Rediscovering the small-town Christmas

Sunset, Dec, 1985

Come with us to savor Christmas in a small town.

* Huddled in subzero temperatures, residents in Wheatland, Wyoming, shiver outside their stately 1917 courthouse to hear one more telling of the ancient drama in Bethlehem. Chin deep in woolly clothing, they'd rather savor the mood here under the stars than move to a warmer indoors.

* In Waialua, on Oahu, a congregation dressed in sleeveless muumuus, scented with suntan oil and plumeria, joins hands to sing Silent Night--in Tagalog.

* On a Lake Mead beach near Boulder City, Nevada, a family barbecues a large fresh-from-the-lake bass while watching a parade of decorated boats float by.

Nothing illustrates the richness and diversity that bless our region quite like small towns--particularly at this time of year, when their residents (up to 20,000 or so) celebrate the season in a seemingly infinite variety of ways.

Our pictures and text only hint at the variety of terrain, weather, and ethnic and locally evolved traditions. All combine to form a marvelous stewpot of Yuletide events, any of which could enrich your family's holiday--whether you drop by for a few hours or settle in to stay for several days.

Last year, we asked you to share tales of small-town Christmases you hold dear. The result: an outpouring of letters telling us of events in about 75 towns. During the past two Decembers, more than 30 Sunset writers and photographers fanned across the West, sampling seasonal doings from Bozeman to Catalina Island. (We skipped well-publicized winter resort towns such as Aspen, Park City, and Truckee where visitors regularly outnumber locals.)

On these 10 pages, we distill nuggets from our readers' memories and our own visits.

What's so different about a small-town Christmas?

As in the big cities, the festivities in towns are often promoted by Main Street merchants to get people in the shopping mood. But in the places we report, you'll also find volunteer efforts--sometimes hokey, sometimes touching--that offer a glimpse of the town's ethnic origins or tell something about its special climate, attractive location, or other claim to fame.

Somehow merchants in Leavenworth--cold knees peaking out from their lederhosen--and the clerks rustling around in Victorian garb in Cannon Beach and Nevada City stores add an element of folksy fun missing in big city stores.

To join in many of the small-town doings we report, you'll have to plan a trip soon. The festive season kicks off the weekend after Thanksgiving with homespun parades, lights strung up downtown, community caroling by candlelight, mulled wine under the town's tree. Some sleigh rides and other activities continue after Christmas, but most celebrations wind down by Christmas Day, when, except for a few bed-and-breakfast inns and historic hotels that hold special observances, many of these towns are shuttered.

Some fine small towns get only a brief mention here, but a note or call to their chambers of commerce will bring you a list of additional happenings as well as interesting lodging or dining. It's a good idea to plan any visit around an event that especially appeals to you, allowing time to shop and dine and make leisurely visits to nearby attractions. Always include a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope with your queries to any addresses listed.

Forgive us if we've omitted your favorite town. This is not a contest, but a celebration. But don't hesitate to remind us of places and events you feel we should be aware of--for we'll continue to cover small towns in our future reporting. Send your comments to Small-town Christmases, Sunset Magazine, 80 Willow Rd., Menlo Park, Calif. 94025.

Far enough from urban centers to seem away from it all, these are just a few of the West's towns whose invitations to linger awhile are particularly appealing. All offer a diversity of places to sleep, dine, shop, and play.

Others to consider include Bisbee, Arizona; Arroyo Grande on the central California coast; Gold Country towns (see page 72); and Cannon Beach, Oregon.

In mile-high Prescott ... a gallery of

decorations, a 70-year-old courthouse

Arizona's first territorial capital (1864), prescott still exudes Old West stability and charm amid a multitude of restored hotels and restaurants.

At Christmas the town is a gallery of decorations--from downtown to the Victorian neighborhoods. Centerpiece is the 1916 Yavapai County Courthouse, lavishly decorated all season: on December 7 at 3, there will be a parade; at 5:30, singing and lighting ceremonies will include reading of the Christmas story by Governor Bruce Babbitt.

Good hiking and often cross-country skiing are nearby. Chamber of Commerce, 117 Goodwin St., Prescott 86301; (602) 445-2000.

Santa arrives by boat, as you do,

at Southern California's Avalon

Jammed in summer, Avalon relaxes off-season. If you want to spend Christmas on the water, this is a good bet. Weather can be rainy.

Along the curved bayfront, at least half the shops, restaurants, and hotels stay open off-season; some good restaurants serve Christmas Eve and Day. They're strung with lights, as are boats in the harbor and hillside residences.