Reflections of Christmas Past and Pomham
Rocks’ “Lighthouse Santa”
By Don Doucette
Not all of us have been brought up with the same
Christmas traditions and for many, Christmas lacks relevance. But for
those of us who experienced Santa Claus as part of our childhood
memories: how can we forget as a child the expectation and wonder of
Christmas morning? For
Photo courtesy of FPRL
Don Doucette, also known as Pomham Rocks'
"Lighthouse Santa" at Christmastime
some, Christmas was a cornucopia
of gifts while for others, a much simpler and thrifty approach by parents
and guardians struggling to make ends meet. I fell into the latter group and
can actually remember times when the cupboards were literally bare and the
ice in our old icebox had melted to a precious lump, but nonetheless, Kenny
Atwell our Attleboro iceman, like Santa, always came down the driveway to
our old Thurber Farm in his Model A truck - just in time with his ice tongs
and ice pick along with our new block of ice protected under a friendly
old canvas. Year round, Kenny always brought good cheer.
And who can forget our child's excitement during Christmas Eve, the
inability to fall asleep, the quickened pulse while trying to wish away
hours, the smells of food along with muted drifting voices and laughter of
visiting friends and relatives gathered in other rooms. And, through it all,
old Mac our aged Scottie dog semi-asleep in her kitchen corner by the
winter-warm porcelain Glenwood range. Mac had one eyelid always awake,
constantly twitching, along with one suspicious roaming eye remaining on
constant guard.
So...as an adult, about this time last year, I had a question put to me by
Rob Charbonneau and once again I experienced that long ago child's
Photo courtesy of FPRL
"Lighthouse Santa" and his "elves" plied
the waters of upper Narragansett
Bay
raising holiday awareness for
Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
Christmas excitement and anticipation, a quickened
Christmas pulse too long forgotten. Would I help Rob bring Santa to our
part of Narragansett Bay on a boat? Without hesitation, my answer was
“yes!”
Rob, by the way, was a former inhabitant of the Pomham
Rocks Lighthouse and now serves as a member
on the board of the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse.
We were in Rob’s East Providence auto detailing shop during late afternoon
amid the early darkness and cold of the season. Rob explained that he had
wished to do this for years and thought that with the renewed interest in
Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, our Santa would be Lighthouse Santa - a Pomham
Rocks Lighthouse Santa - Rob thought the timing was right and so did I. As
we enthusiastically explained the concept to others about all the fun
that might be had while bringing notoriety to our Friends of Pomham Rocks
Lighthouse group, others folks of wisdom suggested we were too late into the
2006 Christmas season. Better to organize and wait until the 2007 Christmas
season.
We waited expectantly for a year like children wishing away the hours of
Christmas Eve. Finally, last Saturday morning, Pomham Rocks Lighthouse Santa
made his debut on upper Narragansett Bay. It all came together – Santa along
with some very helpful elves, two boats provided by Rob and his uncle, Chris
Allen, a perfect sunshiny December day, calm waters, no
wind and plenty of Christmas
spirit...and appreciative folks with the same Christmas spirit listening
to Christmas music broadcast across the Bay from our boat amid the
clangs of Santa's bell – celebrators responded – waving through house
windows, from porches and on wharfs, horn
Photo courtesy of FPRL
"Lighthouse Santa" in front of his
favorite lighthouse -- Pomham Rocks, on 12/8/07
toots from tugs, waves from folks on roadways - in restaurants, on bicycles,
puffing joggers, neighbors all in the true spirit of Christmas as Pomham
Santa traveled the shoreline of East Providence/Riverside, Providence and
Cranston, Rhode Island, waving in return.
If you missed this year’s Pomham Santa celebration, keep a watchful eye open
for next year's Pomham Lighthouse Santa event, stay on guard. And by all
means, wish away some hours to find yourself actually caught in the spirit
of the future event, the return of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse Santa.
Don’t allow your Christmas cheer to melt like an old shriveled block of ice.
Santa’s always watching, so try to be good and try always to share your
year-round Christmas cheer with others.
