Maine Minutiae: Christmas at The Big O

The Big O

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you that Christmas by the Sea is a popular theme in Maine during the Yuletide season. After all, the state does have thousands of miles of shoreline. Sitting on one stretch of those thousands of miles of shoreline is the town of Ogunquit, which just happens to have one of those Christmas by the Sea celebrations.

This weekend is the second weekend of the 2010 Christmas by the Sea in Ogunquit, with lots of fun stuff to do. On Friday, the Ogunquit Womans Clubwill be selling antiques and collectibles for a charity fundraiser at Ogunquit Baptist Church from 1-5 pm. Beginning at 5pm, carolers will spreading Christmas cheer at various businesses around town. You can check out their schedule right here. Following a Christmas Minstrel Concert at the Baptist Church, from 7-8pm, will be the always cool lighting of the community Christmas Tree at 8:15 at Veterans Park and at 8:30 a bonfire at Main Beach.

Saturday brings more fun stuff to do starting at 10:00am with hayrides which go on until 4:00pm. Also on Saturday morning, the Main(e) Man, Santa himself will arrive by fire engine at the Fire Station, where he will be welcoming all the boys and girls from the area, taking their Christmas orders and posing with the kids for Christmas photos provided by Ogunquit Camera Shop and passing out treats from Harbor Candy Shop! There are many more Christmas by the Sea festivities throughout the day on Saturday, ranging from more caroling to tree lighting to ornament making for the youngsters. For the full slate of events see this schedule , which incidentally run into Sunday.

The fun's all there for the Ogunquit Christmas by the Sea celebration, all that's missing is you!

Maine Minutiae: Christmas By the Sea

Having been in Maine for nearly five years, I'd like to think that I know a little more about the state than when I got here. And I do. But, since starting this blog nearly six months ago, I have learned so much more about Maine, its people and its traditions - including Christmas traditions. Part of the joy of doing a blog is to be able to share what I have learned /am learning with people all over the world.

Maine has about seven bazillion miles of coastline, so it should come as no surprise that many holiday traditions are centered on the ocean, boats and other maritime pursuits. This post is one of those.

Christmas by the Sea in Camden, Rockport and Lincolnville is a prime example of Mainers celebrating Christmas and at the same time, celebrating their heritage which is linked to the sea. Christmas by the Sea takes place this weekend, December 3-5, so you still have a bit of time to insert a visit to Camden, Rockport and/or Lincolnvillle into your schedule. According to the Christmas by the Sea web site, "The Christmas season arrives in Maine’s Midcoast during the first weekend in December, when Santa chugs into the harbor by boat, a parade makes its way down the street, and unique local traditions hit their stride." I just wonder if the boat on which Santa arrives has a big red light on the front of it, like Rudolph's nose.

More from the festival web site:

•  Trish Moroz–-known locally as the “gingerbread lady”--will transport nearly 130 elaborate gingerbread houses that she has been crafting in her Rockport kitchen since last February from her basement to the holiday fair.
• Retired firefighter Bob Oxton will make his trek up Mount Battie to light the holiday star that can be seen for miles, as he has for four decades.
• Carolers and horse-drawn wagons will wind through historic downtown Camden, where the mountains meet the sea, and local shops will offer special items that you won’t find at the mall.

 What a great way to combine the celebration of Christmas with local customs and traditions! I appreciate the symbolism of celebrating Christ's birth and the traditions of the locals and the sea. Somewhere in the Good Book it says something like this: Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Christmas by the Sea not only feeds a man for a day, it also nourishes a man's soul for a lifetime.