The Heart of Christmas

REASON BROWN
MCHS Student Journalist

As the holiday season gets closer, small moments start to mean more. Routines change, familiar places feel cozier, and the spirit of Christmas becomes part of daily life. In these simple details, you can see what makes this place special and learn about the people who live here.

Lynchburg’s busy-as-a-bee elf

Now that the Lynchburg parade takes place later in the day, it has become a special time for our community to gather. Robyn LaCook especially enjoys seeing the pure joy on everyone's faces as they watch the decorated floats, beauty queens, Moore County’s school band, and horses – sometimes dressed up for the holidays – go through the streets of Lynchburg.

Lynchburg’s parade and craft fair may be typical for a small town, but they feel special because they happen in our historic town Square, surrounded by local shops that have been here for years. When Christmas in Lynchburg ends, the Jack Daniel's Barrel Tree lighting begins.

“Although there are Jack Daniel’s barrel trees elsewhere, ours is the only one located on the grounds of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery,” Robyn notes.

Robyn is involved in many ways – she’s part of the Chamber of Commerce and the Christmas in Lynchburg committee, and she leads the Moore County Resource Center non-profit. She helps organize the holiday events, starting with the Oh What Fun to Run/Walk 5k.

At the gazebo, she sells wreaths, homemade hot chocolate, and gourmet s’mores. She also runs a Letters to Santa station where kids can write and decorate cards before dropping them in the North Pole mailbox. Robyn and her family also have a parade float for her non-profit.

Cortney Hardin and family

'I always wanted to live in their house'

Here’s a fun fact: Cortney Hardin’s whole family is allergic to pine, so choosing a fake Christmas tree is an easy decision. With their artificial tree decorated and glowing, she likes to sit and watch all the Home Alone movies.

“I always wanted to live in their house in the movie growing up,” Cortney admits. “I also thought it was so cool that he was able to take care of himself without his parents for two years in a row.”

Of course, a cozy movie night with the Christmas tree isn’t complete without snacks. The Hardin family’s favorite treat is chocolate-covered pretzels, and making and eating them together every year is something she always looks forward to.

Susan Harbison and family

'The best Christmas ever'

When Susan Harbison was 6 years old, terrible storms hit on Christmas Eve. When she woke up, the electricity was gone, and her parents would not let her see what Santa had brought until the sun came up. (A child’s worst nightmare, for sure.) When the sun finally rose, she was released to open her presents to find the biggest walking doll ever.

“She was almost as big as me. The best Christmas ever,” Susan says, and this memory still remains her favorite even as the years have passed.

When it comes to tradition, Susan treasures seeing everyone gathered around the tree, taking turns from youngest to oldest to open gifts. After losing her mom and son, she and her family now spend Christmas afternoon at her daughter’s house.

Mallory Taylor and family

'It just sits with me more'

For Mallory Taylor, Christmas means “pure magic, complete chaos, and heaping amounts of gratitude.” She loves decorating sugar cookies shaped like Santa hats and candy canes, joining in community festivities, watching parades with red and green lights in the cold night, going to basketball tournaments with hot chocolate, and spending time with loved ones. All of this makes the holiday special.

Now that she is a mom, Mallory often thinks about the journey Mary took before her son was born and the challenges she faced.

“It just sits with me more being a mom to two boys,” she says. The song Mary Did You Know by Pentatonix is no longer played without a few tears shed.

The most common tradition in the Taylor household starts with a bucket of popcorn, some hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, and a great deal of movies. Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, Elf, and The Santa Clause are on all month long. Little elves come to visit the kids, bringing a touch of magic to the holiday season.

Growing up, it was a tradition to get a new ornament each year. Mallory was always excited to see what her parents and grandparents picked out for her, and she still hangs those ornaments on her tree every year.

“Giving a gift is one of my all-time favorite feelings. I pray that the feeling of giving is passed along to my boys,” she says.