Bristol
Volume 2 | Issue 4
For 24/7 Santa Bill McKee,
Where two cities become one
the Magic of Christmas is Real, 4
All Aboard The Santa Train, 13
Speedway in Lights, 18 Seasonal Grub & Grog, 27 Think You Know Christmas? Take the Quiz, 30
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More than 2 million lights and 200 displays make up the region’s biggest holiday lights show. For 20 years, Speedway in Lights has dazzled audiences, both young and old, across the Mountain Empire and has become one of the region’s most recognizable Christmas traditions.
View past editions and more at: http://www. heraldcourier.com/ bristol_magazine/
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Play it up Live theater is a winter tradition as much as giving gifts. To theater goers who adore local plays and musicals, live theater and the holidays go hand in mitten-clad hand at places such as the Paramount Center for Performing Arts, Theatre Bristol and the Bristol Ballet.
Page 4
Speedway in Lights
Page 8
Images Editor: David Crigger
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Editor: Rob Walters 276-645-2513 rwalters@bristolnews.com
Where two cities become one
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Publisher: Jim Maxwell 276-645-2552 jmaxwell@bristolnews.com
Bristol Contents
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Bristol magazine is a quarterly publication published by the Bristol Herald Courier®, a BH Media Group newspaper, at 320 Morrison Boulevard, Bristol, Va. Periodicals postage paid at Bristol, Va. All Rights reserved. The contents may not be reproduced without prior written consent of the newspaper. ISSN 8750-6505.
VIRGINIA TENNESSEE
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Where two cities become one
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VIRGINIA TENNESSEE
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Bristol
The Magic is Real Meet the Damascus man who lives the role of Santa year-round.
O Christmas Tree In Virginia growing Christmas trees is a passion and an obsession.
All Aboard! The Santa Train has been bringing joy to the region for 74 holidays.
Holiday Traditions The Mountain Empire is home to a world of Christmas traditions.
Seasonal Grub & Grog Local chefs and mixologists share holiday dishes and drinks.
Christmas Quiz Think you know Christmas? Take the quiz and find out.
Food & Faith Emmanuel Episcopal Church dishes out food and fellowship.
Hanukkah A festival started by Jewish rabbis as an alternative holiday to Christmas. BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 3
The Magic Is Real
Though Christmas is Dec. 25 for many, for Bill McKee there’s a little bit of Christmas in every day of the year BY TOM NETHERLAND
N
ORTH POLE (a.k.a. Glade Spring, Va.) — “Ho! Ho! Ho!” Though not a sleigh nor reindeer in sight into which to take a midnight flight, the man in red and a beard of white, bellowed in cheer with all of his might. “Ho! Ho! Ho!” came the voice again. With a twinkle in his eyes and red in his cheeks, Santa Claus delivered a message to one and all just the same. “All you have to do is to believe,” he said. Thousands of miles south and upon the completion of a curvy road in Glade Spring, Virginia, rests the home of Bill McKee. A suit of red was on a door. Another waited just down the hall. Though Christmas comes this and every year on Dec. 25, for McKee there’s a little bit of Christmas in every day of the year. A whole lot of Santa fills McKee. “Every day,” McKee said. “If I go to the store in July, people will say, ‘Hey, Santa!’ I wear red shirts, always in red of some sort whenever I go out.” McKee, 66, first inherited and then literally grew into the role of Santa nearly 20 years ago. “Well, I started out as the Damascus Santa,” McKee said. “Vernon Waters had been Santa for 44 years in Damascus and around the area. He called me up in the fall of ’98, asked if I would fill in for him. He couldn’t do it anymore. I had never considered being Santa Claus. Never thought about it. Well, I went through that Christmas, loved being Santa. But I hated the fake beard!” | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
TOM NETHERLAND
“Christmas magic is real,” said Bill McKee as Santa Claus. “All you have to do is believe.”
McKee hadn’t a clue as to what and who he may encounter and consequently how he would react in the moment. Would certain comments or situations prompt fear or perhaps waves of emotion and tears? Who knew? Regardless, into the unknown he stepped as Santa Claus — red suit, black boots, bells and Christmas magic intact. Interestingly enough, the engaging boy was named Nicholas. The child life specialist announced to Nicholas, “You have a visitor!” “I had bells on my boots,” McKee said, beaming upon recollection. Nicholas responded as one might suspect he would. “Santa!” he said. Though Nicholas has since died, his memory remains steadfast within McKee. “Nicholas, every single time I visited him, challenged me to be the very best Santa I could be,” McKee said. “He challenged the doctors. He challenged the nurses. He challenged BHC File Photo Even Santa needs some down time. Dressed in his summer attire, Santa talks to fans during a me. Everybody loved him. He absolutely loved life. He savored life.” Bristol Whitesox baseball game. McKee paused. His voice quieted McKee leaned back in his chair, “That magic is real,” Santa said. “It’s and took on a somber tone. “He could not eat food,” McKee said placed his hands upon his belly and not hocus-pocus magic. It’s magic for laughed upon the recollection. In the spirit, that which Jesus spoke of.” of Nicholas. “From the time he was an infant, he was tube-fed. You’d be the moment, he wore red trousers He paused to let the message and a matching red shirt. Depictions marinate. Moments later and back in surprised by what you see and who you can meet at Niswonger Children’s of Santa’s reindeer — Dasher and Glade Spring, McKee resumed. Dancer, Comet and Cupid and so “Every child in the St. Jude clinic [in Hospital and St. Jude.” For instance, there was another forth, occupied space on his vividly Johnson City] gets a bell — no matter time in particular when McKee as red Christmas shirt. On the table lay their age,” McKee said. Santa made his routine rounds within a pair of small red bags. Inside them, You see, McKee regularly visits tiny bells awaited hearts to touch children in Johnson City’s Niswonger St. Jude. A scream pierced the moment. with their magical inherent rings. Children’s Hospital, within which “I heard a child screaming bloody Upon their mention, McKee and partners the St. Jude Tri-Cities Affilimurder,” McKee said. “I then heard a Glade Spring receded and Santa amid ate Clinic. voice from across the way say, ‘Santa, the North Pole proceeded to the fore. “That clinic in Johnson City serves I need you.’ Well, a little girl of about “To me, they symbolize the true five states,” McKee said. power of Christmas,” Santa said of Children of varying ages and ranges 7 was screaming bloody murder. I walked over and got to the door of the the bells, which he had by then eased of sickness occupy its space. Regardwith care from their bags. Gently, he less of the time of year, many encoun- room.” The little girl was on an examinaheld one in his hand. With but a slight ter McKee as Santa. tion table, around which doctors and jiggle of his hand, the bell jingled and “I’ll tell you a story from my very nurses stood. They were seeking to jangled. first visit to St. Jude,” McKee said. take some blood samples from her, Sound otherwise ceased in the “The child life specialist at the time, but she was terrified and would not midst. Even the breeze of the day when I got there, took me around let them. seemed to pause. Leaves beyond his from room to room. Going into this “I thought, ‘What can I do?’” McKee door did not rustle. Animals did not one particular room, she said, ‘Santa, said. “Near the bottom of the table move. Had a person lurked nearby, I’ve got to prepare you. He’s very surely they would have frozen in their engaging.’ I’ll tell you, before I walked was a step stool. All I did was to walk over, step on the stool and leaned in. I steps upon the magic of the moment. into St. Jude, I was terrified.” BRISTOL MAGAZINE |
knew she would see all of those people — and Santa right in the middle. I leaned in, saw the look in her eyes, and then it was just her and me in the room. The doctors and nurses were getting what they needed and she didn’t even notice. She was fixated — Santa!” McKee does not exclude adults while en route to attending to children. To him, their ages or lot in life matters nary a whit when taken into account within humanity’s umbrella. “Every nurse and every doctor, the people who clean the rooms, the people who bring the meals — it’s not just a job for them. I talk to all of them,” he said. “They’re human beings. I learned that from my parents, that regardless of the color of your skin or who you are, we’re all human beings.” Consequently, McKee as Santa serves not only children but adults as well. For instance, upon the conclusion of a particularly tempestuous string of events in Damascus that led to the temporary relocation of an apartment building full of people, McKee as Santa encountered an elderly woman in the hallway of the building upon her return. It was Christmas Eve. “Immediately to my left was this little lady, sweet little lady,” McKee said. “She was opening her door, going into her apartment. I gave her a candy cane. She was getting back into her home on Christmas Eve. At one point in our conversation, I heard a bell drop on the floor beside my boot.” McKee wears three bells on each boot and three on the back of his jacket, which makes for nine bells in all. “I reached down and scooped it up,” McKee said. “I said, ‘This must be for you.’ All of a sudden, she was happy. So, I came home. Took my jacket off. Three bells. Took my boots off. Three bells were on my right boot. Three bells were on my left boot. Nine bells. So, where did the bell come from that I gave her? That magic is real.” Experience the magic of McKee as Santa on Dec. 21, 22 and 23 at 6 p.m. at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bris | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
BHC File Photo
Santa will make a return visit to the Speedway in Lights in the Santa Hut at the Bristol Motor Speedway, December 21, 22 and 23.
