While folks are still trying to figure out if trick-or-treating will be safe this year, people in Fayetteville have already decided to move the annual Christmas tree lighting online because of covid-19. Say goodbye to carriage rides and photos with Santa.
Lots of towns across Arkansas do a fantastic job of decorating for the holiday season. (See El Dorado, etc.) But we've always been partial to downtown Fayetteville's Christmas decorations. It doesn't matter what part of the square you stand in, you can look from any angle and get a perfect snapshot for a holiday card.
Every year folks pack the square and walk around drinking hot chocolate or waiting in (long) lines for pony rides. It's the perfect event for families at Christmas.
But as we might have mentioned in another editorial or two, these aren't normal times. Arkansas has already lost more than 1,000 lives to covid-19, and by Christmas, vaccines will probably just be rolling out.
And while it won't be the same as being there in person, being able to watch the lighting of the Christmas tree online is better than nothing. Kids can still drop off letters to Santa, and the folks behind the lights are working hard at other digital programming to help make up for the in-person events.
Don't be surprised to see other announcements like this across the country as the most wonderful time of the year approaches. Other cities will have to decide if they can host public holiday events during a pandemic.
If your own town decides to move things online or cancel them altogether, it doesn't take away the real reason for the season. You can celebrate that without any downtown lights or decorations.