The lighting of Clarkesville’s Christmas Tree began with a countdown.
“10-9-8,” Mayor Terry Greene and his wife led the count.
“7-6-5,” the crowd chanted near the white-lit gazebo.
“4-3, 2-1,” and chanters looked for the dark outline of a tree.
“ZERO!” A tree that reached for the sky glowed white against the brick of the old county courthouse – and strings of white bulbs lined the contours of downtown.
The crowd was encouraged then, by event planner Mary Beth Horton to “stroll the sidewalks,” and “keep it local tonight.” Downtown businesses were staying open late, and the Clarkesville Business & Community Association had been sponsoring a search for “Elves on Our Shelves” at downtown businesses. Two elf dolls were moved from business to business — 13 in all — and “hidden” for customers to find. When finding an elf in a Clarkesville business, the customer then could register to win gift baskets to be given away Saturday night, at “name-drawing” time.
Organizers say there were 421 entries and the winners are…
Susan Caudelle of Lula, GA and Rush Smith of Clarkesville. Each received a prize package valued at nearly $500.00.
Voices, flutes, and puppets
Harmonious music was a constant in Clarkesville on Saturday night. On the stage near the lit tree and the gazebo, a number of talented local choirs of adults, children, and churches performed. Meanwhile, about a half-block downhill, in front of Woods Furniture store, flutists Madison Butikofer and Lanae Ramos – students at Piedmont College – played, for two hours, a variety of Christmas melodies. Their music ranged from semi-classical, traditional Christmas music and hymns to “Up on the Housetop.”
The flutes provided constant background music for the puppetry arts display in the large windows of Woods Furniture. Habersham Community Theatre adults now can perform with 12 puppets, and provided an Ebenezer Scrooge-themed show with scenery that changed from window to window, each one lighted and decorated differently for the play.
Manger Scenes and Marshmallows
There were two live nativity scenes in Clarkesville Saturday – one on the sidewalk of the main intersection, and one on the stage near the gazebo and spotlights. Costumed young children took their places on the stage, while older children took turns reading portions of cretive rendition of the Christmas story. While those children were performing, others could be found in line to visit “Santa Claus” in the gazebo. And further down the hill, in a parking lot usually reserved for emergency vehicles, families gathered in near-darkness for a sentimental marshmallow roast with a flaming raised fire pit.
One father, Caleb Smith, roasted marshmallows for daughters Carly, Norah, and Olivia, and their mother, Jessie. Carly and Norah were old enough to visit the Santa in the gazebo, and tell him what they would like to have for Christmas. In fact, after leaving Santa’s lap, both girls inched back to him again, “making sure he remembered what they had told him!” mother Jessie said.
Then Carly, waiting for a roasting marshmallow, looked up into the black sky. She saw tiny bits of white stuff floating in the air – the thin pieces of burnt wood from the fire pit.
“Look, Mommy, it’s snowing!” she said.
A Downtown Clarkesville Christmas
December 12, 2015
Clarkesville, GA
Photos by A.N. Williams
click to enlarge
