SOUTH MADISON COUNTY — Holiday celebrations continued in South Madison County last weekend, with Ingalls being the latest local community to put on an event featuring festive activities and a chance for children to bend the ear of the man in red.
“Oh, yes, I love that it’s local,” said Amanda Jackson, who attended the Town of Ingalls Holiday Event with her family on Saturday at town hall, 308 N. Meridian St.
There was a steady stream of visitors to the event, which is in its second year. Last year it was a simpler affair, offering visits with a reindeer at Interurban Park.
“This is so much better,” said Lisa Boyland, a co-owner of the local Final Third Cigar and Whiskey Lounge and one of the people who initiated the celebration last year.
At the midpoint of the noon to 3 p.m. event, the turnout far exceeded last year’s, when a couple of dozen people total came to the park, Boyland said.
“We’ve already doubled what we had last year, and we’re halfway through,” she said.
In addition to visits with Santa, this year’s event featured hot chocolate and candy canes, and an expansive letters-to-Santa writing area. It included a new red-and-white mailbox custom-made by the street department, with help from the police department, according to Neil Stevenson, town manager and director of planning and development.
“We’ll do this every December now,” Stevenson said.
The event is organized by a committee that includes town council members and office staff, and paid for with proceeds from town fundraising events and business donations.
Kaylee Caulk, who was there with family, including her three children, Aria, 11, Eliza, 6, and Preston, 4 — all of whom posted letters to the North Pole — said she liked the location this year.
“I think it’s pretty nice here — a good space for it.”
Roy and Hannah Elliott of Pendleton were at the event with several grandchildren.
“I find it rather nice,” Roy Elliott said.
During the holiday event, Ingalls Police Department was giving away winter clothing and toys to children in need through its Cops 4 Kids Program.
A week earlier, on Saturday, Dec. 2 — the same day as Christmas in Markleville and a few weeks after Christmas in Pendleton — Christmas in Lapel took place for the first time in almost a decade, offering a live nativity with animals, pictures with Santa, children’s games and activities, choir performances, food trucks and vendors, DJ music and more.
Stephanie Evelo, a member of the 20-plus person event committee, which is part of Lapel Community Association, said it was a miraculous event pulled off with about two months of preparation using volunteers and donations.
“It was just a beautiful thing that came together in such short time, but from all just delightful, dedicated, you know, humans that wanted to see this happen and be resurrected back here in Lapel.”
“All the feedback online has been amazing and the community really enjoyed it,” Evelo said in an email.
“We ended the night with the town gathering for announcement of gingerbread contest winners and then big tree lighting, which included community prayer and caroling! The tree was decorated with large ornaments that had been hand-painted and decorated by students in the Lapel Elementary School. Santa rode into town on a golf cart, decorated as a sleigh and he exited the same way!”
One comment posted by Kimberly Davis Taylor on Lapel Chatter on Facebook said, “It was a magical evening! The camaraderie of the people in town brought the Spirit of Christmas to us!”
Another by Tim Neal reads,”I think it is very special in today’s world for all that put this together for kids.”
Evelo said the last Christmas event in Lapel took place in 2014 and then in the 1990s before that.
There won’t be a gap after this year, she said.
“Fun was had by all!” she said. “The committee is already planning for next year’s event!”
