Holiday season celebrated around Town of Grand Island

Story and Photos by Alice Gerard

Senior Contributing Writer

Christmas this year may or may not feature a snowfall.

As for the holiday spirit, Grand Island has been showing it for most of the month.

The celebration began with a variety of events on Dec. 7 that included a concert at the Golden Age Center, featuring music and dance students from the Recreation Department and members of the Fun with French group at the Golden Age Center. Immediately following that was the Light Up the Boulevard Parade and Festival, organized by the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Town of Grand Island.

Chamber of Commerce Director Ramcy Rizek, who served as chair of Light Up the Boulevard, said the event helps “when it comes to that small-town feeling where we all stick together and pitch in and just seeing everybody who is willing to help and sponsor the event. There are so many local businesses. It just goes to show that Grand Island is such a strong community.”

Town Supervisor Peter Marston said, “We’re a big part of the Light Up the Boulevard parade. The holiday season among the business owners and for the kids and Santa and all that stuff’s there. We do enjoy our holidays. We decorate our commons pretty thoroughly. I drive around the Island, and I love to see the Christmas lights on the houses and all that stuff. Grand Island’s always been patriotic to the cause, and it’s good to see.”

The event featured several visitors from faraway – including Anna, Elsa and Olaf from “Frozen,” as well as Santa Claus and his elf.

Santa and elf have been seen on return engagements at Kelly’s Country Store. They were there Dec. 15 when the store was full of holiday shoppers.

Elsa, Anna and Olaf enjoy a visit to the heated tent during the Light Up the Boulevard Parade and Festival.

Santa Claus and elf Racheal Banas at Kelly’s Country Store.

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Racheal Banas, a sophomore at Grand Island High School, said, “I love Santa. He’s a very nice, chill guy. He knows how to do his job.”

Racheal said she loves working at Kelly’s Country Store: “I like bringing joy to the kids. One of my favorite parts is seeing them smile.”

The Christmas spirit could be found at Tom Thompson’s farm on Long Road. On the weekend of Dec. 14-15, the farm offered cookies for sale, made by Island bakers, many working in their homes.

One of the bakers who has a home business was Heather Domanski, whose bakery is called My Gluten-Free Haven. Domanski has been gluten-free for 12 years.

She said, “I like when I find people that I know or even the ones I haven’t met yet who are gluten-free. ‘Oh, it’s another person who is just like me. Another person just like me who also can’t eat this stuff.’ Then, they run into someone like me who actually has the time or the energy or the ability to actually bake something. Those are the connections I really like to make. Those people who say, ‘Oh, I thought I was by myself, that there weren’t very many of us.’

“I try and convert some recipes from having gluten and flour in them into something that’s gluten-free. But there’s other times I can find recipes that are old family favorites that are easy to move over. Sometimes, it’s trial and error, but I make it so that I can have treats and other people I know can have treats.

“I think our family favorite is the lemon. Everybody in my family loves lemon, so the lemon bundt is a favorite. I started making peanut butter blossoms for Christmas this year and … oh my gosh … they’re so good. I missed peanut butter cookies. I really like stuff I can make with chocolate, too, but those two are my top favorites: the lemon and the peanut butter cookies.”

Gratitude is also part of the holiday season.

Domanski, who has been in business for less than a year, said she values the support she was given: “I really appreciate the friends and family who have supported me and who have said, ‘Yeah, go for it.’ ”

Banas said she is thankful for “My mother. She’s gotten me through a lot of tough times.”

She noted the holidays are very special to her: “The best thing I like about Christmas is my family. I have a very big family of like five different sides. My cousin is actually the other elf here. Kelly’s is a family business, but I am a family friend. So, this whole thing is like family to me.”

Banas added that she wishes for “good health” for people for Christmas this year.

Marston said he was grateful to the town employees who keep everything working.

“I would like to thank all of our employees because not everybody gets off for Christmas,” he said. “The water plant stays open; the wastewater plant stays open; the highway guys have to plow snow; the water break guys have to fix water breaks. A lot of our staff work 24/7/365. That’s difficult, but I really appreciate how strong they work for the town and all the things they do for us.

“They are things we don’t think anything about. We turn the water on and it comes out for a reason. We flush the toilet, and it goes down for a reason. We get in our cars and drive down the road. It’s cleared because somebody did work. So, some people don’t get the holiday off. I think a lot of those people, especially at this time of year, because they just continue to work.”

Santa parks his sleigh at the Town Commons to get ready for a visit to the gazebo.