Thanks to the staff of the City of Milton, this year a portion of our Holtville Christmas village is set up at City Hall. For the past 15 years or so, the Holt family has a tradition of setting up the village in Mom’s game room, complete with downtown, residential section, train, ski mountain and a farming community. Mom started the collection back in the mid to late 90s but we aren’t sure when. As the assembling began, we had no idea what it would become. Now it needs it’s own zip code.
In Holtville, it’s always 1956. It’s like traveling to a simpler time in American history. Our children, when they were young, enjoyed setting up the accessory pieces, imagining being a part of such a wonderland community. Our daughter Katie said she loved setting up the train and trying to make the village better every year. She said it was magical when we would turn off the lights and see a visitor’s eyes light up as the train traveled around the town.
Dan’s father, the late Danny Holt, was the ‘public works director,’ setting up the town’s infrastructure. He enjoyed making sure the water pump was in working order for the stream winding around ski mountain that he, and my husband Dan, designed. Dad’s eyes twinkled with joy whenever a new village home or business arrived in the mail and, as mom said, was just as excited as everyone else when the train track was laid. Dad loved the village as much as the children.
Setting up the village in city hall this year was something, I think, Dad would have appreciated. He loved inviting friends and family over during the holidays, eating cookies and visiting. Always having a sweet tooth, his favorite Christmas candy was divinity. It took me a few years to learn to make it, but without his assistance, it just never turns out like it should. He knew exactly how to “fold it” with muscle. Adding 8 cups of pecans, it took a lot of strength.
Mom and I had a conversation before putting up the village at city hall and doing so in honor of Dad. She said it was appropriate to share it with the community. Dad loved his hometown and the people he came into contact with daily. In his business as a local builder for 38 years, Dad met many people and built a relationship with most. He always knew their name, where he met them, what circumstances surrounded that relationship and met them with a smile. Most importantly, Dad always shared his faith in Jesus.
In honor of Danny Holt, my husband’s father, Pepaw to my children and the best father-in-law a girl could have, we want you to enjoy Holtville.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: HOLT: Holtville at City Hall