Spirit of Christmas shines through in north-Central Montana

The local Christmas season calendar is packed with tree lightings, live nativity scenes, theatrical performances, acts of charity, choral and orchestral student performances, parades through brightly lit and decorated streets and, of course, Santa sightings.

Santa took gift orders Saturday in Havre's 305 Building. Four days later, he visited Rocky Boy schools. Thursday, the next day, Santa gave his reindeer a rest and came back to Havre via BNSF Railway.

And those are just the recent sightings Havre Daily News has gotten wind of.

The Thanksgiving turkey was barely digested before the area waltzed into Christmas season.

In Havre, the Community Christmas Tree Lighting ushered in the season two days after Thanksgiving with the lighting of the statuesque pine in Town Square and a run during which participants dressed in seasonal garb ran down a blocked-off Third Avenue. Santa made an appearance that day as well.

Twenty miles down the road, that same weekend, Chinook held its annual Parade of Lights and Christmas Stroll. Chinook's annual parade marches down Main Street, around the block and back, with various floats and Santa as a guest of honor. When Santa comes to Chinook he usually rides in a sleigh accompanied by Mrs. Claus.

To help keep people warm for this outdoor event, the Chinook Main Street sidewalks are peppered with lamppost-like heaters so onlookers can stay thawed. This year, Chinook Area Chamber of Commerce President Heather DePriest said, the weather was warmer than in the past and the heaters' role slightly mitigated.

In Rudyard, Christmas season started with the Christmas Festival the first Sunday of December.

The people of Rudyard gathered at the Catholic Youth Center to eat corn dogs and cinnamon rolls and to listen to choral performances by local high school students. There were hayrides and face painting for the children. Event coordinator Glenda Pester said the day gives Rudyard residents a chance to come together and share Christmas.

Big Sandy also held its first Christmas celebration that weekend with its Christmas Stroll Saturday

As the Hi-Line continued into December, select choral groups from Havre Middle School and Havre High School shared their melodious talents with the community.

Along with their school concert, the middle school select choir, the Spotliters, sang several holiday favorites in the Atrium Mall Dec. 10 as onlookers and shoppers listened. Later in the day, that same harmonious group serenaded residents of Timber Creek Village.

An older select choral group, the Hi-Liters, spent Wednesday and Thursday caroling at multiple public schools, as well as Timber Creek Village.

In the spirit of the season, people have been committing acts of holiday kindness and charity.

Students from Havre High's Leadership High School gathered at the Havre Food Bank Tuesday to pack food into 72 baskets to be delivered the next day to families in need, and they volunteered at other organizations as well, including Havre's Salvation Army and Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen.

And throughout the month, the Havre Salvation Army coordinated charitable campaigns like the Giving Tree, Adopt a Family and food and toy drives.

People, like Tom Farnham, have been putting together the annual community Christmas dinner at the Eagles Club Christmas Day, where "everyone is welcomed." This year will be no different, he said.

The owner of the clothing boutique store The Key, Jenna Holt, teamed up, for the second year in a row, with employees and others to make ornaments which are sole to raise money for Havre Food Bank, and the Havre Jaycees collected toys and coats to distribute in the group's Community Toy Chest and Koats for Kids programs.

Today, local officers are taking 15 nominated elementary school students gift shopping as part of the Shop with a Cop campaign.

And what would Christmas be without the participation of the local churches?

The Greater Havre Area Ministerial Association put on the "A Journey to Bethlehem" display. Van Orsdel United Methodist Church's annual live nativity was canceled due to bitter cold temperatures, but the members of Abundant LifeMinistries braved the frigid temperatures to put on the "Jesus presented in the temple" display.

One of the most popular annual church attractions is the three-part play put on by Community Alliance Church. This year, Community Alliance members are performing a play written by Pastor Tim Zerger called "Ruby's Redneck Christmas Tree Lot." The story is about a girl who speaks with a southern twang and owns a Christmas tree lot. During her time as the tree lot owner, Ruby meets different characters. As she talks to them, she shares the Christmas story.

The first act was performed Dec. 11 and the second Dec. 18. The final act will be performed Christmas Eve during the 7 p.m. program. Zerger said that, as the acts near to Christmas, more seats are required in the sanctuary.

Of the many Santa sightings, Scott Seigel was one of the men adorning the red suit this season.

Seigel sang Christmas favorites Saturday with the children who came to see him, took gift requests and told them how similar reindeer are to their cats or dogs.

Three-year-old Tavin Myers wasted little time embracing the jolly portly man he'd learned was responsible for his gifts. The second Tavin went through the doors of the 305 Building, he made a beeline for Santa.

"Merry Christmas, Santa," he said, before pouncing in Seigel's lap.

Michael and Elizabeth Randles brought 10-year-old Quentin and 7-year-old Ezekiel to see Santa.

Quentin said Christmas is about giving presents and "God's birthday." Ezekiel said his favorite part about Christmas is that it's Jesus' birthday. And both boys were quick to rattle off a list of toys they'd like to see under their tree the morning of God's birthday. Quentin said he wanted a big box of Legos, and Ezekiel - his list was a little more extensive - "I want a nerf gun, and Xbox and games for Xbox, and I want Minecraft toys," he said.

Tabby Mocko, 6, told Santa she wanted a Strawberry Shortcake doll before breaking into a rendition of "Jingle Bells" while bouncing on Santa's lap.

Tabby said the best part about Christmas is when her presents are delivered.

Tabby's parents, Mik and Sam Mocko, said their family moved to Havre from Eureka last year. The roads will make it too risky to visit family, they said, so it'll be just them this year.

"But it'll be fun," Mik Mocko added.

Many parents of the children seeing Santa said Christmas was a time to gather with loved ones enjoy each others' company.

Seigel said he started playing Santa out of necessity about 12 years ago in Korea.  

"We were living in a military community, and there was a need for someone to play Santa in a kind of emergency situation, and someone basically begged me, and I was like, OK, sure, fine - whatever," he said.

But, Seigel said, Santa is not the reason for the season as far as his family is concerned.

"It's about Jesus. That's what Christmas is about. It's about spirit of love and kindness and celebrating His birth, His life. It's not really about gifts or food - we enjoy those things, too," he said.

But he has his reasons for playing Santa and said he'll continue to do it.

"It's just a cool thing to make kids happy. Really, you're making families happy," he said. "It's been a fun thing."