance as true to its historical period as possible.

"Some of them are traditional things and some of them are twists on traditional things," she said. "I read that children would find abandoned birds nests and put them in the tree."

Huff obtained moss and clay birds' eggs, and volunteers crafted realistic-looking nests to adorn the tree.

Volunteers also decorated cookies and strung popcorn and cranberries to make traditional garlands.

"I love the idea of icicles hanging on the tree, but I didn't want to buy those plastic icicles," she said. "So I got the idea we could make them out of metal." Volunteers sliced strips of copper that were then twisted into icicle shapes.

Huff also continued an old tradition that has regained popularity in recent years: She cut down a live tree herself that afternoon.

"It's the freshest tree ever," she said.

Contact Eric Crump at marshalleditor@socket.net