Sylvania Welcomes Holiday Art Trail and Santa

The American Gallery at Saxon Square (center), with art pieces around it;
  Michael Calandra and granddaughter Julia at Frameworks, Mayberry Square,
 where I bought a print (upper right). Also enjoyed For the Love of Art, on 
Holland-Sylvania, a great place for art supplies and art classes for all ages.   

Sylvania was hopping this weekend, with its fantastic 4th Annual Holiday Art Trail and Santa's coming to town to light our Christmas tree.

The Art Trail featured fifteen galleries and arts places all over town.  My daughter, granddaughter and I immersed ourselves in the fabulous variety of these cultural treasures.  We couldn't make them all, only a few, but we savored the galleries we visited, and promised to start earlier next year.

We then picked up my great-grandson Philip, who was practicing for a Christmas play at church, and went to greet Santa's arrival in Sylvania.  It was a sunny but very cold afternoon. "I'm freezing. I can see my breath," Philip said to his GranE, pulling his facemask down over his face so all we could see were his big brown eyes. Okay. Time to go a few doors down to the barn in back of the Sylvania Heritage Museum for hot chocolate and cookies.  That hit the spot.

As soon as we walked back down Main toward Maplewood, hot chocolate in hand, Santa came riding into Sylvania, not with his reindeer, but in an old horse-drawn haywagon.  Mrs. Claus was with him.  The reindeer were resting for the big night, we assured Philip, and Santa came early to let us know he wouldn't forget to stop in Sylvania on Christmas day. Philip is still in those magic years when wondrous things  happen, and we rejoiced in his wonder.  He pet the horses and starred in amazement as Santa pulled the switch to light the Christmas tree in the center of town. It sparkled!

We walked back to my place with Philip chatting away about his Christmas wish list. We know it won't be long before Philip stops believing in magic. We cherish his sweetness. We watched the sun set and a quarter moon rise.  It was a cold evening, but our hearts were warm.




My great-grandson Philip and me, and with his mom and GranE,
around lighted Christmas tree  photo (center); going for hot chocolate
at the barn behind the Sylvania Heritage Museum (upper right); and some
bright purple berries on a bush along the way that matched Elissa's boots! 

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