“To me, it isn’t Christmas unless I read it,” said Michelle Tapper-Racine from the basement of the Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library, where she and a group of Charles Dickens enthusiasts – ranging from casual to serious – gathered to participate in a reading of “A Christmas Carol” on Saturday morning.

The group, organized in part by Library director Gail Roberts, came from all over the area and as far as Cape Cod to take part in the reading of the classic Christmas tale of Mr. Scrooge, and Roberts said that she hopes it will become a local tradition.

“We just think it’s a great read, and not that many people do it,” said Roberts, a self-proclaimed Dickens fanatic. “We hope it becomes an annual event.”

Roberts said the idea for the reading came from library patron Stan Moszczenski, and together, they organized the event. After speaking with the other library directors in Marion and Mattapoisett, Roberts said there is the potential to have the event celebrated across the Tri-Town area in the future.

“The other libraries are keen on that,” said Roberts.

The reading, which was inspired in part by the marathon reading of Melville’s “Moby Dick” at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford, was attended by about 10 or so people, but Roberts said that the cooperation of the other libraries, coupled with word of mouth about the event, could help it grow in the future.

“We put the call out—Dickens fans came out from all over the area,” she said. “I think eventually it will spread [even more].”

Dr. Elise Frangos, Assistant Superintendent of Old Rochester Regional Schools, said that the story is part of the seventh grade curriculum at the schools and that reading it aloud brings extra life to it.

“The human voice adds such a richness to this book,” she said.

Lee Heald, who is the Director of AHA! in New Bedford and who’s been involved in organizing the Moby Dick readings as well, said that events like this one are important in local communities.

“I think it’s important to get out of the house and have public events based around books and literature,” she said.

By Nick Walecka

Marion’s First Congregational Church delivered the season’s perfection with Cassandra Morgan directing ‘The Heart of Christmas’ cantata. This annual event is sugar on the plums for anyone who appreciates live music.  The combined voices and instruments of over 60 performers filled the church with pitch perfect music telling the story of Jesus’ birth.  From bluesy pieces or full operatic compositions by Pepper Choplin the full house was delighted and moved tears to joy. Ending with Joy to the World the audience joined in the singing concluded with thunderous applause and shouts of ‘bravo’.

By Marilou Newell

On Tuesday, December 10^th, students from the New Bedford Youth Ballet performed a condensed version of A New England Nutcracker at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library. Kay Hanley Alden, a dance educator and choreographer, presented The Making of a Dancer and A Nutcracker Journey. The program was an opportunity to introduce classical dance and music to the community. Those in attendance learned about dance, as well as the story of The Nutcracker and its origin.

Ms. Alden formerly studied and taught dance throughout Europe and Asia. She has also studied at the Boston Conservatory and taught tap in the school’s out-reach programs. “I was delighted to have the New Bedford Ballet Youth Ballet come to Mattapoisett. How professional and talented these young dancers are. They worked in limited space and on a carpet. Bravo”, said Ms. Alden.

A New England Nutcracker is an original adaptation of the traditional Nutcracker and was created by New Bedford Ballet’s director, Rebecca Waskiel-Marchessault. New Bedford Ballet has a long history of bringing arts into the community, as they believe in the value of the performing arts. For over twenty years, NBB has continued its mission of performing ballets, providing classical ballet training to children and adults, ensuring access to ballet instruction for all through granting and scholarships.

By Shawn Gosciminski Sweet

A full moon and a dodged snowstorm helped make this years’ Marion Stroll a hugh success, according to organizers Paula and Eric Strand.  “We dodged a bullet with the weather prediction,” said Paula Strand, “and here we are with a beautiful afternoon and a full moon rising.”

This year marked the nineteenth year of the stroll, started by Marion General Store owner Jack Cheney and his late wife, Betty.  As a team, the Marion General Store owners began an annual Christmas tradition that is looked forward to by many, both local and from afar.

