ST. PAUL - A revamped version of the Town of St. Paul's Christmas tree lighting at the landing pad will move ahead on Dec. 4, working in sync with the added health measures announced by the province on Nov. 24.
The large tree at the UFO landing pad is normally lit up alongside the Community Christmas events that have been taking place annually for the past two years. Of course, due to measures in place to slow the spread of COVID-19, most of those events have been cancelled.
But at 7 p.m. on Friday night, residents will be invited to drive past the UFO landing pad, where a few additional decorations will be set up. Santa may also be in attendance, waiving at people as they pass by.
“We are changing it to a drive-by format, confirmed Town of St. Paul FCSS director Lynn Smid. Residents are encouraged to go out for a drive with people of their household, and prepackaged Timbits and hot chocolate will be handed out from 7 to 8 p.m.
Smid says there may be a few other things people can do safely that evening also but those details were not yet available, as of Nov. 26. She offered a hint though, stating activities would be things that can be done alone, or with people who live in the same household.
When asked why she felt it was important to go ahead with the event - in its revamped format - Smid stated it was being done for "people's mental wellness."
She noted that the FCSS department's aim at this point is to encourage activities that can be be done safely. Sometimes, that may be as simple as going for a drive. Smid hopes the drive-by event offers families an opportunity to spend quality time together, and also provides a positive distraction.
Story Walk
The St. Paul Municipal Library is also finding creative ways to keep the Christmas spirit alive, amid all the restrictions.
A Story Walk will be taking place from Dec. 4 through to Dec. 8. The Jaycee ball park fence will feature the story Bears on Wheels by Stan and Jan Berenstain. The story begins near the UFO landing pad.
The library is also offering a 'Letters to Santa' writing kit. Families can pick up a kit from the library, write a letter to Santa, and drop it back off at the library. Then, staff at the library will send it to the North Pole with its interlibrary loans and Santa will send a reply, explains programmer Monique Poulin.
A 'Find the Grinch' contest is also being held. The Grinch will be hidden around town and library staff will post pictures of where he had been seen.
"People submit their guesses to be entered to win a Dr. Seuss Christmas puzzle," says Poulin.
