For so many reasons, Christmas time always makes me think back to growing up in Iowa. I think it’s the paltry amount of snow we got today, lending itself to not one, but two canceled school days. Would have taken a foot of snow accompanied by an inch of ice for school to be canceled in Iowa.
One of the (tackiest) best parts of being in Fairfield, Iowa for Christmas was the all out (tacky) beautiful Christmas display in the town square. The day after Thanksgiving, Mrs. Mitcheltree (high school choir director) would ask the chamber singers to join her for a sleigh (tractor) ride through town behind Santa (in a truck) as he opened the Christmas season. Off we would go, freezing our (tails) noses off as we attempted to sing such classics as “Carol of the Bells” and “Winter Wonderland”.
Below is a video taken from our lovely home square from a couple of years ago, pasted on YouTube for the world to enjoy. At least, unlike some small Kentuckian town’s tree lighting ceremony, instead of dozens, we’d at least had a couple of hundred join together for the lighting of the square. And I only stole Rudolph’s nose twice. Ok, maybe 3 times.
