There are advantages to growing up in an old New England town. You gain a sense of history as you see houses that are 100, 200, even 300 years old mixed in with the vinyl siding and thermal windows of modernity. You can almost feel the ghostly presence of colonial ancestors, as you sit in a steepled white church once peopled by hardy townsfolk of a bygone era, whose names live on in some of the families in the neighborhood. You may even get to see one of the thousands of places where George Washington slept – yes, in fact, we made a high school film about just one of those homes on good old Worthington Ridge in Berlin, CT.
But if you grew up on Worthington Ridge, from, say, 30 years or so ago on back to multiple generations, you remember one thing for sure about Christmastime. The candles in the windows.
It was an unwritten and almost entirely-obeyed rule – on this historic street, the only Christmas lights allowed were electric candles in the window. You’d drive up and down the Ridge at the end of December, and your eyes would be filled with the glorious sight of home after colonial home, all lit up by candles and little (or nothing) else. The church, the library, and later, when it was finally re-furbished, even the old Worthington School, behind which was tucked our humble abode. Almost every house, and every window, had a candle.
Now the center of the Ridge remained very true to this tradition all during my growing up years. The less historic north and south ends of the road, being of more recent vintage, tended to have some “strays” who did not keep to the traditions of the fathers. And, alas, as time has gone on, the Ridge has become peopled with a mix of those who keep, and those who ignore, the old paths. Much of the glory is passed, never, I fear, to return.
Yet in memory, it remains. And even in these days, some neighborhoods maintain their own traditions, such as one riotously lit-up neighborhood in Boonton (NJ) where I live, where everyone puts out luminaries on the street each Christmas Eve, and cars cruise through (including ours) each year to enjoy the sight. And families build their own traditions as well. Some we borrow – yes, our wonderful old colonial home sports candles in the windows. And some we’ve created – every Christmas Eve, we sit down to enjoy George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge, while munching on my wife’s delicious pepperoni bread. This, after having decorated the tree a couple weeks before, always with a chilled bottle of Gewurtztraminer for accompaniment (something we started 25 years ago or so).
Tomorrow morning, I’ll light the fire in the fireplace, as our tradition dictates. We’ll read the Christmas story together, and give thanks for our countless blessings. We’ll start with the stockings, and enjoy a hearty breakfast, as we have done for many years. We’ll open gifts in a very orderly fashion, as practiced by my family growing up. And we’ll feast with friends.
And I trust that as my rapidly growing-up flock eventually starts leaving the nest and starting their own families, they’ll adopt some cherished traditions, and begin new ones. Just so long as there are candles in the windows. I don’t think that’s too much for this New England boy to ask…
How beautiful, Steve! Thank you for sharing it. Merry Christmas.
Steve, just wanted to let you know that someone shared this on our site too b/c it’s so lovely
http://www.storyofmylife.com/User/user_journals_view.aspx?journalId=2709&UserId=2166
Thank you for sharing this.
Merry Christmas, Steve! Awesome.
What a lovely tradition — candles in the window — and written so beautifully that I could clearly see house after colonial house bathed in candlelight. Thanks for sharing the memories.
Steve, I agree with Her Royal Fierceness (HRF) Connie. It is a lovely tradition and I felt myself transported to a time when Christmas was truly celebrated. I felt the warmth of the candles glow and in sharing your memories I was warmed by a few of my own. You are a beautiful writer Steve with such a beautiful heart. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Candlelight is one of my favorite things in the world. There’s no warmth quite like it, and the soft glow it casts is comforting. I’m so glad you’re keeping with such a beautiful tradition, and thank you for sharing a little slice of your tradition with us. Cheers to you and yours this season.
Here I sit on Christmas Eve (with candles in the windows) reading your post and thinking “I am so happy that I met Steve this year, he’s such a wonderful person and great story teller. ”
Thank you for sharing your memories with us.
All the best to you my friend for a wonderful 2009!
Steve, that’s such a sweet memory and story. I’ve learned about so many new Christmas traditions this year because of Twitter. That’s definitely been a highlight for me. Thanks for sharing yours. Merry Christmas!
We always had candles in our windows, too, in another small New England town. There’s something so simple and yet wonderful about it.
Thanks for this, Steve.. great stuff, warm memories.
Hugs from Boston.
As a fellow native New Englander coming from one of those quintessential Connecticut towns, I know exactly what you meant. The town’s Historic Disctrict always seemed to be the most tastefully decorated – probably because of the simplicity therein.
It’s great to have family traditions and to create new ones with succeeding generations. All the best to you and yours this holiday season, Steve.
This brought back wonderful memories for me Steve. As a kid, I recall my mother putting candles in all the windows during the holidays too. We don’t do it now but you’ve given me the inspiration to bring back an old tradition. Thanks and happy holidays!
I am yet another native New Englander (now transported out to California), and my parents always put those electric candles in our windows. What a beautiful tradition. Thank you for sharing some of your Christmas magic, Steve.
Hey Steve–
I begin my annual visits to New England in 2002 (New Hampshire and Massachusetts) and was enthralled with the candles in the windows – so elegant and beautiful…they make any house look fabulous…so I brought the tradition back to Honolulu, and there are two houses on our hill that have candles in the window…
Aloha, Kevin
An orange in every stocking..
One gift on Christmas Eve…
Making sure to watch those sentimental Christmas movies and enjoying the lights of the tree with my Husband -White Christmas, Wonderful Life, Love Actually & Elf (um yes, in our house- Elf is important)
[…] Woodruff, oft-remembered for riding his bicycle up and down Worthington Ridge to work, was best known as the town clerk of Berlin, CT in his day. As such, those couples who were […]