“Jack Cheney is the grandfather of the stroll and if it weren’t for he and Betty’s vision, we wouldn’t be here talking this afternoon,” said co-organizer Paula Stand.

All the local village businesses were open to serve free hot cocoa, roasted chestnuts, candy, lollypops, popcorn, chowder, eggnog, pumpkin spiced lattes, wassail, hotdogs, cookies and other food and drink for those strolling around Front Street, Main Street and Cottage Street, in the square that makes up the stroll quarter.  This year, Anthi, up on Spring Street joined in on the fun and also had an open house with refreshments.

The First Congregational Church of Marion held a live nativity scene and also had the church open to the public.  The church is soon to be honored by being approved on the National Registry of Historical Properties.  It will be only one of three properties in Marion on the registry.   Handy’s Tavern, owned by the Sippican Women’s Club was also open for viewing.  This year’s theme was an ‘old fashioned Christmas’ which included simple decorations including a wicker doll carriage, wooden toys, fruit decorations and basic necessities, harkening back to the days of old.

The Marion Music Hall was open and had plenty of family entertainment and a photo-booth where families and friends could have four photos taken, just like on the boardwalk in Atlantic City in the old days.  The booth was very popular with lots of young and old squeezing in for group photos, harkening back to the days of phone booth squeeze-ins, only in this case, for photos.

A team of Clydesdale horses pulled carriages full of families and friends around the block. Later, as the evening and darkness came, an aura of the olden days was seen when the wide breath of the horses was vividly seen in the aura of the street lights as they pulled the carriage down Main Street, as witnessed by this writer.  It harkened back to the many days of old, before the invention of the automobile.

The clip-clop and the beauty of these animals and what they left behind on the street was a reminder of times gone by, but which were a true and real part of the town in the past.

The stroll included a petting zoo with a goat, chickens, rabbits and other critters which the younger crowd enjoyed petting.  Santa came in by boat nearby at the wharf and headed up to Bicentennial Park where a comfy chair with a sack of candy-canes and surprises awaited.  The line stretched along Spring Street with youngsters anxious to meet Santa patiently waited.

“I come every year, from Newport, Rhode Island to visit with my friends Ray and Wendy Cullem,” said Marion ‘Patsy’ Robertson as she enjoyed some popcorn while leaning against the high stone foundation of the Handy’s Tavern, home to the Sippican Women’s Club.  “We moved here in 1998 and have come to the stroll every year, and bring friends,” said Wendy Cullem.  “Even the streets smell wonderful, with popcorn and chestnuts,” said Ray Cullem.

Burt Corkim, of Spirits, said that this year’s stroll had a great turnout.  “We estimate two cases of eggnog,” and “we are right there this year, so a great turnout.”  Corkum said that he participated in the first Stroll 19 years ago and invited his friends, Jon and Michelle Pope a year later.  “This is their 18th year,” said Corkum, “we became friends and family.”  The Pope’s own Uncle Jon’s Coffee and host free lattes at the Stroll in Corkum’s store on Spring Street.

The crowds swelled at the stroll which was held from 3 to 6 p.m.  The crowd thinned out just before 5:45 pm and headed up to Bicentennial Park for the annual tree lighting at 6 pm.  Marion Department of Public Works employees were busy with tending fires where residents and visitors could toast marshmallows on sticks and drink hot cocoa.

It was a special moment because this was a new Christmas tree, planted this past June.  It was dug up from local Marion resident Susannah Davis’ parents yard.

“I was working the Arbor Day seedling give away many years ago and we had some left over, which I gave to my parents on Converse Road.  They planted them, and here she is,” said Davis.  Davis’ parents were Natalie and Raymond Davis, well loved town residents.  “I look at it as a legacy from my parents to the town,” said Davis.

“I wanted to do something and decided that this tree would be great because it is a slow growing, salt tolerant, disease resistant evergreen with soft needles.  If a child ran into it at the tree lighting, it is soft to the touch,” explained Davis.   The tree is a concolor fir, a type of white fir.

