Christmas comes but once a year, every year, reminding folk the “reason for the season” as the clever phrase or jingle is oft used. Even in Siouxland the Christmas spirit emanates everywhere. And depending on one’s bent, happy holidays, merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or other faith-based or not celebratory greetings are used.
And it’s not a bad thing to wish another person a joyous day or year. All people deserve kindness and respect although the world is filled with haters. Black and white, no shades of grey or reference to race, but just to good and evil. Life is filled with shades of grey but for one day it would be nice if folk were rise above the pettiness and loathing they may feel or desire to just let life be. And if people can, enjoy the day however and in whatever way it means to them. Some are more lucky than others in doing this, but a sense of peace is something everything should be entitled to.
Citing another oft used sentence: Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
Every Christmas most every home goes out to find a Christmas tree here in Siouxland. It’s not 100% but probably close. I personally sometimes get a tree, and other times not. Over the years even my cats have enjoyed having something “new” in the house they can play with as it suits them. Occasionally at night I will here something rolling about the floor and then scampering. Sometimes I will call out, and other times I just roll over and hope that I will find only one ornament displaced and not broken.
So visiting places like the Durham Museum in Omaha, NE is pleasant, and I can experience a giant of a Christmas tree that sits inside a former Union Station, a hub of activity during the early railroad days and up through the second world war when massive troop deployment cycled through the station. Now it houses a local museum and Christmas every year displays a grand tree. One of these days I would like to make it down for the evening tree lighting when pandemic life returns to some kind of safe environment and normalcy, whatever that may be.
And the museum gets lots of visitors who do the same as I. I couldn’t imagine the amount of pine needles that is cleaned up afterwards. My trees are generally small, but somehow leave behind an inordinate amount of needles to clean up. But a small price to pay to enjoy a special time of year the meanings and joy this symbol gives.
During the holiday seasons I try to visit various places because of the displays that one can see at them and the work that goes into making visitors appreciate and enjoy such displays. I must say I am never disappointed with what I have seen at the Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, NE. I can only guess that planning must start one to two years out as to what supplies, plants and other accoutrements are necessary for these delightful visions to take life.
The indoors gardens this year became a visual light play and can only be really appreciated as the sun sets and the lights seen in a darkened environment. And the fascination someone has with train sets as each year the trains that might be running out of doors at a display do shorter runs indoors the during Christmas season.
And I find it a marvel what is done with plants to create various scenes holiday or not and give visitors a chance to walk through and enjoy a small world away from the white noise that seems to be everywhere these days, if only for an hour or two. A brief respite in time to be a child again.
And sometimes I think the staff of the gardens can not possible out do what was done the year before and then am pleasantly surprised to enjoy a new experience and see how creatively plants can be used.
Christmas has passed. Celebrations are done. But it was nice while driving around during the holiday season to find small communities celebrating the holiday. Most have Christmas ornaments hanging from light posts in the downtown area. But for some small communities, a long tree, decorated, in a central park allows all who visit a moment to enjoy the shared experience by themselves or with others. Until next year.
I always enjoy seeing Christmas lights shining at night during the winter holiday season finding it makes life a little bit cheerier on those too early dark nights. Even with freezing or below freezing temperatures I force myself out to take a look.
In the Old Market in Omaha, NE the streets are lined with lights on trees, store fronts and even carriages that will take customers meandering through the brick streets and with eyes closed harken back to an earlier era.
With the recent above normal temperatures it was much more enjoyable to get out and stroll, enjoy the lights and dinner without sloshing through slush or snow while doing so. The lights and festive feel in the air will most likely be short-lived, which is sad, because the feeling of joy should last throughout the year giving people hope and faith that the world is a much better place than what so many people try to prove otherwise.
It’s always fun to encounter something new and this Christmas season I came upon a group that celebrates Christmas through bringing to life Charles Dickens’ novel, “A Christmas Carol”. The Old Dominion Dance group enjoys the holidays be reliving the past. The group’s founder, Emily Mayes, said the group;s Fezziwig Ball held at Lauritzen Gardens is a chance for people who enjoy dance and a family night out to come participate and dance and participate in a Dickens’ Christmas party.
The dance group focuses mainly on English country dances and takes some time to teach the simple dance steps (it’s very much like attending an American square dance get-together) and then participate. The group later performs short skits based on Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. The ball itself is based on Ebenezer Scrooge’s visit from the Ghost of Christmas’ past. It was fun watching people socialize and participate in an event that celebrates kindness, friendship and the spirit of Christmas. Something one might think is in short supply these days.