tol, Tennessee, during Speedway in Lights. “Come see me inside the Santa Hut, which is in turns one and two, inside one of the permanent buildings,” McKee said. “We don’t leave until the last person goes through. Last year, there was one night when we didn’t leave until 2 a.m. They were coming in the door at 6 p.m. and I didn’t see the end of the line until 1:30 in the morning. It never slowed down.” There’s no charge to simply get in line, make way to Santa and engage him in conversation, sit on his knee, deliver a Christmas list and so forth. “With me in the Santa Hut, they take photos and charge $5,” McKee said. “If you pay for a photo, take out your cameras and take all you want.” Legions of kids and families from near and far line up to experience Santa during Speedway in Lights. Many of the children and some of the adults will sit on his knee or gather around for a moment spent with
this man of Christmas magic. One might imagine that by now he’s heard and experienced an incredibly wide gamut of comments, requests and occurrences — and one would be correct. For instance, consider McKee’s white beard. It’s real. On occasion, a particularly inquisitive and unbidden child literally takes the matter into their hands. “I had one little boy who pulled and pulled and pulled on my beard and still wouldn’t believe it was real,” McKee said. “Babies love to pull my beard.” Through a wince of recollection, McKee cannot suppress a smile and a quick “Ho! Ho! Ho!” whenever memories of beard-pulling children come to mind. He understands. Santa understands. McKee provides an outlet through which Santa can provide joy. It’s important that Santa exists, otherwise who knows how many people around the globe would
be without joy? “I think it gives hope to children around the world because no matter if you take a roomful of people — and say they’re people who are not feeling too well, Santa can walk into the room and they will feel better,” McKee said. “It’s not the man in the suit. It’s what the suit represents.” McKee went for a cup of tea. Meanwhile back at the North Pole, Santa paused during his busy schedule in preparation for his midnight run to speak directly to you. So, Santa, how the dickens do you squeeze into a chimney? “Oh! That’s a tricky one,” Santa said with a wave of his white-gloved hand. “You see, there’s magic. It works! There’s a bit of Christmas magic involved. For the homes without chimneys, I come with a ring of keys that only work on Christmas Eve.” Santa clasped his hands together. He leaned forward then back, spread wide his arms, looked skyward and… “Ho! Ho! Ho!” OK, Santa, chimneys solved. But how can you possibly fly across the sky and around the world with nothing but reindeer to pull your engine-less sleigh — all in a single night? “I don’t think a lot of children and adults realize it, but the reindeer can only fly on Christmas Eve,” Santa said. “It is the children, their belief, their purely innocent belief and the magic that makes them fly.” Yeah, but in a single night? “If you visualize a globe, the North Pole is way up here,” Santa said. “There are distinct time zones all around the world.” One could hop a plane early on January the first of a new year, fly back across a time zone or two, and realistically go back in time to Dec. 31. That’s doable. “Exactly!” Santa said. “Even the skeptical minds, they understand that.” Likewise, it isn’t a reach to assume that most people realize that Santa brings joy to millions of children. But what brings joy to Santa? “Life,” Santa said. “I wake up every morning and I hear the birds. I don’t just hear them; I hear them as when I was a child. It stirs my soul. It’s like listening to the voice of God, the wind in the trees, the sound of snow falling.” Like a lone star in a darkened sky, a twinkle then came to Santa’s eye. Families throughout the world awaken on Christmas morning to presents strewn all around their Christmas trees. Every single child provides the spark that leads to that twinkle in Santa’s eye. “They are my joy,” Santa said. “When a child
feels magic and feels special, so do I. When I give them a present and they feel special, I feel special, too. I’ve had children ask me, ‘Santa, what do you want for Christmas?’” Even the snow at the North Pole paused for a moment. “I tell them,” Santa said, “‘You are my present.’”
Earl neikirk/bristol herald courier
Santa is checking his mail often these days. He has to know who has been good and bad, for goodness sake!
?
For More Information » Bill McKee’s website: www.northpoleobserver.com/ » Speedway in Lights: www.speedwayinlights.org BRISTOL MAGAZINE |
O Christmas Tree In Virginia’s high country, growing Christmas trees has become a passion and an obsession BY JOE TENNIS
W
HITETOP, Va. — Ronnie Richardson started growing Christmas trees before Christmas trees were cool. Popular? Yes. But profitable in the tri-county communities of Whitetop, Green Cove and Konnarock? Well, maybe not according to conventional thinking: Back then, in the 1960s or ‘70s, farmers were advised to keep cattle on their land in the greater Whitetop region, spanning into Washington, Smyth and Grayson counties. This is Virginia’s High Country, where farms adjoin the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, some in the shadow of mile-high Whitetop Mountain and more stretching east to the Old Dominion’s highest peak, the 5,729-foot-high Mount Rogers. Richardson, 62, started gathering trees as early as age 12. “I just liked being back on the mountain, and I liked the trees. That’s when I started bringing them down.” This longtime farmer went to the highest point of Virginia: Mount Rogers. “I used to drag them out of the mountain and plant them, back when I was in high school,” Richardson said. “That was in 1966. I would carry a handful of seedlings out.” Such a story, you might say, could make Rodney “Ronnie” Richardson the Johnny Appleseed — or “Ronnie Christmas-Tree-Seed” — of Southwest Virginia. “I guess,” Richardson said, grinning. “If you’re a farmer, you’re a farmer. I’d plant them here and there, or we would plant them in people’s yards, just because I liked the Fraser firs.” From those early days, Richardson’s Christmas tree farm originated by gathering seeds and then growing | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
JOE TENNIS/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
Ronnie Richardson, a tree grower at Whitetop, started growing trees as early as age 12.
trees in a bed. “And that’s when it really took off. A pocketful of seeds is a lot easier to carry than a few trees.”
wasn’t. They really grow better in welldrained land. But, they grow in a lot of swamps back in the mountains.” Richardson held out his right palm. “We called them Balsams back in In swamps them days. It wasn’t ‘Frasers,’” he said. Over many years, Richardson has “No, they’re not Balsams, but that’s learned to experiment with tree-grow- what we all called them. And we didn’t ing. “I planted them in swamps, and know the difference.” I thought that’s where they grew the For years, the “Balsam” name best. But, after 20 years, I found out it remained. And so did the confusion
on what was the exact species of these trees. “It took a long time for the name to get to Whitetop,” Richardson said, laughing. “They’re related. I guess you might say they’re first cousins. But they’re not near the tree the Fraser is — not as pretty. They don’t hold needles as well. Fraser, really, is the Cadillac of the Christmas tree. No question about it.” Grayson County is a “natural habitat” for growing Fraser firs, said Christmas tree farmer Jaye Baldwin. “It grows naturally on Mount Rogers. And that’s where all of our seed came from. And it just does really, really well at this elevation.” These trees have PHOTOS BY JOE TENNIS/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER a hard time growing Jaye Baldwin, inset right with his wife Joan, started by planting 1,000 trees in his yard in 1976 simply to take up in the valleys — below space that he did not want to mow. Now, 40 years later he harvests 12,000 trees per year. 2,000 feet above sea year, all the time,” Baldwin a traditional way of life in manning crews and tagging level, Baldwin said. Grayson County, a hightrees all through October “We’re kind of in a perfect said. spot,” Baldwin said. “The “The only time you’re not altitude province touching and November. trees like it. That’s the main actually doing something the North Carolina border Richardson has a built-in thing. The trees like the soil, to those trees is probably as well as Washington, market for 12,000 Christthe elevation, the tempera- mid-summer. But, even Smyth, Wythe and Carroll mas trees a year; they go to ture. And that’s the reason then, you have plenty of counties. The Whitetop supply about 100 locations they do so well here.” other things that you have area, along with acreage at of Kroger supermarkets. to do on a Christmas tree Washington County’s Green Having that contract, today, farm.” Cove community, is where is quite a growth spurt from Tree tending Sometimes, freak freezes Richardson can be found his original intentions. Today, rows of trees stand arrive and destroy trees. like statues in the Whitetop And they end up bearea, overlooked by the easternmost reaches of the ing what Baldwin called “wreath material,” he Virginia Creeper Trail, at elevations of 3,000 feet and said. “They are never right again.” above. Most of the 12,000 trees You must tend to these harvested each year on the trees, Jaye Baldwin said. Baldwin farm are bought “A lot of people think that by a larger farm operated you just plant a tree and go 417 Scott Street • Bristol, VA 24201 by the Sexton family, which out six or seven years later Office: (276) 466-4663 • Fax: (276) 466-2789 and harvest it, and that’s all has tree-growing operathere is to it. But what they tions in North Carolina. don’t understand is that a For more than a quartree has to have mainteter-century, Christmas nance and care — every tree-farming has become
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“My goal was to plant a thousand and harvest a thousand. That was my original goal,” said Richardson. “And, you know, greed kind of kicked in.” Now, he says, he’s harvesting about 15,000 trees a year. But keeping workers is not always easy for Richardson. Farmhands, for one, are required to ascend and descend steep hills at unforgiving elevations of 3,000, 4,000 or nearly 5,000 feet above sea level, where oxygen is not as plentiful as, say, the valleys below. “It’s strenuous work,” Richardson said. “Our biggest hardship is labor. Now, that’s really tough. They’ve got to have those trees, and, right now, I’m five guys short.”
Getting started The dark-haired Richardson started his business, in earnest, in 1980 at a time when “not many” people grew trees in the Whitetop region. But, there were a few — including Jaye Baldwin, who first planted 1,000 trees
PHOTOS BY JOE TENNIS/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
A crew on Jaye Baldwin’s farm wraps trees for shipping. Baldwin’s trees, like many other tree farms in the area, end up in places far away from here.
in his yard in 1976 simply to take up space that he did not want to mow. “And, of course, they grew,” said Jaye’s ever-smiling wife, Joan Baldwin. “Our first Christmas tree came out of that. And then we started getting more. And it got in his blood. He loved it.”
