Miracle on 91st Street

I enjoy a few holiday traditions. Every year I reread "The Best Christmas Pagent Ever", a story I've enjoyed ever since I was a little girl. I send advent calendars every year to my nieces where they take turns opening the doors for daily chocolates during the month of December. My brother-in-law and I always try to watch "Trading Places" every year, and of course "Charlie Brown Christmas", "Miracle on 34th Street", and "The Grinch" are long time favorites too.

Last year, a friend of mine introduced me to a new holiday tradition - the Lighting of the Park Avenue trees, and caroling with the childrens' choir in front of Brick Church on Park Avenue and 91st Street. This annual event began in 1945, when the trees were first lit to honor soldiers who had died in World War II. Every year since, New Yorkers stood where I was last night, shivering in the dark night, singing, waiting, witnessing.

As someone who does believe in Santa Claus and miracles of the season, it's still quite extraordinary to experience people gathering together for several blocks, and for one suspended hour, witness the hard edges of New York soften and hear everyone gathering down in Hooville to sing.

After several songs, the pastor led us -- "...Christians, Jews, Muslims, Believers, Non Believers, we're all one tonight..." -- in prayer for the troops abroad, and for peace on earth. And then, for the 66th time, taps were played and "Let there be light". Suddenly, the trees for 50 blocks south were lit, and illuminated the cold, dark night.