The Christmas spirit was in full force Wednesday night in the Longmeadow neighborhood as neighbors, family members and friends came together to celebrate.
Organized by Vivian Wright, the event included food and drink and a visit from Santa Claus, who came through on the Fire Department’s Santa Truck, with all its glitzy Christmas lights and holiday music.
Wright’s daughter, Dr. Brandi Wright, a nephrologist at Jefferson Regional Medical Center, said the event has blossomed in this, its second year.
“The decorations started off as a friendly neighborhood competition,” she said. “Now, we’re just having fun, and our neighborhood looks so beautiful. Some of the neighbors really outdid themselves. We wanted the neighborhood to feel like you are wandering through a Christmas wonderland.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
One of those neighbors was George Cotton Sr., vice chancellor of institutional advancement at UAPB, who has Christmas lights on what seems to be every available surface around his house, just down the street from the Wrights.
“This is a lot of fun,” said Cotton, who was decked out in a red bow tie — that he tied himself — and wide-brimmed hat.
There was a lot of visiting and laughing, but in the background, far away but approaching, one could hear the wailing siren of the Santa Truck, and the anticipation for its arrival was palpable. Finally, the behemoth rolling sleigh turned the corner and slowly pulled up, all the while pumping out Brenda Lee’s classic, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
Santa then hopped out to cheers and hugs and posed with children and several grownups who seemed as excited to see him as the little ones.
Vivian Wright said the celebration was a way to bring people together.
“We’re a close-knit, blessed group of friends,” she said. “Some of us raised our children together. Now, we are watching our children raise their children. I feel lucky to celebrate with my neighborhood family.”
Brandi Wright got everyone’s attention and made an enthusiastic toast to Christmas and to sharing it with loved ones — comments that drew cheers and raised cups of hot cider from all.
She said later that the event took on special meaning for her. For one, she has a daughter who will soon turn 2 and be caught up in everything Christmas. But she said the reunion of family and friends also had its own unique appeal.
“It’s hard to conceptualize what it means to have family and community together,” she said. “Not only does it create a sense of belonging, but it’s foundational. Like we’re building on something. Technology and politics have separated us and made it hard to do things as a group. So it’s really a beautiful thing to come together — and it’s the kind of thing that helps you live longer.”
In addition to Santa, there were other first-responders who received cookies or other goodies to take back with them — courtesy of Vivian Wright.
As for dad, Dr. Steven Wright, who is also a nephrologist, he spent a lot of the evening carrying around his granddaughter and visiting with neighbors and friends. Occasionally, people would compliment him on the house decorations or the event itself. But he was quick to say he wasn’t the driving force and that his wife and daughter were the ones in charge.
“I just live here,” he said with a big laugh.