Big Turnout For Hometown Christmas

WAITSBURG - Waits- burg's Main Street came alive this weekend with Christmas carols in the air, children running about with bags of candy and happy parade goers enjoying light- ed floats.

The fun started on Saturday at Turkey Bingo, hosted by the American Le- gion Auxiliary. On Sunday, Town Hall opened at noon with a variety of vendors. Merchants sold holiday décor, jewelry, scarves, make- up and skin care products, dolls, products to make the home smell delicious, pocket knives, caramel corn, quilts and handbags.

Hometown Christmas this year boasted two new activities. Main Street was lit with smaller Christmas trees with colorful decorations.

This was the work of the Waitsburg FFA group that organized the Festival of Trees and awarded Waits- burg Hardware and Mer- cantile as the winner with the best-decorated tree. The Rainbow Girls won the people's choice award for its tree.

The other new addition was the showing of "The Santa Clause" movies at the Plaza Theatre, sponsored by the Hubbard Law Office.

In the Plaza Sunday afternoon, Robbie and Marilyn Johnson were dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Santa listened to children's Christmas wishes and Mrs. Claus snapped photos.

Riley Witt, age 12, put on a big grin for Santa and the camera. When asked what he wanted for Christmas, Witt sarcastically men- tioned "world peace" and admitted the true reason he took his photo with Santa Claus - a white paper sack filled with candy and an apple.

Next up was Jared Han- kins, age 4. Hankins shyly mentioned that he would like to have a motorcycle for Christmas this year.

"I have seen motorcy- cles," Hankins said with a big grin.

He added he had ridden on a motorcycle with his dad before.

About 3: 30 p. m. on Sunday, Town Hall was packed to the gills with locals hoping their raffle tickets were drawn by Blue Crystal's Karen Mohney to win gift certificates to local businesses, including the jimgermanbar.

While parents waited to hear their name during the raffle, teenagers rode skateboards and bikes on the sidewalks outside.

As the sky darkened people began securing their spots on the sidewalk to watch the annual lighted parade.

Spectators enjoyed min- iature horses, an army ve- hicle, the Waitsburg school choir, the Milton-Freewater Mounted Posse, Waitsburg ambulance and fire depart- ment, the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days court, Santa and Mrs. Claus and other fun lighted vehicles.

Following the parade, people gathered in Town Hall to warm up with some chili and soup.

The fun wrapped up Monday night with the kids' shopping event at Town Hall.

As far as Joy Smith, the president of the Commercial Club is concerned, the whole weekend was a success.

She said there were more parade entries and served more chili than last year. The Commercial Club made about $1,000, which will help cover the costs of putting on Hometown Christmas.

" E verything went smoothly," Smith said.

The volunteers came out of the woodwork and helped get every aspect or- ganized and implemented, she said.

Around town last week- end, she said she heard many people gushing over the great Mr. and Mrs. Claus and they loved the movies at the Plaza.

"It was the easiest thing I've ever stepped into with no prior ( experience)," Smith said of her first Hometown Christmas as the Commercial Club president. "I want to give a big thank you to the countless community volunteers."