Festive Weekend Rings In The Holiday Season

’Twas a month before Christmas when all through the town, people were bustling, decorating the house. Bright tree lights were hung in Ram Pasture with care, in hopes they would shine on a crowd gathered there…

And on Friday night, December 5, with breath puffing into the cold air as revelers counted backward from 10 waiting for the tree to light, smiling faces soon reflected a red and green glow. Clear alto and soprano notes from the high school choir added Christmas cheer to the evening air.

Newtown dressed up for Christmas beginning with Friday’s traditional tree lighting — the new spruce replacing the tree snapped by wind earlier this year. Ashley Hammond kept warm under her white-fringed Santa hat, singing along to carols filling the cold night as Newtown High School’s choir sang. Holding her daughter Sophia — an early Christmas present last year — Brook Stiewing-Pechenko kissed her little girl who was snug inside her puffy coat.

Dreaming of gifts for this holiday, friends Natalie Zimmerman and Rachel DiCristina wanted, respectively, a puppy and a monkey under their trees Christmas Day. Mackenzie Hughes looked over her mom Paula’s shoulder as the decorative bulbs cast their festive light. Arms wrapped around one another and laughter widening their smiles, Kim Chiappetta and Cindy Capodagli admired the tree. Hoping Kris Kringle will remember them on December 25 were Bradley Capeci, R.H. Clark, and Nick Werden, who attend the tree lighting every year.

Once the lights were on, the crowd turned its attention to the man in red and woman with the bonnet, white shawl, and candy canes as they took their spots in a holiday sleigh. In line to see Mr and Mrs Claus were father and son Chris and James McMahon, jostled by the swarm of children hoping for a glimpse. Among those lucky enough for a moment with old Saint Nick, whispering wishes into his ear, were Arry Nichols and Shayna Millard.

 

Saturday…

A long line of children again crowded Kris Kringle at Newtown Middle School during the Parks & Recreation Department’s Breakfast with Santa. Making it to the head of the line, Hannah Marcum asked for a Barbie House. Twins Zachary and Michael Loomis were next to tell their secrets to St Nick, soon followed by Elizabeth Buckley, who dreams of a dollhouse.

Those not in line and peering around one another to see the Jolly Old Elf were working at crafts. Joseph Bonsignore was assembling an angel. A table away was Annika Fogal, who threaded one blue bead after another, stringing a necklace.

Looking at the crowd filling the cafeteria Saturday morning, Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation RoseAnn Reggiano said, “I love it! I love it.”

Around the corner and up the hill at the Newtown Meeting House, Garden Club members and guests had greens, baskets, and handcrafted gifts for sale. Barbara Glass joined the club members Saturday and set up a table of her handmade pins, among other festive items. Club member Margaret Clark admired Ms Glass’s work. At another table club member Monica Toll noted a new, unusual gift for the season that drew her attention: moss, stones, and herbs growing in baskets could be a nice center- or window-piece.

Down the street, Newtown Rotary Club members were dropping butter onto a hot griddle. The lines may have been long and the serving pace a little off from past years, but those who persevered and made it up to The Alexandria Room on Saturday were treated to what Jake Danziger called “the best pancakes ever!”

Mr Danziger was the chairman for this year’s 48th annual pancake breakfast. The Rotary Club served up its all-you-can-eat breakfast of fresh pancakes, sausage, and applesauce. It was the first time the recently renovated kitchen was being used, and although it was taking some getting used to, the men at the grills and the folks who were serving plates of food were quite pleased with the steady turnout. A sign thanked attendees for their patience and promised that next year’s pace would be even better.

“We are loving the kitchen,” Mr Danziger said. “This is our busiest year. We’ve been absolutely swamped, but I think the pancakes taste better than ever.”

Less than a mile away at Newtown Congregational Church, young adults from NCC, Newtown United Methodist, and St Rose of Lima churches — all of whom will be attending workcamp together in June 2009 — held a Santa’s Workshop & Babysitting event. Spread throughout several classrooms, and with adult supervision, the young men and women had four hours of events planned for the children who spent the middle of the day at the church.

In different classrooms, work and play areas were set up for musical chairs and Santa Says, coloring, making Christmas cards and potholders, and creating gingerbread houses. Santa stopped by after lunch. The entire event was a fundraiser for the workcampers, who will spent the week of June 28 to July 4 in Oakland, Md.

