Last week I wrote about the Thanksgiving Eve, and for some, the Thanksgiving Day power outage. As I sit at the computer today, Tuesday, Dec. 9, all lights blazing at 11 a.m., and we are bracing for another nor’easter.

With the temperature at 37 F, we expect only rain as the day goes on and to hear the winds building, but when the precipitation started early in the a.m., surfaces were still cold enough from yesterday’s below freezing temperatures to cause icing on the roads and driveways. Our valiant road crew had sanded the icy spots, so careful driving occurred without incident. I wonder what ultimately the day will bring.

Fortunately, last Friday evening at 4:30 p.m. darkness had fallen, but nothing from the sky, so crowds gathering in the store parking lot, listening to the Southport School children sing “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Silent Night” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” exhibited the requisite good cheer.

Selectman Smith Climo, as master of ceremonies, kept the tempo up through the lighting of the figures across the school pond and the arrival of Santa Claus on a red motorcycle. Santa led the crowd in the singing of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” and distributed a present to each child before roaring off to other engagements.

The crowd happily moved into the Island Store for hot cider, fresh pizza, and Christmas cookies, lingering to catch up with each other and island news.

Thanks to Wayne Closson and his crew for installing and maintaining the lights, Janet, Oliver and the crew of the Southport Store, the Southport School, the fire department, the Southport Methodist Church and one of their generous benefactors, and finally the Southport Island Association for continuing to schedule this annual event.

Sunday evening the Southport Methodist Church filled with friends and neighbors who enjoyed homemade hot soup, punch and coffee, homemade rolls, and cookies before settling into the church sanctuary for a traditional lessons and carols service.

The usual church choir of Kathy Barter, Linda Brewer, Smith Climo, Dan Giles, Sue McLeod, Maggie Tourtillotte, and Deb Tukey was augmented by Bill Fearnside, Nancy Harriman, Kiersten Pfeifer, and George Wertime. Elaine Fearnside hummed along, but was sitting in the congregation due to laryngitis.

As usual the music was accompanied and conducted by Mary Miller, with Dominic Garvey on the organ bench. Pastors Ami Sawtelle and Linda Murray opened and closed the service with readings and prayer. A free will offering gathered in about $500 designated for the Community Fuel Fund. Thanks to all who cooked, read, sang and gave money to bring us into the Christmas spirit.

The next Christmas event at the church will be Dec. 21, when the Sunday School children and youth will put on their annual pageant during the 9 a.m. Sunday service. This year's performance is Broadcasting Christmas: A 1940s Radio Broadcast for Children. Complete with sound effects, a Gumshoe Detective Agency and Santa, it promises to be fun and to inspire you with the spirit of the season! Come support our youth continuing the Southport Island tradition of holiday performances.

More Christmas spirit abounds around the island. As a tiny treasure hunt, see if you can locate a Santa in the swing, a white cut out Nativity scene, count the lighted, living Christmas trees, enjoy each time you drive by the waving lobster, children throwing snow balls to knock the hat off the snowman, the angel blowing his trumpet atop a steeple, and all our public buildings outlined in lights and trimmed with wreaths.

Indoors the library Christmas tree is trimmed with homemade ornaments for sale, most if not all made by Linda Brewer and Barbara Lally. A few new ones caught my eye and emptied my wallet, a polar bear and a white owl sitting on a branch. Unique and lovely for your own tree or as a hostess gift.

Kathy Barter entered the library today, Tuesday, with key lime and citrus cupcakes honoring Librarian, Linda Brewer’s birthday. Nobody said how many years we were celebrating as the preschool children handed Linda the plate of cupcakes and sang “Happy Birthday.”

Other opportunities for Christmas cheer at the library are Saturday, Dec. 20, when you can come to an Open House from 1 until 3 p.m. with refreshments and Donald Duncan reading a condensed version of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” by Barbara Robinson.

To find opportunities for help with your Christmas food and flower list, call the Southport School (207-633-3132) or contact one of the sixth grade students to buy Chex Mix, banana bread, pumpkin bread, cupcakes (eight), peanut butter fudge, chocolate fudge (1 pound), chocolate covered pretzels (1 pound), Rice Krispy Treats (12), chocolate chunk peppermint cookies, soup mix in a jar, Brownie mix, gingerbread men mix, each in a quart jar, and poinsettias.

You can either pick these items up at the school or the children will deliver them. The plants will be available from Dec. 8 through Dec. 19. The jars will be available Dec. 15-19. The other items will be available on Dec. 22. Each item is $10. The money will be used for the sixth grade white water rafting trip in the spring.

The school Holiday concert has been rescheduled for Monday, Dec. 15 at the town hall beginning at 6 p.m. due to Tuesday’s weather.