The Baldwins never intended to grow Christmas trees commercially, Jaye Baldwin said. “It was a fluke, to tell the truth ... It got out of hand.” Yet Jaye Baldwin figured he found his gift. “I developed a feeling for them,” he said. “The more I did, the
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more I wanted to do. So then I started trying to find other areas to plant — another 1,000 and BY JOE TENNIS another 1,000. Then it started to mushroom.” So you have an artificial tree? OK, really — To consumers, the Ronnie Richardson understands. Never mind Fraser fir trees grown by that this man harvests 15,000 Christmas trees Baldwin and Richardson a year. He gets it: “Some people are allergic to can be expensive — or the Fraser fir or allergic to Christmas trees.” at least $5 or $10 higher So why buy artificial? “They’re not as messy. than pine varieties. “But They’re quick and easy. No cleanup,” Richardson you get what you pay for,” said. Richardson said. “They don’t have to dispose of the tree.They These trees naturally just push a button and it flops back together, and they stick it in the closet.” prefer the stony loam Richardson laughed. But, then, he of[or rocky black dirt] of fered a tip. Many times, he said, it’s not the Whitetop mountain exactly the tree that may be botherregion. “They like a lot of ing your allergies. “If you go into a tree water. And we get a lot patch, you’ll see a lot of weeds and a of rainfall, moreso than lot of pollen and stuff and it blows into other places — 59 inches the trees. And they carry that into the of annual rainfall,” Richhouse,” Richardson said. ardson said. “They like a “They can get away from that by lot of rain, but they don’t washing their tree down and washwant it to sit. They want it ing all the pollen and things from the weeds. That just gets in a tree. Most to go right on down.” of the time, they’re not really allerOff the farm, on a wild gic to the Christmas tree. They’re mountain, trees may just allergic to the pollen and grow differently. stuff that blows in and sticks to “Water can be running, the Christmas tree.” and the Fraser is still big and somehow thriving,” they’ll move to the field in a 5-footRichardson said. “They’re standing by-5-foot space, where the trees will in water, but it’s moving water plus grow to maturity. “We’ll grow them all the temperature has something to out for seven or eight years,” Richarddo with it, too. I think the cooler the son said. temperature, the less root problems Just off U.S. 58, at Whitetop, Richyou have.” ardson maintains the headquarters Richardson studies the species. for his farm near a seed orchard “There’s just nothing like getshared by several families belonging ting out and walking through the to the Mount Rogers Christmas Tree trees and driving through the farm — watching the wildlife,” Richardson Growers Association. These 15-foot trees “are some of Mount Rogers’ said. “And there’s always what I call very best trees, which came originally a ‘shiner’ — just one real pretty tree that just stands out amongst the oth- from the Mount Rogers,” Richardson ers. I’ve always kind of kept them and said, smiling. The trees in the seed orchard stand wouldn’t cut them.” taller than normal, and they are not what’s sent to market. They are Starting in a bed strictly kept for seeds. Well, almost Growing a good tree starts with a strictly. seed in a bed, “kind of like a tobacco “You know, I did let the governor bed,” Richardson said. “And we’ll have a couple of these,” Richardson keep it that bed for three years. It’s said. “But I’m pretty stingy with them pretty intense cultivation.” other than that, because they are geNext, trees move to a 6-inch-by-6netically superior to what you’d find inch space for two more years. Then out in other places.”
Allergies? It’s not the tree.
Besides one Democrat governor of Virginia [Tim Kaine] and one Republican [Bob McDonnell], Richardson has also provided a tree to Vice President Joe Biden. Richardson has, in years past, followed the tradition of having a real tree — grown wild. “The local people, around here, we would just go back in the mountain and cut us one. It was on government (land). We were really a’stealing it, I guess you would say, but we really didn’t know that, because everybody did it,” Richardson said. “But nobody cared. I don’t think the forest service cared or anything. We just got us a tree for the house. It was a wild tree.” And it was “nice,” Richardson said. “These wild trees are unique, also,” Richardson said. “We cultivate them now, so they look a little different.”
‘Extends our season’ Besides going from Southwest Virginia to Kroger stores, Richardson supplies 1,550 trees a year to Busch Gardens, a popular theme park at Williamsburg, Virginia. “They display them outdoors,” he said, “and they keep them until January.” More of his trees go to Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags Over New Jersey. “We sell them to the theme parks. And we like that because they start getting them early and it kind of extends our season,” Richardson said. “We don’t have to cut them all on the same day.” But nothing ever quite gives him a vacation. Richardson notices trees yearround. “Then, at Christmastime, I always look and see whatever kind of tree wherever I go - in whatever house I go into or business,” Richardson said. “I make a special point to walk up to the tree and take a look at it. I’m just a tree man, I guess.” BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 11
REECE RISTAU
keep the sleds and skis on the shelf: There is little hope for a white Christmas this year. A long-term forecast by the National Weather Service put the area’s chances of having snow on Christmas at 12 percent, according to the weather service’s regional office in Morristown, Tennessee. Here are some “snowy” photos to get you through the holiday season.
The heaviest snowfall of the last 50 Christmases in the Tri-Cities was 8.7 inches in 1969.
Most recently, in 2010, a little more than an inch of white powder fell on Christmas Eve, which made the following day a white one.
Last snow in knoxville on Christmas Day was in 2002 when a trace of snow was recorded at McGhee Tyson Airport
A trace of snow fell on Christmas Day in 1995.
There was likely a dusting of snow in 1999 based on the temperature.
12 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
BRISTOL HERALD COuRIER FILE PHOTOS
All Aboard!
The CSX Santa Train remains one of the region’s most vibrant, visible and anticipated traditions BY DAVID MCGEE
K
INGSPORT — Folks around Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee still believe in Santa Claus. After all, they’ve seen him passing out gifts every year for the past seven decades. Not on Christmas Eve guiding a sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer — since no ordinary sleigh could possibly hold 17 tons of toys, clothing and food. And no harness of reindeer could haul that load up the grade at Trammel. No, around here Kris Kringle arrives in style each Saturday before Thanksgiving, standing and waving from the rear platform of the Santa Train — a 10-car pre-Christmas parade that winds its way from the rail yard at Shelby, Kentucky through the mountains of Southwest Virginia before arriving in Kingsport. “Santa!” “Santa, over here,” plea wide-eyed children perched on the shoulders of parents and grandparents — while waving frantically for the attention of the man in the red and white suit. Santa’s helpers join him on the platform and on the ground at every stop but it is Santa — whose name this expedition carries — who captivates their attention stop after stop, mile after mile, much the way it’s been for the past 74 holiday seasons.
Andre Teague/Bristol Herald Courier
People wait in the early morning rain to see the Santa Train and get presents from Santa and his helpers.
Immortalized in song by country star childhood. Patty Loveless — who was inspired by This train follows the old Clinchfield coming to the train as a Railroad route, traverssmall child growing up ing tracks designed in Elkhorn City, Kento carry coal out of tucky — the Santa Train Appalachia’s mounremains one of the tains. The coal indusregion’s most vibrant, try is a shadow of its tons of toys, clothing and food. visible traditions. former self — which Each fall, hundreds prompted Clinchfield miles of track. — sometimes thousuccessor CSX Transsands — of people portation to shutter cluster around the most of its operations volunteers. rear of the train during in this region in 2015. each of 14 stops along This year’s locomotive, the 110-mile route in a rebuilt 1966 SD40-3 plush toys & stuffed animals. hopes of receiving a bit No. 4384, even sported of Christmas joy. Many a “Clinchfield” sign on others line the route, its nose. worth of food items smiling and waving, The tradition remains taking photographs and videos and, on track thanks to the elves of CSX, perhaps, capturing a piece of their own the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce,
BY THE NUMBERS
17
110
400+
10,000
$1 million+
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grocery chain Food City and Dignity U Wear Foundation, a Florida-based organization that provides new clothing to children, veterans and families. “It’s such a time-honored tradition and such a special project — the magic of Santa Claus coming through your town. It’s really an experience like none other,” said Amy McColl, the chamber’s marketing manager. “These people may have been young when they first saw the Santa Train but now have grandchildren or great-grandchildren and it still brings joy along the route.” Such was the case of Kingsport’s Colleen Massey, who grew up in Dante, Virginia and returns home each year to watch the train arrive — just as she has for more than 50 years. “It’s wonderful. I appreciate so much all that CSX does for our communities,” Massey said during the 2016 run. She had another special connection to this year’s train since her cousin, Scott Stephey, was driving.
Lyrics to “Santa Train” by Patty Loveless It’s Christmas time and I can’t wait Mama hurry don’t be late Let’s go down to the railroad tracks Santa Train is coming back Hoo Hoo Here it Comes Hoo Hoo Santa Train Hoo Hoo Get on Board Hoo Hoo Santa Train From Shelbiana through Elkhorn Pass Up the grade and down to Dante All along the Clinchfield Route Little Children Sing and Shout Hoo Hoo Here it Comes Hoo Hoo Santa Train Hoo Hoo Get on Board Hoo Hoo Santa Train Santa Train is almost here Loaded down with Christmas Cheer Pulling out of Dungannon Look out Kingsport Here it Comes
A brief history Originally called the Santa Special, the concept began in November 1943, after a group of Kingsport businessmen approached the Clinchfield Railroad about distributing items from the train as a thank you to patrons from the mountains. The rail line agreed so the Kingsport Merchant’s Bureau — forerunner of today’s chamber — provided funding for candy and other items and to place posters throughout the region letting folks know about the event. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the business leaders threw hard candy and other items from the rear of the train. One of them, Joe Higgins, wore a bright red Santa suit, waving to children of all ages. “It began as a way for us to thank those in our surrounding region for shopping here and that still means a lot to our community as well,” McColl said. Clinchfield’s passenger service ended in the 1950s, but the Santa Train continued with some changes. Items are no longer thrown from the moving train — for safety reasons to 14 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
Hoo Hoo Get on Board Hoo Hoo Santa Train Hoo Hoo Here it Comes Hoo Hoo Santa Train Hoo Hoo Sandy Ridge Hoo Hoo Copper Creek Hoo Hoo Cady Junction Hoo Hoo Bart Lick Hoo Haysi Hoo Clickety Clack Hoo Boulder Bluff Hoo Santas Back
keep people away from the railroad tracks — and the total cargo is now exponentially larger. Now measured at 17 tons, today’s goodies fill five train cars and require a small army of volunteers to distribute.
