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By Emily Williams

 

Few seasons in life, at least in my opinion, are more enjoyable than the Christmas season. In the words of singer Andy Williams, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” after all. From seeing the cheerful faces of loved ones as they admire Christmas lights to drinking hot chocolate by a crackling fire to attending a candlelight church service to celebrate the reason for the season, there is something so intrinsically significant about Christmas. It is a time of joy, peace, togetherness, and love unmatched by any other time during the twelve months of the year. 

The Saluda Business Association, or SBA, has understood the value of Christmas since the association was founded, which is why it has proudly put on the Saluda Hometown Christmas stroll each December for over thirty years. Some of the leading members of the SBA share why Hometown Christmas was created and what makes it so special to the Saluda community to this day.

The businesses of downtown Saluda began the Hometown Christmas thirty years ago “as a way to thank the community for supporting them throughout the year,” shares Emily Lamar, Saluda business owner and VP of marketing for the SBA. The event is entirely business-led, with each business having the autonomy to choose what music and decorations they use that evening, as well as what types of refreshments they would like to share with the Christmas strollers. 

Businesses serve a variety of snacks and drinks, such as chips and dip, freshly baked cookies, popcorn, hot cider, and even churros with Mexican hot chocolate. Every business in Saluda participates, from Green River BBQ all the way down to the Saluda Outfitters at the other end of the main street, keeping their doors open from 6 to 8 p.m. on the second Friday of December and welcoming in their community. 

Aside from the shops being open late, other fun events will take place during the evening. Mountain Song will be caroling up and down Main Street, and Santa will make a visit to listen to the Christmas wishes of local children. Fire pits will be located outside of the Jim Carson Studio & Gallery and at Looking Glass Realty for people to warm up by and chat. The SBA will also put up a nativity scene in the park for visitors to admire, and First Baptist Church of Saluda will host an ecumenical service immediately after the festivities on Main Street end at 8 p.m.

The nature and set-up of the event make it a very welcoming area for the evening strollers. 

“The city has put a lot of work into renovating our sidewalk on Main Street, and so now it’s wider and very walkable,” states Paul Marion, city commissioner of Saluda. “It looks nice and makes a really great place for people to visit and sit out and talk. A lot of businesses will serve hot chocolate and hot cider, so people are able to sit outside and drink it and talk with their friends. We don’t close the main street down, so that’s important, too. There’s still traffic on the street, so everything is centered on the sidewalk and in the businesses.”

Each year is different, so in many ways, each Hometown Christmas holds new surprises. Over the years, locals and visitors have been delighted with an anonymous Grinch sighting, a trio of Santas, and bonfires with s’mores in the park. Even the weather each year is a fun gamble, with some Hometown Christmases warm enough for t-shirts and others cold enough to bundle up in fluffy coats and thick scarves. 

The Christmas tree on the stage in the park is also different each year as students at the local school make ornaments and decorate the tree before break. Both Lamar and Marion grew up in Saluda, and they remember that same tradition of taking class periods to make ornaments, pinecone decorations for the town, and paper lanterns to line the sidewalk. Now, they get to share those memories with their own children and grandchildren who now participate in making the town decorations. 

No matter what changes from year to year, one thing remains the same: Hometown Christmas is the perfect time to catch up with old friends and neighbors.

“It really is a big get-together,” states Lamar. “Everywhere you go, there’s a little conversation going on.” 

Marion concurs that locals cannot help but run into familiar faces, sharing, “My wife is a teacher at the local school, and every year, we never make it through the stroll together because she’s always running into kids she taught.” 

This event is likewise a great time to make new friends for those coming into Saluda to visit. I can personally attest to this, as a non-Saluda native who has made it a point to regularly attend the Hometown Christmas because of the inviting and kind-hearted nature of the people in this little town. I have my own memories of walking down the sidewalk and admiring the Christmas lights, eating snacks and chatting with friendly business owners, and even performing Christmas carols in the Saluda Library with my violin quartet. 

Regular vacationers who have second homes in Saluda also make a point to visit during this special weekend, which is a treat for locals like city commissioner Melanie Talbot. “The summer can be busy, so we don’t talk amongst each other as much,” Talbot states. “Hometown Christmas is the last time before summer that people with second homes here come up, do some Christmas shopping, and close their homes for the winter. We get to see people we have not seen since the summer.”

People want to attend, whether they are a visitor to the area or a long-time resident, because Hometown Christmas is an event worth attending. Everyone who has been to one undoubtedly has fond memories tied to this annual evening, and those memories call to people no matter how close to or far from home they may be. 

This year, the call for an enjoyable evening by way of Hometown Christmas is even greater due to the impact of Hurricane Helene on the Foothills and the surrounding regions. 

SBA member Stephanie Winterrowd says, “There’s a lot of hurt right now in WNC, and I think Hometown Christmas is one of the ways to try to soothe that pain.” This Christmas season is a time when the community can support each other and point to the hope that accompanies this time of year. 

“We’ve just been through this horrible thing, but this community always comes together,” says Lamar. “It’s just one of those times where we come together and we do something great, and it’s everybody. It’s not one single person putting it on, and that’s why it’s always changing. But it’s all about our business community and our larger community coming together and enjoying the holidays.”

Hometown Christmas is also a way to support local business owners as they work to financially recover from the aftermath of the storm. Many businesses had to close for weeks, so having extra hours and foot traffic during the Christmas stroll allows them to gain back some income they lost due to Helene. 

Saluda is a community that comes together to support one another through times of flourishing and through times of hardship. This Christmas season is the perfect time for the community to have a Christmas stroll, support local business, say hello to neighbors, and celebrate the beauty of life that still thrives even after tragedy.

If you would like to participate in the Saluda Hometown Christmas stroll, stop by downtown Saluda anytime between 6 and 8 p.m. on Friday, December 13..