“It is a miracle if you can find true friends, and it is a miracle if you have enough food to eat, and it is a miracle if you get to spend your days and evenings doing whatever it is you like to do, and the holiday season-like all the other seasons-is a good time not only to tell stories of miracles, but to think about the miracles in your own life, and to be grateful for them, and that’s the end of this particular story.”
— Lemony Snicket, The Lump of Coal: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids
By Courtney Wright
As we transition from the holiday of giving thanks to the winter holidays, I thought of one of my favorite literary quotes that I like to reflect on this time of year. I think of this past month when so many of our organizations, institutions and neighbors have spent their time, energy and resources providing a piece of the holidays to MH residents, young and old. From the 500 turkeys donated by Stop and Shop in coordination with New England Baptist Hospital, to the volunteers who came out to the Tobin Community Center on November 26th to bag and distribute these to 500 families around the neighborhood. I think of the camaraderie and spirit of service that exists in our local business community who helped to provide hot meals to even more seniors and families during the week of Thanksgiving but also for the myriad of community events leading up to it. It is these examples of community and taking care of one another that happen in big and small, seen and unseen ways every day in this community, that give us so much to be grateful for this time of year.
You will notice that the usual snowflakes that have adorned the light poles along Tremont St. will not be present this holiday season. Having borne the brunt of the elements for the last 10-15 years, we are working on replacing them with a more energy-efficient version and one that is compatible with the updating of Boston’s streetlights that has been ongoing for the last year (we learned the hard way about compatibility with streetlights last year when only 5 of the 15 lit up). I know that so many love the snowflakes and the sense of holiday they bring to our business district, so rest assured they will be back! In the meantime, it is our hope that the wreaths we will be giving to businesses will provide some semblance of the warmth reminiscent of this time of year. In addition to updating the snowflakes, we are also looking forward to update the spring time planters so if you have ideas for what you would like to see, please don’t hesitate to reach out with your ideas and suggestions.
Please join us this Saturday, December 7th (tomorrow by the time you read this) in Brigham Circle for the Tree lighting ceremony with the Mayor’s Trolley expected at 3:45. There will be refreshments of hot chocolate and coffee and of course the world’s best munchkins (thank you Maria and Mike’s Donuts!) and the infamously delicious baked goods of Solid Ground Café (thank you Lucia and Keith!). Pam Carthy and the Penguin will be supporting the event as well- please grab a slice of pizza while we wait for the Trolley! We will be giving out canvas “Shop Small” tote bags in honor of Small Business Saturday this past weekend in hopes that throughout the whole season (and year for that matter) you will continue to shop locally in Mission Hill and help promote our businesses to those around you.
Rain or shine, frigid or warm, we will be there, and I hope you will be too!
Our artists at the Mission Hill Artists Collective have been busy and have a lot happening this month for us to look forward to and enjoy. The Mission Hill Holiday Market returns on Friday, December 13th and Friday, December 20th from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in the main plaza entrance of One Brigham Circle (1620 Tremont). There will be an assortment of original paintings, a diverse variety of hand-crafted jewelry, handmade products, seasonal products and more. Please come out and support Mission Hill’s local artists and artisans this holiday season!