Published: November 18, 2008 10:22 am            

Getting into the holiday spirit

Downtown Palestine comes alive with Christmas cheer

PALESTINE — With every passing day the Christmas spirit is growing in downtown Palestine.

Every window in downtown Palestine offers an image of the season as business owners are putting something special back into the Christmas holidays.

“There is so much energy now that hasn't been there before,” said Jean Mollard, president of the Main Street Advisory Board. “All the windows in town have been cleaned and the store owners are really getting into the Christmas spirit.”

The holidays will officially kick off the Friday after Thanksgiving in Downtown Palestine. There is going to be something extra special this year, though; as Santa Claus is setting up his workshop in downtown, at 214 W. Oak St. to be exact.

Starting at 5 p.m. Nov. 28, Santa will open his workshop to visitors as he gets ready for Christmas. The driving force to get this organized has been Laurnie Durisoe, Mollard said. Durisoe has been splitting her time between California and Palestine, but she has been devoted to bringing something special for local residents.

“I wanted to do something to bring Christmas alive,” Durisoe said of her motives. “This (downtown Palestine) is such a wonderful place and we wanted to do something to bring people back to it.”

Christmas, though, is all about the children, and children will be front and center at Santa's Workshop.

Once inside, children can write a letter to Santa and put it in the mail. For the kids wondering if Santa is real, they will have their answer when Santa sends a letter back, post marked from the North Pole.

To help with that, Durisoe said the folks at the U.S. Post Office in Palestine has helped her get what they need to get those letters sent off to Santa Claus.

“Nobody has told me, 'no,'” Duridsoe said. “They painted me a mailbox and fixed it so when the kids put their letters in the box, they can make sure it's in there by looking through a special window the post office installed in it.”

A local company is even helping Santa with the letters, as Printing by Michael has been generous enough to provide stationary to Santa.

Once the children leave the Workshop waiting room, they go to the next level and get a glimpse at some of Santa's elves busily building Christmas toys, Durisoe explained; and next to that they can see a model train display, a classic Christmas favorite.

Then, finally, after wondering through a Christmas wonderland, the object for their search is found - Santa Claus.

“The journey is to get to Santa,” Durisoe said. “I hope we can add some magic to get the kids to him.”

Outside the shop is just as exciting as children can look at decorations and see an animal tea party and take a look at Will's Corner, by Will Hatch. Hatch, with KBHT radio station, also is a cartoonist designed many pieces for the workshop and has donated a lot of his time and talents.

The work hasn't been easy, as many local folks have spent a lot of time getting Santa's Workshop ready, admitted Mary Alice Largent.

“There's been a lot of nights where we are here to 1 or 2 in the morning,” Largent said. “There are so many people who need accolades who have donated so much and so much of their time.”

Now, next to Santa's Workshop folks can get a vision of the real reason for the seaon as more than 50 Nativity scenes will be on display at 212 W. Oak St.

“We'll have a banner that says, 'Jesus is the reason for the season,'” Largent said. “And inside it will be filled with Nativity scenes and we'll have a life-sized Nativity.”

That is just part of the holiday festivities set for downtown.

“There is so much to do,” Durisoe said. “The courthouse will be lit up, and with all the stuff in Old Town and downtown, there are a lot of ways to celebrate Christmas.”

Some of the people who have been instrumental in Santa's Workshop include Michael Patterson, Devin Jackson, Lilly Duncan, Judith Summerville, Sherwin Williams, Bill and Audrey Tatum, Tim and Elaine Triplett, Mary Alice and David Largent, Jean Mollard, Marilyn Sheridan, Phil Jenkins - who has donated the use of the building for the workshop, Will Hatch, Grimes Sewing Center, Jordan's Plant Farm, the Palestine Main Street Association, the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce, the Palestine Convention and Visitors Bureau, and according to Largent, “many more angels who just suddenly appeared and volunteered.”

        

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