I always find it fun when venturing out in Siouxland to revisit places I have been too. Visited often enough, places become very familiar. Sometimes though a place feels at home as soon as you walk through the door. The Nora, SD country store is located at a crossroads in rural South Dakota and owned by Mike Pederson. Listed on the National Register of Historic places, the store was a true country store, closing in 1962. Some items from its previous life are still sitting on shelves.
Pederson has been hosting holiday sing-a-longs at the store since 1989, 30 years. He acquired an organ in the early days, learned to play it and began inviting folk to stop by during the weeks leading up to Christmas Day and to share in Christmas music, both secular and religious to just help folk get into the spirit.
From hosting so many years he tells some pretty interesting stories of people who have visited. Some by chance and others making a pilgrimage to come back, by themselves or bringing family and friends to enjoy a couple hours of singing and leaving cares at the front door and sharing space and time with strangers who are not really that strange. All enjoy singing, some of us more off key than others, but people don’t seem to care and with so many voices it’s hard to tell anyway.
Pederson told folk attending this year that he has been diagnosed with cancer, but so far, has been blessed with good health as he attends to treatment and the medication that goes along with that treatment. His main concern was in asking for some help in keep the store in repair as it needs some work and because of its historical significance to rural America and the fact that these stores are disappearing. Others in the area have been torn down or destroyed by fire. A slice of Americana that can’t be replicated. And I think he also wants to keep alive that spirit of togetherness, sharing with neighbors, known and unknown, and taking time out to celebrate a time of year that many find special and a place to enjoy it in, bringing back memories for some and creating memories for others too young to have experience that past.
Although spring will officially start soon here in Siouxland, winter still has its grip on the region with air temperatures hovering just above zero and for a few days below zero without any windchill. Which makes me a little wistful for the Christmas holiday season because it was relatively “warm”, all things considered at the moment. It’s hard when cabin fever sets in and one wants to get out and photograph, but that darn cold air somewhat takes the fun out of it.
When visiting the Durham Museum this past December there was a magnificent Christmas tree on display. And looking at a photograph doesn’t quite give it justice, unless of course there are people seen in the photo.
I enjoy the re-enacted scenes in bronze that grace various areas around the what was the grand hall or waiting room at the former Union Station in Omaha, NE. And enjoy it even more when serendipity allows one to capture life imitating art imitating life. Sometimes it’s just good to be lucky.
Christmas celebrations in Siouxland have begun. Small communities and bigger ones are heralding in the Christmas holiday with lighted parades and other seasonal celebrations. As someone mentioned to me recently, to get their celebrations done before the snow flies. Sioux City held its Lighted Parade recently. It was interesting in that, one moment I had gone inside a building to look at decorated Christmas trees that are part of the yearly celebration along with being a fundraiser, and when I came out, the street was populated with people who were not there minutes earlier. Children of course scrambled for tossed candy, a staple of any parade and the parade snaked along an outlying street near downtown. The weather was warmish and pleasant, and the little bit of rain that fell waited until Santa made his appearance and the tree lit before “dampening” everyone’s enthusiasm.
It’s always fun to attend the Le Mars, Iowa, Sertoma Lighted Christmas parade each year when possible. For one thing, more than one Santa generally shows to participate, and the children never seem to mind or catch on. And there are generally a variety of entries. Afterwards, most people make their way to the Plymouth County Fairgrounds to attend the Pioneer Village Christmas event where they are decorated trees along with treats and hot drinks and cutouts for people to put their faces in to be photographed as well as horse drawn wagon rides. This year it was a balmy 32 degrees with no snow on the ground. So it was warm enough to enjoy without thinking you had lost your toes and fingers. People bundled up and enjoyed the festivities, with children pointing the figure in red and chasing down errant candy tossed from the passing parade.
I live in the Siouxland area that encompasses a wide swatch of land in northwest Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota. The people that inhabit this area are generous folk and your basic honest, Midwestern people you like to have as neighbors. I explore the area and share observations, mostly photographic, sometimes through video, and and short text. All images and video are copyrighted material of the author.
Jerry Mennenga, Sioux City, Iowa
jerrylmennenga@yahoo.com
lostinsiouxland 