Christmas Tree Lighting

Preparations for Saint Nicholas Day have been going on for quite a while. New street decorations have been affixed to all the light poles in town. The sidewalks are being repaved (a personal victory). Lights and decorations are going up all over town in shops and houses. All of a sudden every shop has Christmas decorations, toys, wrapping paper, and lights.

I am ready for an evening of Christmas carols and the official tree lighting. Stefan Hruska will be here to sing the carols. (I have been here long enough that I can say his name with no hesitation.) He is a very popular traditional singer. They have been setting up the stage all afternoon. I spent the afternoon in town as it seemed silly to go home and come back. I wandered through some of the shops and then had dinner in the hotel. It was actually the first time I had been past the lobby. It is really quite nice. Chicken and rice with tea – freshly made and all served at the same time. An eight year old is the Master of Ceremonies for the evening. He is fabulous. He works with no notes, but has managed to memorize pages of script. He has a great sense of his audience, warming them up for Stefan. I am not sure he actually needs the microphone – he speaks very clearly and loud enough for those in the parking lot to hear. He has an excellent command of his words. He knows exactly what he is saying and adds emphasis when it is best and is demure when it suits. I can only imagine what he will be when he grows up.

The street has been blocked off from traffic through the center of town – a wonder in itself – and people are starting to gather. I had planned to meet a few colleagues, but it is impossible to find them in the crowd and my phone is dead. I wander through the groups of people, looking for someone I recognize but these people are mostly brand new to me. It is getting more and more crowded. I had thought I was beginning to know many of the people here, but now there are many I have never seen before. One of my students latches onto me and we spend the evening listening to songs I do not recognize. The population of Gura Humorului is 17,000 and I think every one of them is in town to see the show.

Soon Stefan takes to the stage and is wishing everyone, "Craciun fericit! And La Multi Ans!" He raises his hand to show a remote control. He presses a button and the tree lights up to the sounds of "Ooohhs and Aahhhs!" He is heard above the crowd as he begins his first carol. Everyone settles in for an evening of traditional carols of the season.

People in the crowd are humming along and watching, mesmerized, as Stefan belts out the tunes. I understand enough of the words to know that they are very similar in sentiment to the English carols I know.

Stefan is from Mare Mures which is to the east over the Carpathians. I understand that he returns every Christmas for the lighting of the Christmas tree. He certainly has the audience mesmerized. He is a big man wearing a white fur jacket. His drums are covered in the same white fur. His stage presence is such that he takes over the entire town center. All eyes are turned to him as he sings song after song.

He sings for a very long time. When he takes his last bow, I thought the evening was over but I was wrong. He has offered to sign autographs for those who are interested. My student as well as a number of others starts looking for a pen and paper. The music stops but no one leaves. Now I hear the inimitable sound of fireworks. These guys really know how to throw a party.