Spreading the joy Spreading the joy of Christmas is a massive, year-round undertaking for the elves of CSX and its partners. Donations begin arriving in January, the shopping trips for toys begin in
the spring and conference calls to plan each year’s events typically ramp up in August. The pace quickens in November, days before the train rolls. “We pack the train two weeks before the event,” said Leslie Higgins, CSX manager of crisis and events planning. “Nov. 4, we had about 300 volunteers, and we set up the Santa Train packing party. All of the toys, items, food that comes to us. We had all the items transferred into the large convention hall in Jacksonville. Florida, and we just packed bags of
Andre Teague/Bristol Herald Courier
A crowd gathers at the Haysi, Virginia Santa Train stop eagerly waiting for Santa and his helpers to toss out presents.
toys and clothing and food for the young children and adults. That same day, we transfer everything in intermodal containers over to where our business cars — aka the Santa Train — lives.” A separate packing party occurs in Kingsport days before the train rolls, to include food and fruit items donated to Food City. “It’s about all year for us,” said Mark Hubbard, Food City’s Santa Train chairman. “Not all the time, but hardly a week goes by we’re not making phone calls or having a meeting with American Greetings or somebody else.” Hundreds of Food City’s vendors donated more than $1 million worth of food items for the 2016 trip. Dignity U Wear secures new clothing from manufacturers and retailers and donates annually to the train. President Nicole Brose said CSX approached the organization’s officials, and they were more than happy to help out. Brose made her first trip on the train this year and called the experience “amazing.” “Five [train] cars hold all of the goodies which are separated by baby
boys, baby girls, young girls and boys, older boys and girls,” Higgins said. “We have a couple cars stuffed with those bags of just toys and clothing, a car full of all the fruit and food we hand out and then one of individual toys and wrapping paper. The car Santa is in is packed with plush toys.” For safety reasons, only plush toys and stuffed animals are now thrown from the train, so CSX bought about 10,000 this year just for that purpose, she said. At each stop, volunteers now hand out bags of food, candy, snacks and fresh fruit. The train is transferred to Kingsport days before the run and final packing occurs Thursday. It departs for Kentucky on Friday for the Saturday run. In addition to hundreds of volunteers to pack and prepare the train, CSX provides the crew to operate it. “We have a regular train crew and a safety crew of between 100 and 130 working in safety operations on the ground,” Higgins said. Additionally, about 120 volunteer riders selected by the sponsors take turns disembarking at every stop to help distribute items. “Most of our people are employees,
and it’s really a privilege to get selected to ride the Santa Train,” Higgins said. “A lot of people look forward to it and the group of CSX employees who ride are hand-selected based on people who help plan logistics and it’s also given as a performance incentive.” Since CSX retracted much of its local operations, this year’s train required a bit more effort. “Yes, it has made it a little more difficult for the operations team coming to help but it has made the Santa Train more important to us,” Higgins said. “It has always been an important event, but it means more now, knowing how that community has been affected. It’s important for us to continue as long as we can. As long as there is railroad, we intend to continue that event.”
Star power The Santa Train has a history of hosting country music stars – many with a connection to Appalachia. Patty Loveless has ridden three times, in 1999, 2002 and again in 2007. Kentucky natives Naomi and BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 15
Santa Train celebrity guests 2016 Darryl Worley 2015 Meghan Linsey 2014 Amy Grant 2013 Kree Harrison 2012 Thompson Square 2011 Thompson Square 2010 Naomi & Wynona Judd 2009 Wynona Judd 2008 Kathy Mathea 2007 Patty Loveless 2006 Alison Kraus 2005 Naomi Judd 2004 Rebecca Lynn Howard 2002 Patty Loveless 2001 Kree Harrison
Wynona Judd rode together in 2010 and separately in 2009 and 2005. Others include Amy Grant, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Alison Kraus, Kathy Mattea, Thompson Square and Travis Tritt. “I think it just adds a special element. People love to see celebrities and see celebrities giving back to their community. It’s exciting. Everybody wants to see Santa, but it’s exciting to see a celebrity on the back of the train and sometimes they will get off and mingle with the crowd,” McColl said. In recent years, the musical guests, who volunteers his or her time, also performs a brief concert upon arriving in Kingsport.
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This year’s guest was Tennessee native Darryl Worley, whose three No. 1 singles are topped by “Have You Forgotten,” a powerful 2003 ballad paying tribute to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. “I didn’t really know much about the Santa Train,” Worley said onboard. “I knew the Patty Loveless song so I did some research and read about it. For something to last 74 years, it’s really pretty special. This is something I would be involved in every year.” The Loveless tune about the train and its mission appeared on her 2002 CD “Bluegrass and White Snow: A Country Christmas.” Written by Loveless and her husband, Emory Gordy Jr., the song has become part of the tradition and regularly blares from loudspeakers all along the route. “Every year when the Santa Train rolls in, that song cues to let everyone know Santa is coming,” McColl said. “It helped bring nationwide recognition to this special project. To call the train by name and explain the magic that happens during that journey. Especially to be done by a celebrity who is from this region, it’s really special.”
Santa the biggest star Much has changed with the Santa Train over its 74-year history, but one thing remains constant — Santa is the day’s biggest star. Excited 5-year-olds who wouldn’t know Darryl Worley from Wynona can relate to the Jolly Old Elf. Joe Higgins was first to don the red and white fur-lined suit, serving from 1943 until 1950. John Dudney had the longest tenure, spending the 1950 trip
in training and then serving annually until 1983. Former Kingsport Alderman Frank Brogdon filled the role from 1984 until retiring in 2002 and Don Royston came aboard to alternate stops with Brogdon from 2000 until 2002 and then took over in 2003. Since volunteers no longer throw candy and toys along the route, Santa never leaves the back platform, standing for some 10 straight hours to wave at passers-by and proclaim “Merry Christmas.” Royston calls the train among the best traditions in the “whole wide world.” “This is such a tremendous experience to get to come up here and make that little difference in their Christmas. Families have a chance to get together, come out and see Santa and the Santa Train,” he said during this year’s run.
Riding the Rails The Santa Train’s 110-mile route covers three states and passes through some of the most rugged, beautiful and historic spots in the southern Appalachians. For some stretches, the landscape is desolate, in others the blight of poverty is overwhelming. The schedule is tight — the first six stops come and go before 9:30 a.m., and the train typically runs like clockwork. Everything began a bit earlier in 2016 to allow more time at each stop. This year, the train rolled out of the Shelby rail yard, a few miles south of Pikeville, Kentucky long before sunup. Despite the hour, cries of “Santa, Santa” came from a handful of blearyeyed adults and children who waited in the cold for a glimpse of Saint Nick
or to take home a in population. Colorful annual Christmas parade in conjuncplush toy, backpack umbrellas dot a crowd tion with the train’s arrival. or bag of snacks. that braved some of Emerging from the mountains near There are two more the day’s most persisClinchport, the train passes through a stops in Pike County, tent showers. couple of lengthy tunnels then glides at tiny Marrowbone One tall man sportacross the spectacular Copper Creek [population 217] ing an Under Armour viaduct. Built in 1908 and standing — also in the dark sweatshirt and ballabout 180 feet above the water below, What, When, Where — and just after 7 cap seemingly snags the Santa Train is visible for at least a » What: Santa Train a.m., the train stops every other stuffed toy mile to motorists traveling nearby U.S. » Where: East kentucky to at Elkhorn City. The thrown from the platRoute 23. Many stop at a wayside to kingsport community near the form then hands them wave and photograph the Santa Spe» When: Saturday before Virginia border was to nearby children. cial as it closes in on Kingsport. Thanksgiving apparently the first Back underway, the It’s also a highlight for passengers, » Who: CSX, Food City, kingplace explorer Daniel tracks are parallel to who peer out windows or cluster in sport Chamber of Commerce, Boone stepped foot state Route 83, also the vestibules between cars to catch a Dignity u Wear in what is now Kenknown as Dickenson glimpse of the scenery. » Why: Serve thousands in tucky. In the 1900s, it Highway, where a line There are two more stops, at KerMountain Empire for generations became an important of cars and trucks mit and then, at 2:25 p.m., the train » How Long: 74 years connecting point for appear to chase the nudges into Tennessee for a stop at north-south trade when the Clinchtrain toward stops at Clinchco and tiny Waycross in Hawkins County. field and C & O railroads met there. Fremont, a tiny berg named for U.S. From there, it is short jaunt to Santa passes out gifts a few feet from explorer John C. Fremont. Kingsport and the waiting arms of the a well intentioned railroad museum Along the way, it passes through the day’s largest crowd. A sea of humanity which marks that history. 7,854-foot-long Sandy Ridge tunnel greets the train’s arrival — just in time “It means a lot to this town,” Elk— Virginia’s longest — then follows for Worley to perform a quick musical horn City Mayor Mike Taylor said of the McClure River before entering set on the stage and Santa to take his this year’s train. Dante, a once prominent coal mining place on a city fire truck for the annual “I hope we never lose it. You see hub that locals cheerfully remind you Christmas parade. how many people are out here in the is “correctly” pronounced like paint. pouring rain. The economy is so bad Dante was once the northern termihere right now here and I look for it to nus of the Clinchfield Railroad and get worse before it gets better. I think headquarters of the Clinchfield Coal this means a lot to the kids.” Co. Both are long gone and the town Taylor’s brother, Eddie, said he never fully recovered. remembers going to sleep listening to But there are smiles all around the trains rumbling past his family’s this day as sunshine began peaking home. through the clouds as a large crowd “It’s strange to hear one come is rewarded with goodies from the The through here,” Eddie Taylor said. train. abate Santa Train d With two blasts from the whistle, Leaving Dante, the train again Vietn through W has contin am an ued u orld W Middl d the train rolls southward into Virginia, heads south, parallel to state e Eas multiple c ar II, Kor nt. It h cal sw ea, onflic winding along the spectacular granite Route 63 where chasers attempt as fueled ings of the survived ts in the bluffs near the Breaks Interstate Park to beat the train into St. Paul. t long. this regio coal indu he radistry t n’s ec CSX before turning west and stopping Some of them apparently suchat say th onom and t h y briefly at Toms Bottom, the first of ceeded as one of the day’s largthe tr ey are com e other s for so p four stops in Dickenson County. est crowds greets the train. to co adition rol mitted to onsors me. ling fo keepi It is there, among the scenic majesty Waving farewell to St. Paul, n r man “Eve y yea g quest ry year w of the “Grand Canyon of the South,” the train glides past tiny r s s count from ot e get a lo that a stark reality first appears. The Carfax, the hometown of ry tha t of her reto the areas t wan adjoining tracks are filled with hunbluegrass greats Jim and CSX Santa Trai t somethin of the dreds upon hundreds of empty train Jesse McReynolds, and n s g and s aid. “Appa ,” Leslie H similar pecia lachia iggins cars that once carried coal out of these winds along adjacent to l was c of — go is so o mountains. Locals say rails up to 20 the Clinch River before could al country ing throu unique gh ever r — coal trains a day once ran rails that are descending into Dunecrea I don’t t what hink w te it.” now virtually idle. gannon in Scott County. e This day, the Santa Train emerges That town, which Lovefrom one of many tunnels and into less famously and intenthe daylight at Haysi where it seems tionally mispronounced in the Santa the town of 500 has seemingly tripled Train song to make it rhyme, stages its
Epilogue
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ANDRE TEAGuE/BRISTOL HERALD COuRIER
Cars leave streaks of light as rain speckles the lens during a 30-second time exposure of the Speedway In Lights at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Speedway in Lights Bristol Motor Speedway has been lighting up Christmas and faces of children for 20 years BY ZACH IRBY
B
RISTOL, Tenn. — The holiday season illuminates the Bristol Motor Speedway. For 20 years, Speedway in Lights has dazzled audiences, both young and old across the Mountain Empire, and has become one of the region’s most recognizable Christmas traditions. More than 2 million lights and 200 displays make up the region’s biggest holiday lights show and event organizers say each and every year Speedway in Lights continues to grow. “It’s unbelievable to think that we are celebrating our 20th year of Speedway in Lights,” said Claudia Byrd, executive director of Speedway Children’s Charities Bristol chapter. “For us, there is nothing better than greeting our longtime guests who come back year after year to visit us.” Speedway in Lights is the flagship fundraiser for Speedway Children’s Charities. All proceeds benefit SCC, which supports children’s organizations in the 1 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
Speedway in Lights will run through Jan. 7. Cars are $12, Sunday through Thursday, and $15 Friday and Saturday. Returning this year is Jingle Bell Lane. The fast-pass option allows visitors to bypass the line. Passes cost $40. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 423-9896900 during normal business hours.
