Leesburg Candleria And Christmas Party Set For Saturday
December 6, 2020 at 10:53 p.m.
By Amanda Bridgman-
Town board member Christina Archer, who’s been handling the yearly tradition for the past decade, said there will be changes this year, but the Christmas party is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the old firehouse.
Jolly Saint Nick himself won’t be in attendance (COVID is keeping Santa at the North Pole), but a letter-writing station and a mailbox that delivers them straight to Santa will be in place. Also available at the firehouse will be hot chocolate, cookies and a bag of treats for letter-writers.
Archer said all volunteers will be taking the proper precautions to make the event safe for everyone, including a partition put up where the refreshments are to be served and all servers wearing gloves and face masks.
The children who write letters to Santa and put them in the mailbox Saturday can expect to get a letter back from Santa before Christmas, Archer said.
For those who may not feel comfortable coming inside the firehouse, Archer said the town’s annual Candleria is still going to happen.
The Candleria is when 4-H’ers from the Leesburg Mighty Farmers club and Boy Scouts from Troop 729 light candles set up along Leesburg’s town streets.
“They stay lit usually around eight hours,” Archer said. “It’s really pretty, because from one end of town to the other is about a half-mile, and some people just come and look and drive around town and look at the lights, because that’s always very special.”
The tradition of a town Christmas party and the Candleria began sometime in the 1980s but due to a streak of bad weather, it was stopped, Archer said. About 10 years ago, when Archer moved back to town after she retired, she was asked if she’d get it going again.
The main sponsor of the event the past couple of years has been Maple Leaf Farms, who has its corporate headquarters in Leesburg, Archer said. But beyond that, the event really is kept alive by town people volunteering their time and donating their money.
“It is a very much community kind of project. Without the support of many, many community volunteers, it simply wouldn’t happen,” Archer said. “In a year that’s been full of crazy things, this is something that will be nice, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Town board member Christina Archer, who’s been handling the yearly tradition for the past decade, said there will be changes this year, but the Christmas party is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the old firehouse.
Jolly Saint Nick himself won’t be in attendance (COVID is keeping Santa at the North Pole), but a letter-writing station and a mailbox that delivers them straight to Santa will be in place. Also available at the firehouse will be hot chocolate, cookies and a bag of treats for letter-writers.
Archer said all volunteers will be taking the proper precautions to make the event safe for everyone, including a partition put up where the refreshments are to be served and all servers wearing gloves and face masks.
The children who write letters to Santa and put them in the mailbox Saturday can expect to get a letter back from Santa before Christmas, Archer said.
For those who may not feel comfortable coming inside the firehouse, Archer said the town’s annual Candleria is still going to happen.
The Candleria is when 4-H’ers from the Leesburg Mighty Farmers club and Boy Scouts from Troop 729 light candles set up along Leesburg’s town streets.
“They stay lit usually around eight hours,” Archer said. “It’s really pretty, because from one end of town to the other is about a half-mile, and some people just come and look and drive around town and look at the lights, because that’s always very special.”
The tradition of a town Christmas party and the Candleria began sometime in the 1980s but due to a streak of bad weather, it was stopped, Archer said. About 10 years ago, when Archer moved back to town after she retired, she was asked if she’d get it going again.
The main sponsor of the event the past couple of years has been Maple Leaf Farms, who has its corporate headquarters in Leesburg, Archer said. But beyond that, the event really is kept alive by town people volunteering their time and donating their money.
“It is a very much community kind of project. Without the support of many, many community volunteers, it simply wouldn’t happen,” Archer said. “In a year that’s been full of crazy things, this is something that will be nice, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092