Question: What happens when Duryea throws a party?
Answer: Everybody comes.
Last Saturday evening was no exception. Upwards of 300 people, ranging from senior citizens to youngsters in strollers, braved the dropping temperatures of a December night to take part in the borough’s second annual Christmas Stroll.
And stroll they did. From one end of the main street to another. Into store fronts and among the dozens of tables set up along the way, offering anything from hot chocolate to slices of pizza.
Every merchant in the town helped light the way with a Christmas tree outside the door and every tree featured ornaments and decorations relating to the business. That’s why the tree outside the Family Prescription Counter featured empty pill bottles as ornaments and the tree outside the American Legion Post’s social club featured empty adult beverage cans.
Because it was a family event, though, inside the American Legion, Scouts from Boy Scout Troop 285 served up hot chocolate for anyone who wanted to drop in and get warm.
But it wasn’t just a matter of strolling along the street to look at trees. Every business had a welcoming open door for visitors to stop in, spend a little time getting warm and finding treats along the way. In each business, for example, sat a gift basket that some lucky visitor could win. And no one had to pay a dime to take a chance – it was all free as yet another gift to the community.
Inside some of the businesses as well as the City Hall, artisans and crafters manned tables of merchandise – just in case someone wanted to do a bit of Christmas shopping at the same time. And there were treats inside the businesses, like the face-painting inside the Hydration Station or the martial arts demonstrations at Rothrock Kung Fu.
“It’s such a fun event,” said Linda Clark, owner of The Sharp-Dressed Dog just off the main street, where pet owners could stop in with a four-pawed friend for a photo with Santa.
“We were doing pet photos in the afternoon, but when the party went on into the evening, we stayed as well,” she said.
Back on the main street, volunteers from the Independent Bible Church, some decked out in Christmas lights themselves, ladled out hot chocolate in front of the open building. Inside, the choir did a last rehearsal before the annual Christmas Cantata planned for Sunday night, so visitors could step inside for a musical interlude.
And just down the block on the same side, carolers sang on the front porch of the big white house while a group of youngsters from Holy Rosary School created a living creche scene on the front lawn.
By far the most popular treat, however, was the horse-drawn carriage ride. A pair of Belgian draft horses, George and Eddy, waited patiently for the carriage to fill up before taking off to give visitors a blocks-long ride through the town.
“We go almost anywhere to do this,” said Donna Fritz, from Fritz Farms in Millville. “The horses love it. We love it. The temperature doesn’t matter; it’s a lovely thing to do at a special event like this.”
The first carriage riders also got to be in the small parade that “kicked off” the festivities. Marchers included St. Nicholas in beard, robes and bishop’s miter, marching alongside characters from Disney’s “Frozen,” appropriate visitors for the chilly night. About two dozen youngsters from the Phoenix Theater dressed up as elves and sang as they marched to the City Hall. And firetrucks from the Germania and Excelsior hose companies completed the parade.
Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa got to ride in the Excelsior truck before they hopped out to talk with youngsters about the loot that might be under the tree on Christmas morning.
Some little ones didn’t talk to the couple but did post letters to Santa in the mailbox outside City Hall.
Four-year-old Liam Munley, from Moscow, for example, got help from his mom, Tara, to reach the mail slot and drop in his wishes.
“I want a Ghostbusters,” he said, smiling.
Tara Munley said she had known that for several weeks, because she helped Liam write the letter. And she also said she’d “called Santa, too, to make sure that he was aware of Liam’s Christmas list.” She was pretty sure the Ghostbusters toy would be under their tree after all of their efforts.
And in Duryea Park, just off the main street, volunteers filled the lighted pavilion with activities for the youngsters, as well as a table full of cookies and hot chocolate for anyone who might be in need of refreshment.
Kids had a chance to color a foam ornament or, if they hadn’t done the job already, write their letters to Santa.
