With the remnants of the first big winter storm of the season still gracing the ground, many people, it seems, have been hard to resist the urge to dive into full Christmas mode. Take a casual drive some evening, and you will likely see a number of homes already decked out for the holidays.
And who can blame them? Snow has a way of doing that to people, especially when more than a foot falls on the ground and sticks around. Who among us can resist the urge to start humming “Let it Snow,” after seeing a storm like the one Nov. 2 that dropped nearly 18 inches in the Houlton area?
In our home, I have surprisingly resisted the pleas from my youngest child to dig out the decorations, but that has not stopped the children from singing Christmas songs and watching holiday movies. I’ll admit it, the urge to deck the halls is growing bigger with each passing day, and I’m surprised I have resisted it.
But it somehow just felt wrong to take down Halloween pumpkins and witches and replace them with reindeers, elves and snowflakes.
Like many, we typically put up our decorations on Thanksgiving weekend and that is only another week away, so I think I can hold the kids at bay for just a little while longer.
If Thanksgiving is right around the corner, that also means it is time once again for the annual Houlton Rotary Club Auction. This year’s auction will be held Nov. 24-26 and has become a time-honored tradition in southern Aroostook County as a kick-off to the holiday season.
The auction has changed little in its format, and why should it? Rotarians have worked out an incredibly efficient system of fielding telephone calls to take bids on items that have been donated. Originally, a radio-only event, the auction now appears on Houlton Cable Channel 13 as well as WHOU-FM and can also be viewed online. The online portion of the event provides an opportunity for those who no longer live in the Shiretown to participate in the auction and see live updates on exactly how much each item is up to.
For many, the auction serves as a source of holiday shopping as there are always an abundance of present ideas, gift certificates and homemade goodies. But there are also many big-ticket items such as fuel oil, airfare to Boston and a log cabin. For me, however, the auction is all about snatching up as many pizza coupons to various eating establishments as possible.
And while it is always nice to get a good deal, one should not refrain from bidding once that particular item reaches its suggested dollar value. Let’s not forget, first and foremost, the auction serves as the major fundraiser for the Rotary Club. This year’s event will support the completion of the Just for Kids playground project at Houlton Community Park, as well as new fire hoses for the Linneus Fire Department and financial assistance for the Backpacks for Kids program.
So bid early and bid often.
Looking for something to do this weekend? Why not come to the Houlton Community Arts Center to view Houlton High School’s annual play production? This year’s play is “The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy.”
Students have been busy rehearsing their parts for several weeks now and this year’s play is sure to delight. Each year, the production shows off the amazing vocal and acting talents of youngsters right here in our community and also helps support the arts program at the high school.
The shows are Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 538-3870, or stopping by Houlton High School’s JMG ticket office. Come on out and support our area’s youth.
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. His opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect that of the newspaper. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.
