A Bit of Holiday Magic
In the bleakness of December, when the landscape becomes monochromatic and the sun fails to shine for days on end, I look for a little bit of magic to transform my world. That’s why I string lights around my windows, set up my Christmas tree-shaped candles and find the perfect forlorn balsam fir for the living room. These are the little things that brighten the dreary days.
This week, I noticed that the Elkhart County Parks organized an Illuminated Trail at Bonneyville Mill County Park. So instead of going on our usual walk to OxBow, we drive up towards Bristol to reach Bonneyville just as dusk is falling. A few cars are already sitting in the parking lot as we pull in. Sadie, the pup, is extremely excited about a new place to walk with so many fresh scents and a whole new landscape to enjoy. The trail takes us up the stairs and over and around the woods and the swamp. The lights are pretty spaced out but as darkness falls they shine through the bare trees lighting our path. Since it’s only a half a mile walk, we take the trail twice. By the second time around, more people are pulling into the park and walking on the trail. Night has fallen and the lights really guide us down and up and over. We hear the voices of parents and children, of walkers talking to their dogs, of friends sharing stories. Though the air is brisk with a light mist, the woods feel like a blanket around us, safe and cozy. In the dark, it warms my heart to hear the human chatter and see the glow of the tiny lights. The trail ends at the schoolhouse where a table stands laden with hot cocoa and cookies made from flour milled at Bonneyville Mill. As we head back to the car, more people are pulling in and getting out of their cars. I see kids with flashlights and moms with strollers and families with more dogs. There’s a little bit of magic in the air here and I hold onto it as we leave.
Later in the week, we walk along the Millrace and see Christmas lights glowing from Shanklin Park. On our way home, we detour and drive through the lighted Wonderland there. As a few snow flurries hover in the air, the lights shine out in the darkness and remind us of the simple pleasures of this holiday season.
A “Merry Christmas “ from the man bagging my groceries at Martin’s, a gift of Chex Mix from a customer, and a surprise visit from an old friend. Tonight, I’ll walk through the lights at Wellfield Botanic Gardens. These are the moments of magic I dwell on during these shortest of days and darkest of nights. I hope you feel the magic as well.