region. The night starts out for visitors on state Route 394 at the Bristol Dragway entrance. The 4.5-mile route takes you through the Thunder Valley straightways and through the decorated banks of the half-mile track. Other popular attractions include the Johnson Controls Ice Rink, for ice skating, the HVAC Chill Hill, a 300-foot-long snowless slide, and Christmas Village in the track’s infield. The village includes various vendors, refreshments, pictures with Santa and other activities. “Every year, we’ve tried to add something a little different,” Byrd said. “This year, we are so pleased to have the Ripley’s Aquarium displays back under the grandstand, which give visitors that true aquarium-like experience. We’ve also added some new lights to this year’s show also.” Byrd is the widow of Jeff Byrd, who served as president and general manager at BMS for many years. To her, Speedway in Lights is about two things — the
earl niekirk/Bristol Herald Courier
Jerry White, right, with the operations department at Bristol Motor Speedway, works on changing out old light bulbs with new LED bulbs on the displays for Speedway in Lights at Bristol Motor Speedway.
children and humble beginnings. “This event is truly for the children, and we are changing thousands of lives across Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee,” Byrd said. “What people might not realize exactly is that all the money we raise from events like Speedway in Lights stays local and supports the children.” A visit that Byrd and her family took over two decades ago to Tanglewood Festival of Lights in Clemmons, North Carolina became the brainchild for bringing Speedways in Lights. “Each SCC chapter has to have some sort of signature event during the year,” Byrd said. “You have some chapters who will do a black-tie gala, but we knew we wanted to do something that all families could enjoy. Coming from Winston Salem, North Carolina — Jeff and I always enjoyed going to Tanglewood and when we came here to Bristol, we knew we wanted an event like that.”
With a small donation and generous blessing from Bruton Smith, owner and CEO for Speedway Motorsports, Claudia and Jeff Byrd bought the first set of lights in 1997 and had them installed just in time for the first-ever Speedway in Lights. “The very first year, the route was a mile long,” Byrd said. “It cost only $5 to get in, and we stood outside the entrance collecting money in aprons. Now we’ve moved up to ticket booths and you look at how much we’ve grown. It took a few years when we first started for people to understand exactly what Speedway in Lights was about, but we’ve been so blessed with it all.” Byrd said the lights show has become a family tradition. “All the time, folks are sharing their Speedway in Lights traditions with us,” Byrd said. “People make it a family tradition and for my family, we always come the Friday after Thanksgiving. We eat our Thanksgiving meal
and then get in the car and drive through Speedway in Lights.” A lot of work goes into getting the yearly display ready, just ask the operations department at BMS. They are tasked with changing light bulbs in the weeks leading up to opening night. Loretta Scalf is one of those operations employees working to get everything ready. One way or another, it will all get done on time, Scalf joked while changing out one of the sign’s light bulbs. “We’ve done this for so long that we have it down to a science,” Scalf said. “This one display has well over 300 bulbs, so when it’s all said and done — we’ll have gone through some bulbs.” For Scalf, the annual holiday event is about seeing joy in a child’s twinkling eyes. “We do this for the children,” Scalf said. “Seeing the happiness on their BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 19
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ANDRE TEAGuE/BRISTOL HERALD COuRIER
EARL NEIkIRk/BRISTOL HERALD COuRIER
faces when organization. they come The goal had through the long been a different disdream of Byrd’s, plays is why who said sevI love what I eral last-minute miles around the track. do. It’s defidonations lifted nitely a lot them over the of work, but mark. years. Speedway “Reaching Children’s the $1 million displays. Charities benchmark is a does such fitting capstone great things for Bristol Moin donations for 2016. for the comtor Speedway’s munity, and biggest year that’s why ever,” Byrd said. light bulbs. I love it so “Of course, much.” the demand for Since 1997, the Bristol chapter assistance will always outstrip of SCC has raised more than $8 our ability to help, but we are million for children and agenthoroughly delighted that we cies across an 18-county region will be able to assist additional in Northeast Tennessee and agencies with their child-foSouthwest Virginia. cused needs this year. A record-breaking $1 million “The wonderful spirit of giving was raised in 2016, a first for the is alive and well in our region.”
BY THE NUMBERS
Christmas Tree Lighting The lighting of the Christmas tree began Nov. 29, 1982 in the Twin Cities “Town Square,” which is now known as the Cumberland Square Park. Bristolians had a chance to witness the illumination of nearly 2,900 lights on a Norwegian Spruce tree. Now that tree has about 30,000 lights. The event in 1982 set off a massive Christmas celebration in the downtown Bristol area. Church bells across Bristol rang, Tennessee High School Brass Band played as carolers sang and carried candles. Now in its 35th year, the Christmas Tree Lighting is an event that the community looks forward to every year to kick off the holiday season. It is held the Monday after Thanksgiving.
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Holiday Traditions There are about as many ways to celebrate the holidays as there are to say it around the region BY TAMMY CHILDRESS
B
ristol — Christmas from around the world can be found in the Mountain Empire. Take Ingrid Grogan, who was born and raised in Brastad, Sweden and moved to Sullivan County, Tennessee in 1979. She said her family celebrated the days leading up to Christmas more than the day itself in the small coastal town where she grew up in northern Sweden. Grogan had some of her traditional Swedish Advent decorations displayed in her cozy, neat-as-a-pin home the day she spoke to the Bristol Herald Courier. “Advent was really more important than Christmas,” she said as she served a deliciously strong coffee. “The Lutheran Church was the state church while I was growing up, and the way we celebrated was what we learned through the church.” One of the traditions of Advent was giving the children an Advent calendar, so they could count down the days until Christmas. The word Advent has a Latin origin that means “the coming.” For Christians, Christmas is one of the greatest events in the yearly liturgical cycle because it represents the day that Jesus, the son of God, was born in human form to suffer and die on a cross for the sins of the world. Centuries ago, the birth of Jesus was so important that Christians found it inadequate to mark off only
ONLINE To see a video of Grogan displaying her decorations visit: http://bit.ly/2gTt4dj
DAVID CRIGGER/Bristol herald courier
Ingrid Grogan talks about the Swedish Christmas traditions, including the Advent candles on her table.
one day on the yearly calendar. To celebrate the incredible gift from God, they began to mark the days before Dec. 25 to teach their children the significance of the day. Grogan proudly displayed her calendar and explained how it is used.
“Each day, beginning on Dec. 1, one of the little windows is opened up. It helps the little children count down to Christmas,” she said. “Sweden is still one of the most secular countries in the world, so most of the people don’t teach BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 23
DAVID CRIGGER/Bristol herald courier
Grogan’s house is decorated with Swedish Christmas figurines made of wheat grass.
about the birth of Christ — but my mother was devout — and she made it clear that Christmas was about Jesus’ birth, but throughout Sweden most people make Christmas about Santa Claus.” In Sweden, Santa Claus traipsed through the woods carrying a big bag of presents, knocked on the front door and in a big, booming voice asked, “Are there any good children in this house?” Grogan said she was never taught to believe in Santa Claus, but having a family member come to the door dressed as the present-bearing man was a fun game the family played.
