I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and now it is time to start celebrating Christmas in earnest. Walmart and Dollar General have been selling Christmas baubles and shiny brights for about a month now, which being sort of an “old school” person I do not even acknowledge as existing until after Thanksgiving. We are fortunate here in Highland to have two extremely dependable sources of Christmas cheer in our town- the Monteleone family in Eldred and the Greater Barryville Chamber of Commerce. Five years ago, Frank and Phyliss Monteleone started a brilliant new tradition by installing a Christmas themed techno light show in the empty field next to their Hydro Farm called the Greatest Light Show. This past Saturday night The Show was launched for the start of the Christmas in Eldred event.

Over the years the show has expanded the pixel displays from 5,100 to over 51,000 with 300 props and the display for the current light now fills the entire field. Phyliss Monteleone is the “Chief Pixel Pusher” and manages the intricate job of overseeing the show’s thousands of lights. Joey Monteleone is the “Music Maestro” crafting the synchronization of the lights to music. Frank Monteleone is the “Wizard” in charge who does the heavy lifting running over 30 miles of wire with thousands of connections and installing hundreds of props that display the lights. It is a huge hit with the Town. With beautiful dazzling sequences, flashing colors and all synchronized to great holiday music (tune to 9O.7FM radio) it all adds a special sparkle and drama to the show. The Greatest Light Show starts on the hour and the run time is 45 minutes, is free of charge and there is plenty of viewing from the parking lot of the Hydro Farm. The incredibly beautiful Light Show will run through New Year’s Eve and starts at 5 p.m. every evening and is repeated until the last show at 9 p.m.

The Light Show works well with the enchantment of the traditional kid-friendly Christmas celebration his brother Lou Monteleone and his wife, June, have set up across at the Pizza Piazza that is closed for the season. Lou installed thousands of lights, music and huge holiday inflatables and sponsors Santa Village of Giving for donations to local charities, a Christmas parade with Santa leading the way, the Eldred Tree Lighting and freewheeling holiday dance party with Santa, Mrs. Claus and their North Pole friends having a huge kid-centered celebration featuring a special delivery mailbox for letters to Santa, cookies, and hot cocoa for everyone. The Village brings a delightful level of hometown charm to make the village of Eldred a sweet spot destination for family fun and community, creativity, and holiday spirit and the two displays in Eldred festively glowing with Christmas lights in the evenings is so lovely to see.

Later that evening, the festivities in Barryville began with the 20th Anniversary of the Barryville Christmas Tree Lighting. This year’s Small Town Christmas focused on celebrating our local small businesses featuring Holidaze celebration at Cottage Wines,  Open Mic Night at The Hamlet Dream, a special Santa Dinner at the Rivers Edge Restaurant, adult cocktails at the Stickett Inn’s Bang Bang Bar and a late-night Dance Party with DJ Woody Wood Jr. at the Oasis bar and Restaurant.

The beautiful 40-foot concolor fir pine Christmas tree got a redecoration overhaul this year and now dazzles with over 2,000 lights. This year our lovely Broadway and TV actor Erin West was joined as host by actor Eddie Rabon with performances by Angela Kiser, Mike Edison and the Basic Bitches, Singer Erin Crosby who led the crowd in singing Christmas carols. With fire pits blazing away, keeping everyone toasty, and good hot chocolate from the Hungry Goat Café and delicious cookies from Konrad at the Yulan County Store, it was a magical night to gather with our families, friends and neighbors and welcome the beginning of the Yule time season. There is truly nothing as sweet as a small town Christmas celebration!