Christmas on the River

Word for Word is all about Christmas right now. Not only are there books, coffee & scintillating conversations to be found, but the whole place looks a little like Santa's workshop. Thanks, Kevin, for the marvelous holiday inventory. I'm not even going to bother putting up more than a few lights & maybe a garland or two. With all of the festive merchandise even Santa would have few complaints about the decor. My display window looks amazing and the response from customers has been great - hard to resist crafty Christmas stuff at bargain prices. Local bazaars beware! You have competition this year.

Tomorrow a group of us plan to decorate one of the empty storefronts in town - the "Old J.C.Penney's Building", more recently known as Antique St. Helens. It's sad to see so many empty storefronts in Olde Towne. Seemed like every time I turn around there's another empty space. The economy has not recovered as well as we'd hoped and sometimes merchants have had to cut their losses. This year we're fighting the emptiness, filling up those empty spaces with the Spirit of Christmas. In December when we have the tree lighting in the Courthouse Plaza and the Christmas Ships appear to cruise up and down the river we'll be ready. Businesses and buildings will be dressed in their best - trimmed with lights & greens and little vignettes, celebrating Christmas in style and showing off our Christmas Canes.

The Christmas Ships will be here at 6PM on December 11th. Come to St. Helens for the Christmas Tree lighting, watch the Ships, enjoy dinner at one of our fine restaurants, shop and celebrate Christmas on the River. See you then!