Luminaria to light up Manchester on Dec. 24

2014 Christmas Eve Luminaria on Main street. Photo courtesy of Karl Racenis.

Each year since the late 1970s Manchester has turned into a village of lights as residents of the community light their luminaria at sunset on Christmas Eve. At dusk, on Tuesday, Dec. 24, residents will place their luminaria along their walkways as a symbol of holiday peace.

This year once again, the Manchester Lions Club will be selling luminaria kits with drive-through service from the garage of the Manchester Area Historical Society building, the Kingsley-Jenter House at 302 East Main Street. Luminaria kits consist of a votive candle that sits in a cup of sand in a white bag. A set of ten candles, sand, and bags costs only $5, with additional sets of five for $1.50. Most homes can use the set of 10 candles.

The price of the luminaria has remained the same for more than a decade. “This project is a public service to the community, so we’ve kept the price as low as possible so everyone can participate,” said Lions Club member Barry Allen, who has headed the project for several years.

The Lions Club has organized the holiday tradition since 2008. The celebration has been hosted by numerous organizations over the past four decades; most recently it was run out of the Blacksmith Shop by the Manchester Area Historical Society under the direction of Carl Curtis, until it was passed to the Lions Club. The luminaria is a beautiful presentation along the streets of Manchester, and fits in well with the Lions’ mission of preventing blindness and preserving sight. It is a lovely way to utilize the gift of sight.

When the Lions took over, luminaria sales  were at an all-time low–down from almost 5,000 to less than half of that, partly due to waning interest and also from a few years of inclement weather on Christmas Eve. The Lions have rejuvenated the program and continue to encourage more families to participate, by keeping the cost extremely affordable.

Many of Manchester’s legacy traditions–including the Chicken Broil, the Community Fair and the Luminaria–are in danger without resident support. Ask yourself what you would do without them, and realize it’s a possibility they could be gone. It’s up to you to support these long-time traditions so they will be here for our children to enjoy.

The participation of the village has been a mainstay of the program. The DPW lines all the village-owned properties throughout the town–surrounding the village hall, parks, and other areas. Village Council members light the luminaria early in the evening. Downtown businesses have also joined in to make sure that Main Street is lined with light. Even if other streets aren’t participating, visitors and residents alike can enjoy this tradition simply by driving through the main streets of Manchester.

YOU can help keep this great Manchester tradition alive! Here are the times and dates that you can purchase your luminaria supplies at the garage of the Kingsley-Jenter House, 302 E. Main Street: Saturday, December 21st, 10 am – 4 pm; Sunday, December 22nd, 10 am – 4 pm; Monday, December 23rd, 10 am – 2 pm; and Christmas Eve, 10 am – 4 pm.

Put your candles out by 6 pm on Christmas Eve and watch the soft glow warm the streets of Manchester … lighting the way for the “reason for this season.”

The Manchester Lions Club sincerely thanks Farmers Sand & Gravel, the Manchester Area Historical Society, and the Village of Manchester for helping to make this event possible.

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.