A Day of Peace
Mary Evelyn and her children pulled into our driveway on Saturday morning. Ray climbed into the front passenger seat while I wedged in between two carseats in the back of her family’s minivan. It was time for another of our free community Christmas traditions. Soon we arrived at the annual Granville Country Christmas.
If the clock turned backwards and I was homeschooling again, I definitely would have counted Saturday as a day of “school.” We visited Pioneer Village, where a costumed interpreter taught us about herbal medicines in the time of the Civil War in the cabin.
We chatted with a basket weaver and a blacksmith. We peeked inside a tobacco barn. When our five-year-old grandson asked what that stuff was hanging from the rafters of the barn, I told him that it was tobacco and I told him what people make out of tobacco. I was glad to see our grandson wrinkle up his face in disgust, showing his “Little” what he thought about that stuff.
The Granville United Methodist Church choir performed another beautiful Christmas concert.
Ray and I loved seeing the festival through the eyes of four of our grandchildren. The children especially enjoyed watching the parade with its floats, cars, and people — and picking up the candy those people toss out to the children looking on. Mary Evelyn has a great use for parade candy: the children use it to decorate their graham cracker gingerbread house.
Our two-year-old grandson gets excited about anything that moves on wheels. He expressed concern though when he saw a convertible. Because it was missing its top, he told me that it was broken.
One thing I like about the Granville parade is that you don’t have to be disappointed if you are looking away when something interesting passes by.
When participants get to the end of the parade route, they turn around and pass by everyone a second time.
As usual, organ grinder Ted Guillaum stood on the front porch of the Sutton General Store performing his happy music, both on his street organ and on an accordion. This year a Middle Eastern man accompanied him. Among other songs, they did a fun rendition of “Feliz Navidad.”
The Christmas festival in Granville is fun, but it is also inspiring. Volunteers from far and near give and give some more so that other people can have a fun time. We were delightfully surprised to find a homeschooled teenager we know working behind the counter in the Sutton General Store. He looked great in his candy cane striped sweater and stocking cap.
The Christmas concert at the Methodist church is pretty and encouraging. As always, the choir left their seats and spread across the room in front of the pews for their last song. They invited us all to sing along as they led us in “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” It was beautiful to sing that prayer in sweet and tiny Granville.
Ray and I brought our Granville lessons home. After we had been at home a while, Ray said, “Only in America would you have a white American man and a Middle Eastern man performing a Spanish Christmas song.”
“Let There Be Peace on Earth” and let it begin with you and me and the people who live beside us in our homes.
If possible, so far as it depends on you,
be at peace with all men.
Romans 12:18
Absolutely lovely! What a great learning experience and family tradition!