Seventy-two hours can go by in a flash, but the memories that are made can last forever! Holiday Market, Cookies with Santa and the Charleston Christmas parade were three back-to-back events over the span of three days, but the smiles and laughter that they generated will last much longer.
Holiday Market was filled with the stories of yesteryear as told by John Allison and the smiles of Lyn Hardy. Community members came out in groups to purchase those last-minute gifts for their loved ones, or those last-minute gifts for themselves that they were not sure Santa was going to bring.
Although the weather outside was frightful that night, little ones and their families still came to talk to ’Ole Saint Nick and to ensure that he knew all their wants and dreams for Christmas morning. Alice Ruth Weeks summed up the evening when asked by Santa what she wanted for Christmas. Alice Ruth replied with a sparkle in her eye, “I want everything, Santa!”
And finally, the Christmas parade. Our team of volunteers worked for several weeks to turn a simple trailer into a Christmas float.
However, the best thing about this group of volunteers was that when things did not go as planned, they pivoted quickly to still get the task accomplished. Float backdrop lost in shipping – they painted one. Microphone on sound machine not working – they smiled and sang anyway. They more than earned that second-place trophy with their hard work and determination, and I am pretty sure that they had a lot of fun while doing it.
Thank you for celebrating the holiday season with us! See you at CARE in 2022!