Davis was pleased to attend the first tree lighting of the donated tree, which was decorated with white lights.  “It’s so beautiful, home grown, raised and lovingly cared for,” said Davis.

Co-Coordinators Eric and Paula Strand agreed that “we want to thank the Marion Department of Public Works, Marion Fire Department and the Police Department for their great help in holding this annual event.” “We love Marion and love the season and for living in this town,” said Paula Strand.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

The community turned out for a wonderful late afternoon of lights, music, food and fun at the annual Holiday Party at Shipyard Park in Mattapoisett hosted by the Lions Club.  The Lions were collecting non-perishable food and unwrapped new toys to distribute to those in need during the holiday.  In return those in attendance were treated to great food, drinks and crafts for the little ones.  But this event was highlighted but the arrival of Santa and Mr. Claus in a firetruck heralded into the park by the police.  The kids were truly dreaming of all things sweet upon the jolly ole soul’s arrival.  Also on hand to shepard the kids towards Santa was Rudolf and Frosty.  These helpers were really the twins daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel White, Danielle White and Ashley Sweetland who have played these parts for many years.

Photos by Marilou Newell and Felix Perez

Dear Diary, today I couldn’t be brave any longer. Well, I really wasn’t being that brave to begin with anyway, but today I caved in completely to my back pain. I didn’t or couldn’t sleep last night because I was miserable with pain. I’m not going to gloss over it and call it that euphemistic term ‘discomfort’. Pain is pain. Period.

This latest round of muscle spasms sent from hell was not inspired by any overt activity like gardening the back forty, doing the clean-n-jerk with a 20 pound bag of dog food, or merely carrying a laundry basket. Nope, I just woke up one recent morning and noted a slight twinge. At that point, my Wonder Woman status was still in place. I shrugged it off and plowed through that day and subsequent days until this morning. Truth be told, by late in the day yesterday the graffiti was on the wall “prepare for the end of your comfortable existence”.

Diary, you know I try to put on a strong face because I’ve dealt with so many inconvenient painful body parts over my 6-plus decades of walking the planet. Remember that time when I was a kid and thought I could remove a piece of string that had wrapped itself around the front wheel spokes of my bike as I was riding it? I recall it as if it were yesterday. First I removed my flip-flop and then I stuck my foot out trying to reach the flying end of the string with my prehensile toes – WRONG! Good thing I was only a short hobble away from home when my Einstein brain dreamed up that folly. My Mother was pretty angry with me for sticking my toes in the spokes. She couldn’t seem to understand that I hadn’t meant to hurt myself on purpose. It took the better part of the summer for my toes to recover. That was the end of wearing flip-flops for that year.

And then remember that time my sister was riding me on the back of her bike when my right ankle connected with the rear spokes and tore it open. Oh good gawd almighty – remember. My Father carried me into the Doctor’s office a block away and held me down while the fiendish doctor sewed it back together with thick black cat-gut sutures. You’d think I would have forgotten it by now, but I think my screaming is still making its way back from Jupiter.

Then there was the jumping off of stone pillars at Tabor Field and wrecking my knees. I learned to enjoy the fizzle of peroxide on raw open wounds. Yeah, that’s the ticket.

Later on there was the three-week recovery from the tonsillectomy I had at age 28, the wisdom teeth I had removed, one a year for four years consecutive years between the ages of 30 and 34. But probably the pièce de résistance of my pain experience was having a child. It is said that women forget that pain. Methinks that is a misnomer of monumental proportions.

When I was a kid, I cried when I hurt. Now I just get angry. I’ve got things to do, places to go, people to talk to … the world needs me. Alas, with back spasms I’m not going too far too soon for sure. Yeah, I’m disappointed the world has kept on turning in my absence. As is said when language fails, those that appreciate it and those that don’t, ‘it is what it is’. Give me strength.

