Among An Autumn Breeze- A Cabinville Holiday Season

In the small town of Cabinville, when the Summer days grow cold and the shorts and tank tops are packed away, when it becomes too chilly for popsicles but not cold enough for hats and mittens, you will know that autumn has arrived.

During this time of year, when season of fall knocks on your door, and the leaves of green flourish in hues of ambers and scarlets, a change is made in the weather and lives of the Cabinville inhabitants.

Pools are covered up with tarps, and the ice cream stands get out their hot cocoa recipes. The eighty degree days go down to the sixties, and the hot summer breeze changes to the cool fall breeze. The breeze is not the chilly kind, but the kind of breeze that makes you want to take a deep breath, and as your inhaling, the wind is rejuvenating and calming at the same time. And as for the trees that stood through the summertime, their emerald leaves go in for the season and amber leaves take their place, transforming the look of the town. Stores get their shipment of hats, mittens, and scarves, and turkeys of all sizes are lined up in the shelves, signaling that its autumn time.

Thanksgiving is one of the most exciting times for the Cabinville inhabitants. Friends and family gather together and enjoy a plentiful meal. Turkeys raised at Fieldsvere, the family owned farm located at the heart of Cabinville, are baked with savory stuffing inside. Cranberry sauce, colored in a pinkish reddish hue, and the fluffiest mashed potatoes seasoned with fresh butter and garlic are spooned out. Warm biscuits and green bean casserole deliciously pair together, and baked potatoes are stuffed with cheeses and bacon. And finally, the grand finale of the meal, the thing that completes the entire Thanksgiving, gravy.

Cabinville citizens take their gravy VERY seriously. An annual gravy master competition is held, and families team up to create a savory brown goodness that completes every Thanksgiving dish. Families walk along the stands and booths, and for free get to sample and vote on each gravy masterpiece. The winner takes home the title of The Gravy Master and celebrates (and eats mashed potatoes and gravy!) with their family and friends. Community events like this are held all season.

The people of Cabinville hold several competitions during Christmas time. On the night before Christmas Eve, December 23, a Christmas Festival takes place. Children decorate gingerbread cookies while adults race to finish a santa cake. Fieldsvere Farm brings in their animals for a nativity play, and chocolaty hot cocoa is served while you learn about the meaning of Christmas. Every tree in view is decorated with lights, and families of all ages and sizes hold hands as they watch the advent candles being lit.

Although the events that take place during the festival are amazing, the best moment happens when the clock strikes six.

The six o’clock Christmas mass is held at Holy Savior church. Almost all the members of Cabinville join in the small brown church in the heart of the town. The priest’s homily lets everyone walk home inspired, and the choir sounds like angels. Friends and family holds hands as they pray, and when they leave the church, a soft blanket of flurries float in the air.

So, to end this post, sit down somewhere with a warm blanket, invite your dog, mom, or dad, and play some Christmas music.