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wenty-two years after Oriental’s first Spirit of Christmas celebration, the town did it again this past weekend. Back in 1986, the businesses, civic groups and churches in town started the tradition of offering up some holiday treats on that second Saturday in December. As this year’s brochure puts it, it’s a way for them to say “Thank you for your continued support.”

Luminarias Saturday night along the rail on South Avenue near the new pier. The candles-in-a-bag glowed along many blocks in town.

That “open house” tradition continued on Saturday. Businesses and art galleries served up food and drink. Volunteer groups — from PAWS to Oriental’s First Responders to the History Museum to name just a few — laid out treats and welcomed donations. It reinforced a a sense of community that was both pragmatic and heartening.

The boat parade along the waterfront Friday night drew hundreds of people, larger crowds than many remembered seeing before. Saturday’s attendance seemed smaller than previous years to some observers who noted some gaps along the parade route. Still, there were more people milling about town than you’d see on an ordinary Saturday in December…

Lambs and shepherds at the live nativity presented by the Children’s Theater Workshop.

The children’s Nativity play drew a large crowd as dogs stood in for lowing animals and young children played at being lambs. Elsewhere songs were sung. Drums were drummed. There was the parade. The Tree of Lights — commemorating loved ones here and gone — was lit at Lou-Mac Park. And for hours and hours afterward, the main streets of town glowed with the quiet light of luminaria. They were still aglow near the Town Dock after midnight.

Here then are photos of the 2008 Spirit of Christmas — some of the stops along the way, the nativity, and the luminaria. (You can find the photos of the 2008 parade in a separate story.)

Janey Chesson shucks oysters for the Oyster and Open House at the South Water Street house she just renovated.

The line on the right was for Gary Mastrondonato’s homemade gnocchi. He says he made 10 pounds of it the night before. It was worth the wait.

Judi Heit, lower left grates peccorino romano cheese for the gnocchi that Gary Mastrodonato has served up for Mary Ann Parham.

There was food aplenty (and plenty of tools to remove it) laid out on the front porch of dentist, Elizabeth Cordes.

Roger Cordes, wearing sterile blue gloves, filled chocolate cups for visitors to the porch.

The history museum got its popcorn popper going for Spirit of Christmas. It might be old enough to count as historic itself.

Even before the parade started, antlers were showing up in odd places.

Carolien Coulter’s car.

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An Oriental tradition during Spirit of Christmas: the children’s nativity re-enactment at 2pm outside Oriental United Methodist Church. It drew a crowd of 100.

Three kings of Orient-al. .

Five-year old Jalyn Dunn was one of the sheep.

Angels and kings.

Mary and the stand-in for a lowing animal.

Mary Duffie plays despite some recent hand injuries.

Meanwhile, the stage was being set for another show: the dusk-time lighting of the luminarias. Thousands of bags were set out in the morning. Here the sun acts as a cookie-cutter would; creating a silhouette from an ornament hanging over Broad Street.

Several crews of volunteers hit the streets early Saturday morning, to set out the luminaria. Among the volunteers was Garret Whorton who unloaded the white bags – filled with candles and sand – on Broad Street.

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After the other festivities — the open houses, the Nativity, the parade and the lighting of the Tree of Lights at Lou Mac Park — it was time for the luminarias lining the streets to work their magic. They offer a calming glow along the side of the street, and even more so when the street is at the water’s edge.

Just after the parade, as dusk settled in and the luminaria began to glow along Broad Street.

On Church Street.

Along Freemason.

At the Old Pier.

Near the old pier, looking toward the Pamlico Sound.

Toward Whittaker Point.

Luminaria along South Avenue looking south and west..

Meanwhile, at the Town Dock.

The Oriental Star.

Posted Monday December 15, 2008 by Melinda Penkava