Moonlight Madness Begins The Christmas Season in The Village

Hello There. VivBounty here to share with you our Christmas tradition in our little village in a corner of the Canadian Maritimes. I cannot believe it has been a year since we did this and today is the 7th annual Moonlight Madness. Please forgive the quality of the wagon rides photo, it was dark and snow flurries obscured my lense. Our strategy is to bundle up begin at one end of Main Street and walk along stopping at each business, buying raffle tickets, baked goods, eating, drinking, warm apple cider, and supporting as much charity as our means allow. Eventually we end up at a friend's home for more eating, drinking and Christmas cheer.

Each year to officially begin the Christmas Season, our little village of approximately 400 people celebrates an evening we call "MoonLight Madness". All businesses will be open until 9:00 p.m. Participating will be our grocery store, our restaurant, our village pharmacy, gas station convenience store, bed and breakfast inn, fire department, the Allens who bring the horses and wagon, and our regional volunteer association, PEDVAC. I am a board member of PEDVAC, a body of giving, hard working people who do so much for such a widespread region of people in need.

Again this year we will have Live Entertainment. At the Victorian Verandah, the village's oldest and largest bed and breakfast, there's a sing along with Harry Chapman at the paino. Our postmaster will play the accordion at the restaurant. Businesses offer discounts, barbecued hot dogs and apple cider are sold with proceeds benefiting the Girl Guides.

Our village fire department will have a controlled bonfire at the main intersection of the village.  Advanced Savings Credit Union, our village bank, will have craft tables, door prizes, hot chocolate and carollers visit each establishment bringing Christmas cheer.

The Shore Stop restaurant, regional school and PEDVAC building have Giving Trees which have stars with a child's gender and age. The idea is to take a star, buy a gift for a child in need, bring it back to the restaurant unwrapped with the star attached. The gifts are then given to children in need.

Letters to Santa can be dropped off at the post office and photos can be taken with him at the grocery store which will give out door prizes and take donations of non-perishable items for PEDVAC.

After all the festivities, us grown ups generally gather with friends for h'ors doevres, wine and more Christmas cheer. This little village takes care of its own and as I always say in any profile I publish, "The universe is unfolding as it should and this I know for sure; I am exactly where I am supposed to be". Last year it just happened to be my friend, Bev's house in the arms of her life-size-talking Santa!

Happy Holidays to All and Merry Christmas to those of us who celebrate.

VivBounty
Country Living