Later that night, Sandy Hook celebrated a tree lighting of its own on the corner of Church Hill Road and Washington Avenue. Sandy Hook Wine & Liquor, Sandy Hook Hair Company, and other downtown businesses welcomes guests with buffets, hot chocolate, popcorn, a taste of wine, and good cheer with Santa Claus and Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer.

Joining Bonnie Fredericks at her hair salon, Mike and Kelly Burton added a splash of raspberry spirits to the punch. Mariel Walters rubbed her tummy, waiting for a baby that should be born in the days before Christmas. “I don’t know if I can wait that long,” she laughed. Warm on a black leather couch with their hands wrapped around cups of hot cocoa were Gabriella Mason, Ashley Peck, and Morghan Moroney.

Next-door, Otto and Suzanne Kerler set up a table of popcorn and cider outside their parents’ store. Across the street and uphill, Rudolph waved at residents alongside Meghan Bridges. Several steps farther up the hill, Mary Fellows and her daughter Chloe Conk assembled their freeze-dried snow machine (cotton candy). Waiting his turn, Collen Moroney asked, “What’s Christmas without it?”

Back down the hill at Katherine’s Kitchen, Kyle Nicholson sunk his front teeth into a sugary treat, while next-door, wearing a necklace made of Christmas lights and her own Santa hat, Jessie Cruz also sipped a sweet, chocolate drink. Waiting for the tree to light as a DJ played holiday tunes, Nicole Ferraz hugged her Chihuahua Figo, to keep his tiny body warm.

Is the time of year about the glitter, lights, and bow-topped gifts? “It’s not the presents you give and the presents you get, but the presents you make in the community,” Ms Fellows said. For example, charity donations are high this year, despite the country’s current economic struggle. “That’s a great thing,” she said.

 

Sunday…

This year’s 23rd Annual Holiday Festival, the year’s biggest fundraiser to support Newtown’s Youth & Family Services, drew crowds to Main Street where the Edmond Town Hall was filled from the theater balcony to the lower level gymnasium. Curtains opened on two performances of The Nutcracker Suite as dancers with Jennifer Johnston’s Malenkee Ballet Repertoire Company brightened the stage. At noon and 1:30 pm, with lips glistening like gum drops and faces and cheeks powdered and rouged, the performers acted out the story of a young girl’s surprised gift of a nutcracker in traditional wooden soldier form. Her jealous brother breaks the gift, which is repaired by her godfather in the night, while she dreams. Stepping away from the theater, guests enjoyed more wonder and the spirit of Christmas.

A Victorian Tea found a crowd entering and waiting to be seated in the Alexandria Room, where the adjoining kitchen renovations recently were completed. “It is so nice,” said Carol Mahoney, chairing the event along with Maureen Birden and Ginger Humeston. The women agreed that the Board of Managers and town hall staff did a “wonderful” job refurbishing the facility.

Placing scones on guests’ plates, Justina Paproski was one of many smiling faces serving those coming in from the cold, first snow of the year. Hesitant to enter the bustle, Ashley Solomon turned her attention to the ornate Victorian dress that Linda Rocco wore as she signed in each guest. Clearing tables and making room for newcomers, Izzy Satmary walked through the crowd with empty china on a silver tray.

On the main floor and throughout the lobby and Mary Hawley Room, NYFS holiday festival event chair Layne Lescault helped arrange ornaments, decorations, jewelry, and other gift items for sale at the holiday boutique. Down another flight was Santa Claus, who welcomed children to once again cup their hands to the side of their mouths and lean toward his ear.

Across the gym were students and a group of Girl Scouts making crafts. As Claire Olson and Natalie Diekman juggled with sand-filled balloons, a few tables down found Paige Fedorcheck assisting Maria Ringes with a decoration.

Most popular is the annual house tour, where residents open their homes to the public, which enjoys a view of professionally decorated residences. Numbers 12, 51, 63, and 74 Main Street all saw daylong groups of visitors.

