Holidays on the Trail

I had the luck to work two holidays this season on the Trail: Halloween and Christmas. Normally people would be upset to have to work a holiday, but on the Trail it is a whole other story. I can't put it into words but it is special and certainly unique. On Halloween, Sam and I dressed up for the occasion (naturally). We then got to deliver to the bands a pumpkin, apple cider packets and cinnamon to each person in the bands (groups). Anything different in the way of food out there is a huge treat. (I'm a mountain woman and Sam is a ninja turtle)

Christmas was wonderful! On Christmas Eve, I told the Trailwalkers (TWs) to turn on their radios at a certain time. I then held my radio up to the car speaker and played 20 minutes of Holiday music over the radio. I tried to stick with classics like Bing, Nat "King" Cole, Judy Garland and the MoTab plus a couple more modern tunes. Everyone seemed to enjoy listening as they sat around their campfires, and I cried because of how happy it made me to be able to do that for them. The next day, I got to play Santa and bring in the Christmas goodies.

Anasazi tells everyone that they can send something out to the Trail as long as they send enough for everyone that will be out there for the holiday. They then sort out the goodies into individual pillowcases labeled by name. They are usually simple things like food, spices, some candy, lipsmackers and a beanie. (it was heavy to carry in even with the backpack I had sent out to help). Some of the parents also included a Christams letter to their YW. Every Youngwalker (YW) and TW got a tinfoil dinner which tasted so freakin good! The way the YWs reacted to their "presents" you would have thought they had won the lottery. I couldn't stop smiling.

TW Matt happy to have his two "cutties"

TW Cajun Dan showing off his new beanie

TWs Brian and Mustache Dan enjoying a chocolate orange

The girls band had found aluminum cans and they cut them up to make a chain which they then draped over a juniper tree for their Christmas tree. They also re-wrote some Christmas songs with lyrics that fit Anasazi and then sang them to me before I gave them their gifts. I was laughing so hard I almost fell off the log I was sitting on.

Because of how accesible the bands were, I was able to spend time with everyone on Christmas day. I loved every minute of it. Christmas on the Trail somehow has a way of reminding us how special the simple things in life are.

TWs, Lara and Stephanie, waiting to open their pillowcases

TW Scott lounging after eating his tin foil dinner

On Christmas morning, I read Luke 2 which I did the last Christmas I worked out there 6 years ago. Somehow reading it out in the peace of nature while helping others (and myself) change their lives, makes the story so much more poignant

Happy Holidays everybody!