The Feast of St. Lucia One of her fondest memories was when as children she and her sisters dressed up as St. Lucia, visited 24 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
neighbors and served them coffee and pastries in their bedroom. St. Lucia’s Day is a Christian feast day celebrated Dec. 13 and commemorates St. Lucy, a 3rd-century martyr who was burned at the stake. “When we were kids, we would go to our neighbor’s door at around 7 o’clock in the morning — when it was still dark — knock on the door and let ourselves in. We’d go straight to their bedroom and serve saffron buns and coffee,” she said with a laugh. “They expected it, so it wasn’t really a surprise. We would also sing songs and hymns to them. That is something I’ve never seen done in the United States.” Grogan’s youngest daughter, Andrea Ilgaer, who grew up in Blountville, Tennessee, was at the home.
She smiled as she sipped her coffee and said that dressing up as the Lucia is one of her favorite childhood memories. “When I was younger, I didn’t like the being different,” she said. “But the older I get the more I appreciate the Swedish traditions my mom has passed on to us. I loved dressing up as a Lucia.” Kari Mauerman is a Browns Mill, New Jersey transplant who now lives in Blountville, Tennessee. She said she loves the holiday traditions she grew up with. “My grandfather, Edward Kowal, came through Ellis Island from Poland. His last name really was Kowlshepski or something like that” Mauerman explained. “But the man at Ellis Island couldn’t spell it and my grandfather didn’t speak English so it got shortened. So, most of our Christmas traditions have been passed down from him.” She said celebrating St. Nicholas Day, placing an Advent wreath on the dining room table and reading scripture throughout Advent season are a few of her favorites to share with her husband André and their children, Claire, Lucy and Jack. St. Nicholas, called Sw. Mikolaj, is hailed as a saintly, rich man in Poland, who comes bearing gifts for children during Advent. The main gifts he brings are holy pictures, apples or oranges. “On Dec. 6, we celebrate St. Nicholas,” Mauerman said. “He was actually Polish — so the kids get stockings that morning and on Christmas. There is always an orange at the bottom of the stockings because that’s what my mom always did.” She said her mom, Kathleen Sutherland, also made a big deal out of placing an Advent Wreath on the table and reading scriptures as a family. “We also set a place at the table for Jesus,” she said. “We’d put hay under the tablecloth to remind us of the manger.” Mauerman had a thoughtful lilt to her voice as she said that are times that people tend to think that traditions don’t matter.
Meri Kirihimete | En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei | Sung Tan Chuk Ha | Chung Mung Giang Sinh | Hyvaa joulua
Josias Gomez said the birth of Jesus is what’s celebrated most in his hometown of Pegucigalpa, Honduras. “Christmas is the greatest holiday of the year in Honduras — there are huge celebrations all over the country,” he said. “It is a little different in that we all stay up until midnight on Christmas Eve to celebrate, hug each other and say Merry Christmas. We have fireworks, pray, eat and exchange gifts. There is the Santa Claus idea, but in Honduras, Christmas is about the birth of Jesus.” He said the place where he grew up is family-oriented. “Christmas is a lot about being together as a family to thank God for the past year and to be with each other,” he said. “It’s a big deal to be thankful to God for his forgiveness and giving us another year to be together — it’s just huge.” Gomez and his wife, Christina, live in Bristol, Tennessee, and celebrate the holiday with her family in Memphis. The couple doesn’t have any children, but Gomez said his in-laws are great about incorporating some of his culture into the holiday. “It’s different in America. People get up in the morning to open gifts — I like that — but I still stay up until midnight. We make some traditional Honduran foods —but that’s not the most important thing. We are a family — so we spend time together. We play board games and enjoy each other’s company — we celebrate the birth of Christ.” “That’s what it’s all about and that’s what I think of when I think of Christmas.”
BY TAMMY CHILDRESS
Joyeux Noel, in French, Froehliche Weihnachten in German, Mele Kalikimaka in Hawaiian — regardless the way the holiday greeting rolls off the tongue, it all means the same — merry Christmas. There are about as many ways to celebrate the holiday as there are to say it. The most common is among Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who they believe to be the son of God. Today, the holiday is celebrated by people of different ethnic groups and religions, whether or not they believe in the birth of Jesus. Dec. 25 falls during summer vacation in Australia, so many holiday festivities take place outdoors. The most popular celebration is Carols by Candlelight, where people come together at night to light candles and sing Christmas carols under the stars. Chinese Christians celebrate Sheng Dan Jieh, which translates as the Holy Birth Festival. Homes are decorated with evergreens, posters and bright paper chains. Families put up a tree of light that they decorate with beautiful lanterns, flowers and red paper chains that symbolize happiness. The day before Christmas in England, children write letters to Father Christmas telling him of their wishes and then toss their letters into a fire. The children believe their wishes travel up the chimney in the smoke and make their way to the benevolent old man with a flowing white beard. The man wears a red-sleeved gown and hood trimmed with white fur, and he delivers the children’s presents after they are asleep. It is not uncommon for those from European backgrounds to celebrate the holiday for at least six weeks. German and Swedish families often begin their Christmas preparations during Advent — which begins four Sundays before Christmas — and the celebration doesn’t end until the second week of January.
Bozic | Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu | Vesele Vanoc |
Celebrating in Honduras
Merry Christmas | Joyeux Noel | Froehliche Weihnachten
| Mele Kalikimaka | Feliz Navidad | Kala Christouyenna | Froehliche Weihnachten | Merry Keshmish | Hristos se rodi | Sretan
“But over the years I’ve found it’s not just the stuff they like,” she said. “They love hearing stories from when my grandfather came to America and the family left in Poland thought he was instantly rich.” She giggled as she told of the letters her grandfather received asking him to mail 10 tons of bricks to Poland so the family there could build a new house. “The kids love to hear about their heritage. Their dad is Puerto Rican, and they are proud to have both cultures incorporated into who they are — it gives them a sense of security and identity.”
BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 25
DAVID CRIGGER/BRISTOL HERALD COuRIER
The Live Nativity Scene St. Francis of Assisi created the firstever Nativity scene. St. Francis became concerned that the meaning of Christmas was getting lost because most people focused more on the ritual of gift-giving than the true message of Christmas. Determined to remind people what Christmas is really about, he set about creating the world’s first-known Nativity scene to help tell his people of the Nativity story. The saint created the scene in a cave near Greccio, Italy. It involved real people and animals, making it a living Nativity scene. Today, the typical Nativity set is made out of modern materials, such as porcelain, ceramic, resin, and sometimes china, but some sets are still carved out of wood. Some of the most famous Nativity scenes can be found at the Vatican, the White House and in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
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2 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
Christmas Grub
Along with the holidays comes tasty food, drinks and traditional recipes you look forward to every year. This year, why not try something different from local chefs.
EARL NEIkIRk/BRISTOL HERALD COuRIER
What would Christmas be without fantastic food and drinks to go along with fun and fellowship? Beef tips in a goulash for Christmas at The Tavern in Abingdon.
ulash German go ts: Ingredien ps ti 1 lb. Beef and diced ts, peeled o rr a c e rg 2 la diced ow onion, 1 large yell d elery, dice 2 ribs of c prika P n ptional) ngaria a u H f o . z ay seeds (o o w 4 ra a c d n e tied ted grou fresh thym f o s 1 tsp. toas g n ri p es and 4 s 2 bay leav r’s twine ith butche together w ken stock odium chic nd minced 2 qt. low s crushed a , ic rl a g h s 2 tbsp. fre ine 5 oz. red w es ed tomato 3 oz. crush er salted butt 3 tbsp. un ste epper to ta Salt and p irginia gdon,V ain St., Abin
ola
M rn | 222 E Bartender Shelley Gad The Tave | rt e ilb G
Steve Sous Chef
Work and p ing in batc h e pan o pper and s es season b ear in r cast eef tip a ir butte r and on skillet. heavy bot s with salt tom s In a se add in then s au p th a Place uté on me e carrots, arate pot, m té dium celery the ba elt the he the sa y a uted c leaf and th at for two nd onion minut for tw arrots yme b e o , seeds minutes. A celery and undle in a p s. dd pa o o to pot t with n ions p cook for th with carro rika and g and sauté round ree m ts, cele crush inu ca e r occas d tomatoes tes, stirrin y and onion raway g ionall sa a r egula y. Add nd simm rly. Ad nd Degla e t r h o z e d the n e bee the low tips w ith red pan that w f to the po , stirring t. spoon as use wine s Place and allow t craping the d to sear th h t e pot w he beef tip e liquid to r pan with a beef s and ith the wood educe en reduc togeth carrot by a t ed h s e for ap r then add , celery an red wine in ird. d p in tips a roximately the chick onions an the d mix re ten e 4 n stoc 5 m d in to tas te. La er then sea utes or un k. Simmer dle til s and fr esh sli into bowls on with salt the beef ced g a reen o nd top w and peppe ith so nions ur cre r . am Makes
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BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 2
&… ry Crumble r e B ’s n r e The Tav
ts: Ingredien re u t ix m , Fruit awberries erries (str b n we use) e z t o a h fr w s are ie rr 1 lb. mixed e b e lu s and b raspberrie d sugar e granulate 4 oz. whit ier nde Marn 1 ½ oz. Gra ambord 1 ½ oz. Ch rnstarch 1 tbsp. co redients: pping Ing o t le b m Cru a o ½ cup ts ur urpose flo ½ cup all-p gar t brown su ¾ cup ligh r e cold butt 4-5 tbsp. es) small cub (diced into d nutmeg esh grate 1 ½ tbsp. fr mon und cinna ro g . p s tb 1
Fruit mi Mix all xture: ingred Allow ient e mixtu nough time s together re thr in a la for th ou rg Place e berrie gh a strain berries to e bowl. s in 4 er and thaw. oz. ce ramic reserve th Drain Crum e liqu dishe ble id. s. Mix all topping : in g redien Cut in t c of coa old diced b s except th e butt rse m u tter u il e berry mixtu l. Place cru ntil it is the r in a bowl. re. mble Cook toppin consistenc a y g on t degre t 350 he e 35-45 s for m until li inutes quid in dishe the s boil a begins to nd the ping is topbrown golden . The T
Sous C avern | 2 22 hef St eve G E Main St ., ilbert | Bart Abingdon,V ender ir Shelle ginia y Gad ola
CONTRIBuTED PHOTO
The Heartwood Pumpkin Roll Ingredients: 3 cage-free eggs, beaten 3/4 cup white granulated sugar 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 2 tbsp. butter, at room temperature 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, at room temperature 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg Cake: In one bowl, mix together eggs, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. Combine the contents of both bowls and mix until smooth and blended. Grease a 10x15 inch sheet pan and spread the pumpkin mixture evenly onto it. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the pumpkin cake onto cotton towel(s) and carefully roll up the cake with the towel rolling up with it. Set rolled cake aside (seam-side down) and allow to cool. Filling: Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, nutmeg, and vanilla and blend well. When cake is cooled to room temperature, unroll and spread cream cheese filling evenly onto the cake then roll it back up without the towel. Wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The Heartwood | 1 Heartwood Cir, Abingdon, Virginia | Chef Charles Parker
2 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
Grog
Whiskey Rebellion | 520 State St., Bristol, Tennessee Adam Blakenship, co-owner
Whiskey’s Hot toddy
Whiskey Rebellion Candy land martini
1.5 oz. Eagle rare ½ oz. lemon ½ oz. spiced honey 1 oz. boiling water
1 oz. Ballotin bourbon ball ½ oz. vanilla vodka ½ oz. Godiva chocolate liquor ¼ oz. peppermint schnapps ½ oz. half and half
Mix all ingredients together and serve in a cocktail glass.