Walking up the front steps and reaching for the handle at 51 Main Street were sisters Maggie and Kate Luongo with their mother Jane. After the girls played musical accompaniment at the Victorian Tea, they went walked along on the home tour. Several doors away at 63 Main Street, high school student and volunteer Megan Hintzer greeted guests. Across the street at number 74 sightseers entered the foyer and walked around to the historic home’s kitchen and dining area where Heidi Brisson talked about the floor-to-ceiling fireplace. Oranges pierced with aromatic cloves, scented candles, dried berries, and a miniature tree decorated the table. On the other side of the flag pole, residents chancing the windy afternoon made their way to number 12 — the last house on this year’s tour.

The holiday spirit was fully apparent at the C.H. Booth Library, when the Newtown Youth & Family Services Annual Festival of Trees Raffle and Gingerbread House Contest joined the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library’s Holiday Book Sale, drawing a large and cheerful crowd.

The book sale, a two-day extravaganza of gift quality books for children, young adults, and adults at bargain prices, continued Saturday’s success on Sunday, with lines of people browsing and buying.

Festival Of Trees And Gingerbread Houses

Other visitors to the library were drawn to the NYFS Festival of Trees Raffle in the meeting room. Elegant, theme-oriented trees shimmered next to whimsical creations by Scout troops, and elaborately decorated wreathes made it difficult for browsers to decide how many raffle tickets to buy and on which items to bid. Gift baskets made up to appeal to every taste, from spa selections to a horse lover’s delight, tempted ticket holders.

On the second floor of the library in the main circulation department, entries into this year’s Gingerbread House Contest elicited plenty of “oohs” and “aahhs” and a lot of lip licking. One entry, “Snowmen at Night,” tickled the fancy of several viewers. Having a lively time on the frosting hill next to a quiet chocolate chip-studded gingerbread house, marshmallow snowmen snowboarded on oval shortbread cookie “boards,” used gumdrops as flying saucers, sledded upside down on a sled with candy cane runners, and schussed down the hill on chocolate skis.

It was hard to miss the massive gingerbread Hawley School. A Necco candy wafer footpath and sugar wafer steps led up to the candy door. Gingerbread walls were trimmed in colorful frosting, with candy cane pillars supporting the corners, beneath a chocolate cracker and peppermint candy-tiled roof, topped off with a sugar wafer tower. The scene included gingerbread boys and girls at play making their own snowman in the front yard.

Life Savers and gum drops decorated the roof of “Chanukah House” and a very special “Dog House” featured dog biscuit and wheat cracker walls with frosted wheat cereal pieces for the roof tiles. A cookie dog peeked out at those peeking in.

The “Fashion Exchange” gingerbread house drew a crowd. This entry had pink meringue and powdered sugar icing coating the gingerbread walls, lilac icing decorating the roof, and a candy cane fence, gumdrop bushes, and a frosted gingerbread sign.

NYFS services coordinator Laura Miller said that the contest was broken down into six categories. “They were all just beautiful,” said Ms Miller.

Holiday Festival Chair Layne Lescault looked back fondly at the weekend on Monday. “It was cold and windy, but there were a lot of families. It was a success.” With storytelling and a boutique added to the long list of activities, as well as Sunday’s Advent Lessons & Carols service at Trinity Episcopal Church and the Newtown Historical Society’s open house at the Matthew Curtiss House, she said, “It was great and got into the spirit of things.” Beginning with the tree lighting Friday, she said “This has become a holiday weekend in Newtown. It’s an introduction to the holiday season.”

As Sunday drew to a close, the Newtown Choral Society, under the direction of John Mucci, presented a winter concert at The Meeting House of celebration songs from around the world. A collection of songs from England, France, Italy, Africa, Denmark, and the United States, including works by two members of the Connecticut Composers, Inc, Allen Brings and Margaret Collins Stoop, were brought to life.

Featured soloists were Laura Paik, Deborra Zukowski, Denise Kaiser, and John Sullivan, as well as Chuck Magouas on drums. Pianist Anna DeMasi and Katherine Isles on flute accompanied the choral group.

Following a brief intermission, the holiday crowd was treated to the challenging cantata Der Stern von Bethlehem by Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger, written in 1890. Choral Society member Peter Andrew and soprano Elizabeth Norton were featured soloists.

At last, the holiday weekend drew to an end…

Revelers sprang to their cars, heading home in a hustle, and away they all drove, slowing down from the bustle. We heard them exclaim, as they drove out of sight, “Happy Holidays to Newtown, and to all a good night.”