The Holidays are upon us and no matter how hectic a time this might be, we always manage to get through it in good form. Last month the crew at Keller Williams was hastily putting together a food drive just before Thanksgiving, when news came that the Salvation Army had nearly run out of food. Over 700 bags of food were collected from very generous neighbors in the New Bern area to help restock their shelves. Here in Oriental, this weekend is our Spirit of Christmas celebration. This annual event has been a tradition since 1986. Businesses, civic groups and churches throughout the area unite for these three special days. Holiday decorations are evident everywhere in town as treats and events are held at most every business. The weekend began at noon on Friday with the Ribbon Cutting at the new fishing pier in Lou-Mac Park. Open Houses began in town at the Village Veterinary Hospital and First Citizens Bank. Then an unveiling of a new Historical Marker going up in Lou-Mac Park was held at the Oriental History Museum, followed by a parade of decorated boats and the lighting of the Spirit of Christmas Star.
Saturday the town really came alive, as people from far and near came to enjoy the festivities, visit the shops and sample the treats. We wandered down to M&M's for a generous cup of clam chowder, while others headed to the Town Hall for hot dogs and chili, stew at the hardware store and s'mores at the Bean. Food and musical entertainment were everywhere. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting and reconnecting with numerous friends we had not seen in months or longer.
The Christmas Parade began promptly at 4:00 as scheduled. The theme this year was the Twelve Days of Christmas, and among the entries were 11 Pipers Piping (wearing bathrobes and smoking pipes) and 3 Babies Parading (in strollers). Ya gotta love small town parades! 
The parade ended at Lou-Mac Park where the Tree of Lights was lit. There were also over 3,000 luminaries lit along Broad Street providing a festive evening atmosphere as people walked or drove through town.
I don't know about anyone else, but events like the Spirit of Christmas really help me get in the proper mood for the season. Just what I needed to inspire me to get out the rest of the decorations, and to start wrapping the piles of gifts stacked up around my home office. Priscilla baked a few batches of cookies Friday night to serve at the Circle 10 Art Gallery on Saturday. Of course, I had to sample the broken ones - Oops! another one broke! How many did I "accidently" break, five or six? Freshly baked cookies straight from the oven are also good to help my spirit get in tune with the season!
If you have the opportunity, come visit during Christmas and don't forget about the Dragon Walk at 8 and 11 pm on New Years eve. It is said that if you touch the dragon as it goes by you will have good luck during the coming year. Wishing you and your family a Safe and very Happy Holiday Season.
