As long as we have hands to clasp.....

Santa sprinkled his magic fairy dust from atop the ladder truck yesterday afternoon, and once again, Podunky's community Christmas Tree came alight in front of the fire house.

For those of you who don't live here, the tree lighting is another of those Norman Rockwell moments that really do still happen in towns like this. Each year, it seems, a fluffy snow starts to fall just at the appointed hour. We all gather along First Street for the parade of firetrucks decked out in Christmas lights. Santa brings up the rear, pulled along behind a John Deere snowplow decorated to look like a reindeer. Finally, as the Community Band chugs through a jaunty rendition of "Jolly Old St. Nicholas," Father Christmas is hoisted aloft by the fine men of the volunteer fire department, and as we all cheer with childish gusto, the lights on the 20 foot spruce are turned on for another holiday season.

Afterward, there's a community potluck inside the firehouse, featuring every variety of miniature crock pot meatball known to man. In the lobby, kids can sit on Santa's lap, in full view of a magnificent display of old-timey toys arrayed under still another glittering tree. The toys all come from the personal collection of our own municipal Santa, Chief Chuck, the great bear of a man who takes uninhibited delight in showing you that, yes, the vintage toy trains really do still work. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Neighbors sit at long tables in folding chairs, reacquainting themselves and catching up on the latest local news. The kids, having had their critical sitdown with the man in red, burn off energy by playing tag and hide and seek around the vintage firetrucks in the lower bay.

We are genuinely awash in good cheer. For a couple of hours, we all sit satisfied and comfortable with our little slice of the planet.