Mix all ingredients together. Add chocolate syrup to sides of martini glass, coat rim with crushed peppermints, pour mixture in and top with a cherry and sprig of mint.
Ingred ients: 1.5 oz. Tito’s v odka 2 oz. p omegr a nate ju ½ oz. s ice ours Twist o f orang e ½ oz. A gave Handf ul of p omegr anate seeds Put th e first five ing and m redien ix. Pou ts in r into m pomeg artini g a shaker ranate lass an see orange d ad onto th ds. Add the twist o d e side f of the glass.
The Pomeg Tavern’s ranate Martin i
The Tavern’s Pomegranate Sparkler
ed wine The Tavern’s Spic
Ingredients: 1 oz. Cointreau, or other orange liqueur 3-4 oz. Champagne Handful of pomegranate seeds
Ingredients: d wine Your choice of re Nutmeg Cloves Cinnamon en ices together th
Mix wine and sp
heat.
Pour Cointreau and champagne into a champagne glass and add pomegranate seeds.
PHOTOS BY EARL NEIkIRk & ANDRE TEAGuE /BRISTOL HERALD COuRIER
BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 2
Think you know Christmas? Take the quiz and find out. 1. Scrooge’s first name is what? 2. What war ended on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 1814? 3. After Joseph, Mary and Jesus left Bethlehem, they went to what country? 4. There are 365 days in a normal year. What number is Christmas Day? 5. What is the average number of lights on a Christmas tree? 6. What is the most popular item to put on top of a Christmas tree? 7. How many reindeer hooves are there (including Rudolph)? 8. Which state has the “World’s Tallest Living Christmas Tree?” 9. Which country created eggnog? 10. What holiday image does McDonald’s have on bags during the Christmas season? 11. What recording is the biggest selling Christmas single of all time? 12. In the song “Silver Bells,” what is dressed in holiday style? 13. The most popular toy of Christmas of 1984 was what doll named after a vegetable? 14. What state was the last to declare Christmas a legal holiday? 15. Traditionally, does the oldest or youngest family member open the first present? 16. In the poem “The Night Before Christmas,” Santa Claus’ name is used how many times? 17. What automobile manufacturer was born on Christmas Day 1878? 18. Why did Joseph and Mary go from Nazareth to Bethlehem? 19. When were flashing Christmas lights introduced? 20. In the movie “A Christmas Story,” what does Ralphie want for Christmas?
ANSWERS: 1. Ebenezer, 2. The War of 1812, 3. Egypt, 4. 359, 5. 200, 6. Angel, 7. 36, 8. California, 9. England, 10. Tree, 11. White Christmas, 12. Sidewalks, 13. Cabbage Patch Dolls, 14. Oklahoma, 15. Youngest, 16. None, 17. Louis Joseph Chevrolet, 18. To pay taxes, 19. 1930, 20. An official Red Ryder air rifle
30 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
A full house enjoys a holiday meal at the annual Community Christmas Dinner at Emmanel Episcopal Church in Bristol, Virginia.
DAVID CRIGGER/BRISTOL HERALD COuRIER
Food & Faith
A Christmas tradition brought about by necessity, kept alive through faith and fellowship BY ROBERT SORRELL
A
free community Christmas dinner held annually at Bristol, Virginia’s Emmanuel Episcopal Church for more than three decades brings together hundreds seeking a traditional meal and holiday cheer. The dinner, at the Gothic church with the notable red doors, has been held every Christmas since 1981. This year, the dinner will be held from 4-6 p.m. Christmas Day. “As long as we have food, we will serve,” said Senior Warden Sharon Kyser. The parish, located on Cumberland Street, serves an average of 500 meals. All phases of the dinner are served by parishioners who cook, wait tables, provide transportation, handle publicity and complete the cleanup. The event is fully funded from a trust and memorial gifts. The dinner came at the impetus of Jack Trayer, a longtime Bristol businessman and
DAVID CRIGGER/BRISTOL HERALD COuRIER
Christopher Yoder plays Away in a Manger on the piano during Christmas dinner at Emmanel Episcopal Church in Bristol, Virginia. BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 31
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For More Information » Contact Emmanuel Episcopal at 276-669-9488 or emmanuelbristol@gmail.com. The church is located at 700 Cumberland St. in Bristol, Virginia.
People listen to Christmas carols as they wait for the annual Community Christmas Dinner to begin.
parishioner at Emmanuel. Kyser said a recession gripped the Bristol community at the time. Unemployment had increased and inflation was high. Trayer went to George Burn, then the rector, and said something needed to be done to help people in the community. Burn enthusiastically endorsed the idea and Trayer funded the first dinner. Few people participated in the first dinner, Kyser said, but it has grown over the years. Trayer remained a participant and active benefactor until his death in 2006. His wife, Loretta Trayer, continues to help every year. In recent years, the church has greeted fewer guests, and Kyser attributed that to more Christmas events and dinners being held in the Twin City. Late Christmas afternoon, guests will enjoy a traditional holiday dinner, including turkey, ham, all of the 32 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
trimmings, beverages and dessert. Kyser said a local chef, Brian Knickerbocker, who owns KB’z Kitchen, handles the menu, food preparation and kitchen coordination. Church members donate gifts for the children. Christmas carols will be sung at the piano. “Guests will stop and tell you, ‘I’ve been here every year,’” said Kyser, who is coordinating the event for the first time. “It’s an exciting atmosphere.” Thousands have been served over the years. Some cannot afford Christmas dinner. Others live alone and are looking for fellowship. Many travelers passing through Bristol have been welcomed at Emmanuel. About 25 to 30 church members volunteer for the event. “It takes some coordination to get people into the church and into the parish hall [which seats 80 people],”
DAVID CRIGGER/Bristol herald courier
Kyser said. The church began ordering food in early November. Cooks will work in the kitchen the day before and day of the dinner. Kyser, who has only been at the church for a few years, said the Christmas dinner is typically coordinated by the senior warden. “But the reason I and others volunteer is because this is what we are called to do, to serve others,” Kyser said. “What better time to respond to the call than on the day we celebrate the birth of Him who calls us?” The Emmanuel Christmas dinner has become part of the Christmas tradition of most of the families in the parish. Children who started to come are now bringing their own children. Guests have also made a regular Christmas tradition. Kyser said that anyone is welcome to attend, and no questions are asked.
Play it up
Live theater and the holidays go hand in mitten-clad hand, as inextricable a winter tradition as giving gifts BY REECE RISTAU
A
BINGDON, Va. — When Abingdon’s brick sidewalks and centuries-old buildings are dusted with snow or adorned with twinkling lights, it takes on the quintessential charm of Christmas in a small town. Much of that holiday spirit stems from the Barter Theatre. Richard Rose, the Barter’s artistic director, said Abingdon’s Christmastime cheer owes much to the playhouse known as “The State Theatre of Virginia.” Before the Barter started putting on its annual Christmas shows, Rose said, the town did less to celebrate the season. “Now, we’ve turned it into a Christmas town,” Rose said. “And that’s frankly due to Barter.” To theatergoers who adore local plays and musicals, live theater and the holidays go hand in mitten-clad hand, as inextricable a winter tradition as giving gifts. Those involved with local productions — at places such as the Paramount Center for Performing Arts, Theatre Bristol and the Bristol Ballet, for instance — say because of holiday popularity, the season is typically the most profitable time, too. This year, the Barter, located near West Main Street and College Street Northwest in Abingdon, is putting on a classic: “A Christmas Carol,” with Rose acting as adapter and director. He said the theater produces the show about once every five years, and each of those performances ranks among the top 30 most-attended shows at the Barter. “The reason it’s been so popular over the years as a Christmas piece is it really does capture the true spirit of Christmas in a very enter-
Barter actor Sean Maximo Campos in “A Christmas Carol.”
