Along for the ride

WASILLA — Spontaneous caroling and squeals of joy echoed through downtown following the 350-horsepower open sleigh.

The chocolate and cider were hot, the making merry and the Old Wasilla Townsite was bustling as the Dorothy G. Page Museum hosted the city’s annual Wasilla Community Christmas Celebration.

As families piled onto a long trailer for the first of constant afternoon hayrides, 8-year-old Nicholas Taylor was excited, and admitted a little fear.

“I’m kind-of scared, ‘cause it’s my first time” on a hayride, he said.

As the holiday season gets into full swing, Taylor said he’s looking forward to Christmas.

“It means something special,” he said. “You get to open presents and you get to give presents.”

Along with father Chad Taylor, Nicholas found his first hayride exhilarating and not scary at all. Which was good news for Lynn Follett, who took over the duties of giving hayrides at the annual celebration from longtime resident LeRoi Heaven, who passed away Sept. 26.

The weather outside wasn’t too frightful, Follett said, adding the hayrides were colder for the riders than for himself.

“It may be cold for them, but I’m going to be in the truck,” he said. “I think this is (a) great event.”

Along with the hayrides, residents listened to the holiday sounds of the U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific Northern Lights Brass, enjoyed hot beverages and cookies, listened to Mrs. Claus tell stories, viewed entries in the annual gingerbread house contest and visited with the Jolly Old Elf himself.

In the center of the old townsite, a large Christmas tree had been placed — a giant version of Charlie Brown’s tree, according to one observer — with a box of decorations at its base. It was a lure that had 6-year-old Charlie Severance dashing around the tree placing ornaments.

The Wasilla boy said he was excited “to decorate the tree, because it’s Christmas!”

Severance also said he was looking forward to asking Santa “for something my dog cannot get (hold) of.”

When asked what Christmas meant to him, there was no hesitation: “Jesus.”

Walking around outside, Ned Entwistle caused more than a few double-takes. The Wasilla-area resident was dressed for the season in red and a Santa hat, which along with his long, gray beard and glasses “makes me look like Santa, I guess,” he said.

“I just have a Santa feel,” Entwistle said. “Christmas time gives me the excuse to have a beard.”

It’s this time of year Entwistle said many children come up to him thinking he’s Santa.

“That feels great,” he said. “The moms are a little embarrassed, but I love it. It’s just fun. Christmas is the time to celebrate. We’re part of the minority anymore that believes Christmas is a religious holiday.”

Sipping hot chocolate and helping decorate the community tree, 8-year-old Victoria Cerimele said she saw Santa at the museum earlier in the day, but admitted she couldn’t bring herself to talk to him.

“I didn’t tell him anything because I was too shy,” she said, adding her favorite part of the afternoon was “putting ornaments on the tree.”

Watching from the background was great-grandmother Janet Hamann, who said the family has a couple of holiday traditions.

“We try to portray the love of Jesus,” she said of the most important tradition.

The other is eating gravel salad, a Jell-O concoction that has pretzels on the bottom, cream cheese in the center and strawberries on top.

As the afternoon wore on, families crowded into the old log cabin in the historic townsite for hot chocolate and cider refills, waiting for the celebration’s grand finale — lighting the community tree.

Inside the museum before the celebration began, Sherry Lee and Janet Ewing of All-I-Saw Cookware were busy judging the youth and adult entries in the gingerbread house contest. Overall, 15 entries were judged, including 12 made by kids and three by adults.

Laurie Ethridge blew the judges and spectators away with her large blue and white rendition of Jack Frost’s Factory. Jack Frost is inside sitting on a throne, while outside polar bears are hard at work pulling carts filled with rock candy. The creativity and execution earned Ethridge first place in the adult category.

“I liked that blue one,” said Charles Bon. “It was kind of a nice transition from the traditional brown and white.”

Heather Swartz won the children’s category, leading a strong contingent from the family. Tyler Swartz was second, while their mom Kathy Swartz was second in the adult category. One of the more creative entries was a gingerbread observatory, a round structure with a domed roof and vanilla wafers for a telescope.

“They’re all good,” said Ewing, the store’s manager. “It’s very hard to judge. We’re looking for how much work went into it and the detail — all the little specifics.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.