[caption id="attachment_4453" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Portland, Oregon White Stag Sign"]
[/caption]Carol Forsloff - On a December evening a crowd in Portland, Oregon held protest signs,
while others sang rock and roll Christmas songs, as Natchitoches,
Louisiana in the South brought it's a wonderful life in
the most traditional way showing cultural contrast at Christmas.
A trip by a transit train to downtown Portland from the Beaverton -
Portland Southwest area takes less than ten minutes, even during the
busy holiday rush. The lighting of the Christmas tree brings crowds to
the downtown area. This year the possibility of a bomber put a pale on
an otherwise special event, but still along the sidewalks surrounding
Pioneer Square throngs of folks stood in the nighttime chill just to be
there the moment the Christmas tree lights went on in the tradition of
Portland for years.
busy holiday rush. The lighting of the Christmas tree brings crowds to
the downtown area. This year the possibility of a bomber put a pale on
an otherwise special event, but still along the sidewalks surrounding
Pioneer Square throngs of folks stood in the nighttime chill just to be
there the moment the Christmas tree lights went on in the tradition of
Portland for years.
Portland celebrates Christmas in many
traditional ways, but it's still a place with a difference. At the
Christmas season 2009, on several corners near the tree lighting area,
folks gathered with protest signs, declaring their non support of the
Mideast War and the Barack Obama message. Nearby others sat with drums,
beating out some message that had its own code for the faithful. Music
from center stage piped to the audience came in waves, not of wonder and
delight, but of sounds of rap and rock with words so confused or
abused, no Christmas message delivered. The moment came, to set the
stage for the season. A solitary tree laden with lights and little else,
the size one might consider for a local Masonic Lodge but scarcely for
city celebration, seemed somehow intimately linked with drums and
messages less of Christmas than of causes instead. It was clearly a
contrast from celebrations in a small Southern Louisiana town.
traditional ways, but it's still a place with a difference. At the
Christmas season 2009, on several corners near the tree lighting area,
folks gathered with protest signs, declaring their non support of the
Mideast War and the Barack Obama message. Nearby others sat with drums,
beating out some message that had its own code for the faithful. Music
from center stage piped to the audience came in waves, not of wonder and
delight, but of sounds of rap and rock with words so confused or
abused, no Christmas message delivered. The moment came, to set the
stage for the season. A solitary tree laden with lights and little else,
the size one might consider for a local Masonic Lodge but scarcely for
city celebration, seemed somehow intimately linked with drums and
messages less of Christmas than of causes instead. It was clearly a
contrast from celebrations in a small Southern Louisiana town.
Every year thousands of people come from all over the world to
celebrate the Christmas season in Natchitoches, Louisiana. This town,
located in the north central section of the State, puts on a fine
display, so fine that local folks and visitors alike exclaim about its
wonder. Millions of lights line the city streets. Huge, intricate
displays of Christmas scenes, all lit with colors of myriad hues reflect
on the lake that runs through town, then bounce across the sky in a
fashion to rival heaven's own stars.
located in the north central section of the State, puts on a fine
display, so fine that local folks and visitors alike exclaim about its
wonder. Millions of lights line the city streets. Huge, intricate
displays of Christmas scenes, all lit with colors of myriad hues reflect
on the lake that runs through town, then bounce across the sky in a
fashion to rival heaven's own stars.
2010 showed Natchitoches at
its finest, with mild temperatures in the 70's which meant people could
walk along the river and under the Christmas lights with light sweaters
at most. The magic, however, was the myriad lights in all directions,
on both sides of Cane River Lake, and the fireworks that are like no
other place in the world on this occasion.
its finest, with mild temperatures in the 70's which meant people could
walk along the river and under the Christmas lights with light sweaters
at most. The magic, however, was the myriad lights in all directions,
on both sides of Cane River Lake, and the fireworks that are like no
other place in the world on this occasion.
The Christmas carols
were the traditional sort, played to the fireworks display and the tree
lighting ceremony too. Everywhere people had homes lit up for the
holidays, with churches offering the favored nativity scenes at the
entrances announcing Christ's message.
were the traditional sort, played to the fireworks display and the tree
lighting ceremony too. Everywhere people had homes lit up for the
holidays, with churches offering the favored nativity scenes at the
entrances announcing Christ's message.
Christmas celebrations
that take place from mid November through the end of the first week in
January in Natchitoches, but they reveal the uniqueness of small town
holiday spirit. That uniqueness stands in stark contrast to the
Portland opening of the season, as a reminder of the regional
differences in the way Christmas is celebrated in America.
that take place from mid November through the end of the first week in
January in Natchitoches, but they reveal the uniqueness of small town
holiday spirit. That uniqueness stands in stark contrast to the
Portland opening of the season, as a reminder of the regional
differences in the way Christmas is celebrated in America.
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