It was a Rockwellian winter night this past Friday as hundreds of local residents paraded through Historic Huguenot Street, carrying paper lanterns and children bundled in snowsuits and woolen onesies. The crisp outlines of the stone houses cast shadows on the ice-layered snow as carolers and eager children gathered around the Northern spruce on the Deyo House lawn for the seventh annual community tree-lighting ceremony.

This year, the Trot was named in honor of longtime Family of New Paltz director Kathy Cartagena, who passed away earlier this year. True to her spirit, the event garnered upwards of $40,000 and had so many participants that the organizers ran out of race bibs.

Each year, Gardinerites gather outside Town Hall for a Tree-Lighting Ceremony, preceded by a parade through the hamlet with a fire engine blaring carols over a loudspeaker and a performance by the students of Take the Leap Dance Company upon arrival.

In New Paltz, the place to be for a sense of immersion in the Spirit of Christmas Past is of course Historic Huguenot Street.

“Theater is such a great tool. It can help you achieve amazing things,” says Nancy Owen.

Will Sweeney of Gardiner is one of those creative types who was cursed, or perhaps blessed, to live in interesting times.

A lot of people love dogs, but do they understand them? Or, more importantly, can they coexist with Fido and friends without driving themselves or the canines crazy? This is where Valerie Ann Erwin, a “Canine/Human Relationship Counselor,” steps in. A longtime Village of New Paltz resident and landlord, Erwin has recently opened up a new center for her dog training and obedience services at 2 Rocky Hill Road, off Route 32 North.

Growing up, Linda Ferrante (then Haight) always remembered her grandfather being a proud Rotarian. “He was involved with a lot of organizations, but I remembered the Rotary as the one that helped people. It was something I always aspired to be,” she said.