Festival of Trees, Festival of Lights make Gillette great
It’s funny how you can live somewhere for so long and still miss out on so much that happens in the community.
I went out to the Festival of Trees for the very first time this year. The fact that I skipped it the first seven years I was here is inexcusable, and I realized I was missing out. The creativity by the designers and the generosity of the people bidding on the trees to raise money for health care was great to see.
I particularly enjoyed the Lord of the Rings tree and the Chronicles of Narnia tree (that’s my homeschool background coming through), but all of the trees and wreaths were cool.
It was so much fun, I went back the next day, and once again, I was blown away, this time by just how many free activities there were for families.
And as much fun as the auction night was, I had more fun on Family Day. I loved hearing the kids ooh and ahh at the trees and wreaths. It took me back to when I was young and thought everything was cool.
A woman came up to me and said something to the effect of, “kids have the greatest reactions, don’t they?” I replied, saying that I wished adults would have the same reactions as kids. It would make the world a nicer, and more interesting place.
But something happens when you grow up.
Maybe it’s the burdens and stress that life throws at us every day that beats the wonder out of us. Perhaps years of seeing how horrific the real world can be has chased out that sense of wonder and replaced it with a heaping spoonful of cynicism.
But cynicism is tiring. We all should take a break from time to time and get back to wonder and amazement, and Christmas should be the perfect time for that break. Speaking of wonder and amazement, the Festival of Lights is another community event that has those things in spades.
I left the Festival of Trees auction to walk through the Festival of Lights to take photos. Even though I’d driven through several times before, I still felt that sense of Christmas magic. There were so many displays, including a few that I wasn’t sure if I’d seen before.
Walking through the Infinity Tunnel was a unique experience. I can’t explain why. It’s just a bunch of lights that change color. What’s so special about that? But then again, the fact that I can’t explain why Christmas lights are cool is what makes them amazing. Not everything needs to be explained by logic.
The Campbell County Parks and Rec staff work tirelessly in the weeks leading up to the event to make sure every light is working as it should. Even though their supervisors talk about the job that they do, and even though the News Record covers their efforts each year, I still feel like they don’t get the recognition they deserve.
Go to any other town, and they could charge $10 a car for a light display half as big as the Festival of Lights, and I don’t think anyone would bat an eye. The fact that this is free still amazes me to this day.
When you’ve lived somewhere for a long time, it can be easy to take things for granted. I hope Gillette residents realize how lucky they are to have both the Festival of Trees and the Festival of Lights, as well as the many other Christmas events that will be coming down the line.
They’re part of what makes Gillette great.