As a kid, the holiday season coming around meant that school would be filled with opportunities to drink hot chocolate, watch the polar express, learn how different cultures celebrate, and realize that living in Mississippi means that there probably will not be a “White Christmas.” It meant that Santa’s elves came to keep an eye on the children from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, implementing a sense of worry throughout the children- who would do anything to avoid Santa’s naughty list and its coal reward. It meant magic was all around you.
Once you actually do grow out of the days where you can live in a world where people play pretend, the magic fades and you get hit with the forceful reality that instead of magic, life revolves around deadlines, relationships, and overwhelming emotions that were once just silly thoughts. By this time, many people say that the holiday has “lost its impact” and even that “it doesn’t feel like Christmas this year.” This is when you search for a way back to youth, back to the magic, and back to the spirit that was once so easy to maintain.
Brandon, MS hosts many events that give everyone a chance to be together again. Two of these events stay for the holiday season: Brandon On Ice and Magic Of Lights – Brandon. Brandon on ice is an outdoor ice skating rink at Crossgates Park. It showcased a Christmas market, served as a venue for a few bands, ran a toy drive, hosted karaoke night, and hosted an ugly Christmas sweater competition. However, it was not actually ice people were skating on. The event was maintained throughout the various weather changes the community faced during its open season. It served as a very festive photo booth and passtime for families, kids, young adults, and seniors. Magic Of Lights – Brandon is a drive through light show with scenes including nativity, prehistoric Christmas, “The Night Before Christmas,” the twelve days of Christmas, and so much more. After the approximately 20 minute light show, customers could go inside the amphitheater to listen to music, dance, get concessions, write letters to Santa, and even get photos with him when giving him the letters. Both of these events were extremely family friendly, and were such good opportunities to bring back the true magic of Christmas.