Photo Courtesy Barter Theatre
BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 33
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For More Information » Theatre Bristol: https://theatrebristol.org/ » The Paramount: www.paramountbristol.org/ » Bristol Ballet: www.bristolballet.org/
taining way,” Rose said. “It’s got a great message about kindness and opening up your heart to the fellow travelers on this earth and doing whatever you can do to help other people.” Showings of “A Christmas Carol” continue Dec. 20-29, except on Christmas Day. The show started running Nov. 18, but preparations started as early as August. The Barter has a costume shop filled with hundreds of pieces of clothing, colorful bolts of fabric and wigs. Each of the 20 “A Christmas Carol” cast members wears at least five different outfits, and fittings with the cast can take hours, so the stitchers, seamstresses and drapers stay busy all fall creating unique looks for the show. In early November, Jenna Light, a stitcher in the shop, worked on a maroon dress overlaid with a glittering gold pattern for the character of Mrs. Fezziwig. “It speaks to me,” Light said of the dress design. Not far from the costume shop is the Barter’s production shop, where 11 full-time employees worked to create an entire set from scratch. Other holiday shows have already come and gone. Theatre Bristol put on a production of “Little Women the Musical” at the Paramount, which director and designer David Hyde said was the same story audiences love “with all of the fun effects of a musical onstage.” 34 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
Like the Barter, Theatre Bristol is a nonprofit and relies heavily on the community to continue putting on quality productions. Samantha Gray, president of Theatre Bristol, said the group encourages end-of-year donations. “You’re giving children the gift of confidence,” Gray said. “You’re giving adults opportunities for public speaking and working together as a team to produce something pretty amazing.” Gray said a gift to Theatre Bristol, located near Fifth and State streets in downtown Bristol, is a gift to the community, because people eat out before DAVID CRIGGER/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER Jenna Light looks over a costume made for “A Christmas Carol” at the shows and go out after Barter Theatre. them, spurring the downtown economy. Plescia said. “And for of time to quit,” Kallie “It’s a great contribution some people that’s the said. “Nerves are a healthy we make downtown,” Gray only ballet they’ve ever thing.” said. seen. Sometimes, it might Mayor of Bristol, VirginAnother holiday clasencourage them to decide ia, Bill Hartley is also the sic marched and chased it’s not so bad to watch.” Barter Theatre’s advanceits way across the stage at Olivia Millwood, 14, ment officer of institutionthe Paramount this season played Clara, one of the al relations, which means when Bristol Ballet pershow’s lead roles. She said he writes grant proposals formed “The Nutcracker” “The Nutcracker” means to help get funding. In his earlier this month. a lot to audiences, but it dual role, Hartley said he About 50 dancers from also means a lot to the sees how live theater can the ballet, which has a dancers. be an economic driver, studio catty-corner from “It feels magical, espeespecially during the holithe Paramount, as well as cially from the stage point day season. a handful of community of view,” Olivia said. Hartley also makes sure members and professional Kallie Huffman, 16, he catches a few holiday dancers, were involved in played Dewdrop and was shows with his family each the annual production. the lead snowflake and Christmas. Michele Plescia, artistic Spanish dancer. Both Ol“People are looking for director and instructor of ivia and Kallie have been that at Christmas,” HartBristol Ballet, said the “The in multiple “Nutcracker” ley said. “There’s a lot of Nutcracker” is a Christmas performances. Even so, hustle and bustle and classic that also brings a they said nerves are part different things, but [the spotlight to ballet. of the process. community] wants some“Certainly it has become “I think that if you don’t thing that they can go to an American tradition,” get nervous, then it’s kind as a family.”
“The Nutcracker,” performed here by the Bristol Ballet, is a show that will surely get you into the Christmas spirit.
Contributed Photo
BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 35
Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier
Bonnie Sultan has prepared Sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) and Latkes (potato cakes) for Hanukkah as well as some wines. A lesser Jewish festival, lasting eight days from the 25th day of Kislev (in December) and commemorating the rededication of the Temple in 165BC by the Maccabees after its desecration by the Syrians. It is marked by the successive kindling of eight lights.
Hanukkah
The annual festival began in the 1800s by Jewish rabbis as an alternative holiday to the Christians’ Christmas BY LURAH SPELL
M
any people believe Hanukkah is a major Jewish holiday celebrated around Christmastime, but it’s actually a minor festival. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C., according to history. com. Legend has it that Jews rose up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew. 36 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
Hanukkah this year is Dec. 24 to Jan. 1
“The story is that they found only enough oil to last for one day of lighting,” said Rabbi Arthur Rutberg of the B’nai Sholom Congregation in Blountville. “Supposedly, the story goes, a miracle occurred and it lasted for eight days, so they were able to have the light continuously. There’s no record in history of this actually happening. This story doesn’t develop or appear in writing until 600 years later.” The main Jewish holiday is actually Yom Kippur, the Day of Atone-
ment, which commemorates the 10 Days of Awe — a period of introspection and repentance that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Rutberg refers to Hanukah as a celebration of Jewish freedom fighters’ victory against the Greek empire. Greek martial law was imposed in 168 BCE, which forbade the practice of Judaism in Israel and Jerusalem, he said. “The Jews were not pleased because they had always been given freedom of religion, even under the Persian Empire,” Rutberg said. “All of a sudden, they can’t worship the gods they wish to, they can’t offer sacrifices at temple, they can’t study the Torah anymore. A small band of zealous Torah fighters gathered together, and they began to attack the Greek Empire.” Those fighters became known as the Maccabees. They fought for three years, and in 165 BCE the Jews were victorious. Stephanie Smith, the congregation’s president, said Hanukah’s
importance today is mostly because of a few upset rabbis in the 1800s. “There were a few rabbis who were upset about congregants becoming more involved in Christian Christmas traditions, and so they promoted Hanukah as an alternate holiday to Christmas,” she said. Hanukah is mostly celebrated at home. The menorah is lit every night of the eight-day festival — the first night one candle is lit, on the second night, two and so on until the last day. The only practice during Hanukah at the B’nai Sholom Congregation’s synagogue is a dinner. It is traditional to eat foods that are fried in oil so latkes, or potato cakes, are served; some Jews eat doughnuts. In Jerusalem, the doughnuts are filled with jelly. Members of the congregation also bring their menorahs and light their candles at the gathering. At home, gifts are given. Some give a small gift every day of the festival and others give only one gift each year, but
that wasn’t always the tradition. “Mostly what you would do is give the kids a little bit of money so they could play with it and spin the dreidel,” Rutberg said. Smith said during Roman times the Jews were once again prevented from worshiping freely and the dreidel was a way to worship in secret. “One of the things that was forbidden from doing was openly celebrating their festivals and holidays,” she said. “The dreidel came about as a way to remind people about the holiday.” They could play with it without worrying about doing anything wrong, Smith said. They would tell any Roman soldiers who saw them that they were just playing gambling games. “The letters on the dreidel, in the United States, stand for the words ‘A great miracle happened there,’” she said. “In Israel, you would see a letter that is different because it’s ‘A great miracle happened here.’”
Talking Animals on Christmas Eve
Earl Neikirk/BHC
Christmas Eve is a time of family gathering and reconciliation. It’s also a night of magic: Animals are said to talk in a human voice and people have the power to tell the future. The belief was born with our ancestors, who claimed that Dec. 24 was a day to mark the beginning of a new era. It was strengthened by sayings such as, “As goes Christmas Eve, goes the year.” According to legend, Christ’s birth occurred at exactly midnight. Inside the stable the animals watched in wonder as the newborn baby was lovingly placed in a manger. Meanwhile, three shepherds arrived, each with their dog, and all of them gathered around the child. It is said on that magical night each animal that he gazed upon spoke. We are not told what the animals said specifically, only that they praised God and called the birth of the Holy Child a miracle. The story goes that God chose to mark this particular event by granting animals the ability to speak at midnight on every Christmas Eve.
BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 37
We asked local newsmakers to tell us about their favorite Christmas gift. Mayor Chad Keen, Bristol, Tennessee “As a kid, I got a black Schwinn 5-speed bicycle. It had a sparkled silver banana seat. It was sharp. “These days, I really love watching my kids and family open presents. I love being with family and friends. My standard gift of recent years has been aftershave or underwear. “ This year, I’m hoping for a pair of ‘MeUndies’.”
Mayor Cathy Lowe, Abingdon, Virginia “One year, my family wrote notes in exchange for gifts to and from my mom and dad. My Mom passed away in 2013, and I found that note a couple of months ago. It is the most cherished Christmas present of my life. It is displayed in a frame in my bedroom.”
Mayor Bill Hartley, Bristol, Virginia “One of my most favorite Christmas gifts I can remember receiving was a Tonka fire truck when I was either 4 or 5. I have fond memories of playing with this as a child, but what makes it even more special is that I kept it all these years and gave it to my son when he was about the same age so that he could also play with it. Seeing the joy from Christmas gifts being passed across generations was a priceless and special moment.”
Helen Scott, executive director of Helping Hands “My favorite Christmas gift was a gift from God. It was Christmas 1991 and I was given the exciting news that I was expecting my first child, a son.”
Jim Wozniak, media relations director, Wellmont Health System “It was the Chicago Blackhawks winter jacket I received from my wife in 1993, the year we were married. I still wear the jacket.”
Jim Maxwell, regional publisher Bristol Herald Courier – Community Newspapers Of Southwest Virginia “My favorite Christmas Gift was my first bicycle. I received it when I was 6 years old. “It was a small, blue bike with standard handlebars and a blue and white seat. Several years later, my parents bought “stingray” handle bars and a “banana” seat to make it cool. I would use a close pin and attach a playing card to the forks, which made a loud ticking sound when the card fluttered off the wheel spokes. I had that bicycle for many years and got a lot of use out of it [a basket was added later that was used for delivering newspapers].”
3 | BRISTOL MAGAZINE
BRISTOL MAGAZINE | 3
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ne me o
eco ies b o cit re tw Whe
Issue Volume 2 |
3
2016 SEPTEMBER
$2.95
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