With unrelenting pain hammering away, I called my orthopedic doctor. I really like him, for years, so approachable, so willing to take the time to explain things. He has always been kind, sensitive and able to fix my aching back and other parts with therapy, heat and drugs. But not today. Today when I amazingly got him on the phone at 8:00 am on a Sunday morning and after apologizing for troubling him at this time, and after explaining I just wanted some pharmaceutical relief until I could be seen in the office on Monday – he said no. He said, “I can’t help you without a full work-up, it wouldn’t be good medical practice for me to order anything for you without me or another doctor seeing you first – go to the ER and get the process started. Sorry.” Sorry, SORRY! Are you freaking kidding me? But all I said was a wimpy, “OK.”

Going to the ER on a weekday is bad enough, but going on a weekend should only be attempted if you need life support equipment, you’re bleeding profusely, or drunk out of your mind and don’t know any better, “escus meee, sarry, escus me, I tink I hert myiiii toe…”

As I tried to find a semi-acceptable position for my fanny, legs and feet that wouldn’t cause the back muscles to sing in unison ‘nanna, nanna, nanna’ I assessed my other options. I could try some of the expired pain medications I found at the bottom of the medicine cabinet. After speaking with a pharmacist over the phone, that didn’t seem like a wise option. Maybe I could just tough it out until Monday, but there weren’t any guarantees I could get an appointment. Most likely the receptionist would simply tell me to go to the ER. Maybe I should try the local walk-in where I’d had great luck getting good care for poison ivy and a sinus infection. I had nothing to lose except pain. I rolled the dice.

So with my loving husband as the wheelman, off we went in search of relief. Mercifully, I didn’t have to wait long and soon was ushered into the room where hope springs eternal for those seeking solutions.

When the doctor entered the room a mere ten minutes later, I couldn’t believe my eyes: she was about my age, she was short like me, she smiled a warm motherly smile, I wouldn’t feel like Grandma Moses – yippee. She took a moment to read the notes on why I was there, and then she turned her lovely liquid brown eyes on me and said, “I understand your pain, I suffer from back spasms, too.” Cherubim and seraphim and other celestial spirits fluttered about her tiny shoulders. “Let’s see how I can help you today.”

She gave me a brief examination including the obligatory getting on the examining table. I didn’t care how much getting up on the table hurt, she was there to help me, she said so, and she did. We exchanged bad back experiences, including what has worked best for me in the past. I loved her, truly loved her, and in my weakened state nearly said so. I decided she might think I was more than just a wimpy Gramma, perhaps some sort of nut case negating my chances of receiving opiates, so I bit my tongue.

I’m home now, Diary, a mere two hours later. Not bad. Had I gone to the ER as suggested by Doctor-Its-Sunday-Morning-Why-Are-You-Bothering-Me, I’d still be there. Instead, I received just the right care and treatment. Dare I say for the right price as far as my insurance provider is concerned? I’ll follow-up and make an appointment with my ortho doc, got to keep him on hand for who knows what in the future of this aging body. But I also want to let him know that I found a doctor who gave me the right care in a timely, cost-effective manner – why hadn’t he thought of that?

Why hadn’t he suggested a walk-in clinic? I’m a witness that urgent care can work well to help stem the tide of rising health care while providing competent care, but unless you have cash, you better have insurance. That, dear Diary, is a story for another day.

By Marilou Newell

Sisters Margaret and Roni have been making unique Christmas ornaments every year for the last 20 years donating their talents and time in support of the church’s programs by selling them at the annual Christmas Fair. Photo my Marilou Newel

The Mattapoisett Museum is open for the holidays on Saturdays from 9am to noon. Photo my Marilou Newel

Elizabeth Smith (left) and Gail Nicholson (right), both of Mattapoisett, volunteer their time at the Annual Season of Remembrance Memorial Tree for the Community Nurse Hospice.  Mall patrons may donate a gift in the name of a loved one to be placed on the tree in support of the Hospice program. Photo courtesy Tim Smith