Christmas Village to return this holiday season

LACONIA — Christmas Village, an event that transforms Laconia Community Center into an enchanting North Pole satellite, returns this December after a two-year pandemic hiatus. 

“We are back,” said event organizer Patty Derosier. “And we want everyone to know it.”

Free and open to the public, the village is a multi-station Christmas extravaganza that has brought the magic of the holiday to the entire community since 1975.

This year, the event will take place Dec. 1-2 from 6 to 8 p.m., and Dec. 3-4 from 2 to 5 p.m.

On Saturday morning, community seniors are welcomed to the village and kids with disabilities or other special needs are invited on Sunday morning, both from 10 a.m. to noon. 

Inside, children are met by elves and invited to explore Santa’s Workshop, complete with a sleigh and reindeer, crafts, games, face painting, prizes and more. They can stop at the cafe for cookies and a winter beverage, and every child gets to meet Santa and bring home a new toy. 

“We take our community center and we turn it into a winter wonderland,” Derosier said. 

This transformation, however, is not built in a day. Derosier estimated that, between constructing and deconstructing the village each year, volunteers do 800 hours of labor.

Volunteer work to set up the village starts Monday, Nov. 14. Derosier said the group is trying to do more evening sessions to accommodate working schedules, but a final volunteer schedule is still developing.

Organizers are also looking for volunteers to be on the ground in the village during its run. Youth ages 12 and up are invited to participate as elves, and all activities are supervised by adults. 

Derosier thanked the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction, whose donations each year ensure the village and its enchantment endure. Their donations allow organizers to provide toys, crafts and games for students, clean, repair and replace costumes for volunteers, and meet other logistical needs.

The village also welcomes donations, financial or in-kind, from members of the community. Cookie donations to feed participating children are also a big need.

Derosier emphasized that the event would still be arranged to accommodate those concerned about pandemic risks: each station would have sanitizing resources, masks are optional but welcomed and also provided, cookies will be individually packaged and children will take a photo on a seat beside Santa, rather than in his lap.

Derosier, who has been involved with the event for more than 20 years, is looking forward to its return. 

The event’s significance isn’t just about the fun, but its ability to provide all members of the community with holiday spirit. 

“For some kids, this is the only Christmas they get,” she said. 

For seniors, especially those living away from family, the holidays can be a very isolating time of year. A highlight for Derosier is sharing the village’s magic and gifts with all ages. 

“It’s so emotional to see,” she said. “They really light up.”

To volunteer for setup and takedown of the village, participate in the festivities or make a donation, reach out to laconiachristmasvillage75@gmail.com.

Editor's note: A photo caption for this story was updated to clarify that Ernest Bolduc is pictured with Robert Hamel and Matt Mansur.