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| Ann with swags she helped to make |
On Friday evening, we held our annual "Christmas Walk Through Old Nauvoo." It started at the Visitors Center with a brief program at 6:00 p.m. We try to involve people of the local area, many of whom are non-members. So, the program started with a few numbers by the Warsaw High School jazz band. That was followed by some songs performed by the Hamilton High School choir which was composed of three boys and about eight girls. The high schools around here aren't very large. We then had some numbers by a string quartet made up of sister missionaries.
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| Some of the attendees at the tree lighting ceremony |
Following the program, all the missionaries assembled on the balcony above and around the 20 foot mission Christmas tree. We all sang a song about lighting a Christmas tree after which a lady representing the mayor turned on a switch that lit the Christmas tree.
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| Ann in Post Office telling the story of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" |
We had a really good turn out from around the area. Because it was so cold with a windchill temperature of -10 degrees, we weren't sure if many people would come.
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| Elder Russell in Post Office |
After the tree lighting, all the missionaries hurried of to their assigned sites which were to be used during the Christmas Walk until 9:00 p.m. when we were to close down. Three of the horse drawn carriages were ready to transport visitors and guests from the Visitors Center to the designated sites on the historic Main Street. In each of four sites, a story of the history of one of the Christmas Carols was told and then that carol was played on a musical instrument by a missionary. Those were repeated through out the evening. At the Cultural Hall, we had the live Nativity story which was also repeated. Then at the Family Living Center, we had set up tables loaded with lots of refreshments which included veggie trays, all kinds of breads and cookies as well as wassail and hot chocolate.
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| The Nativity performed in the Cultural Hall, Elder & Sister Swapp |
Ann spent the first half hour in the Post Office telling the story of how the Christmas Carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem" was created then Elder Russell would then play the carol on his Native American flute. We also had rotating assignments for participating in caroling groups to entertain the visitors and guests around a fire barrel at each story telling site while they waited for the next story time to begin.
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| Fire barrel (55 gal drum) to keep guests and visitors warm |
The horse drawn carriages would go up and down Main Street to transport the guests and visitors from one site to another. We also had luminaries (paper sacks with cut out designs and a candle inside) along the sidewalk leading from the Cultural Hall to the Tin Shop.
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| Luminaries on sidewalk and lights in garlands on fence between Cultural Hall and Tin Shop |
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| Missionary Jazz Band |
After the sites closed, all of the missionaries gathered at the Family Living Center. There we ate treats that were left over from the night's activities. We were also entertained by three elders who made up a jazz band. One was on an electronic keyboard, one on a saxophone, and one on a clarinet. They also played some of the old favorites. Some of the missionaries including single sisters enjoyed dancing.
It turned out to be a very nice event. We had our doubts because of the cold but that didn't seem to bother people too much.
