A number of families braved the cold and packed a park in Easthampton, Massachusetts over the weekend – donating to a local cause and hoping to get a glimpse of the Grinch and Santa.
Hundreds of children, their parents and other locals filled much of Millside Park Sunday night, gathering at the pavilion for a tradition that has grown over the past decade.
Supporting the Easthampton Community Center, organizers put on the 11th annual “Holiday Whobalation.” It’s a toy drive that doubles as a meet-and-greet for kids looking to see Santa Claus or the Grinch – created by Springfield’s Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss.
The event first started as a flash mob of sorts, morphing into the annual gathering that sees families come to the park with unwrapped gifts – all piling up quickly around the massive Christmas tree centered in the pavilion.
ECC Executive Director Robin Bialecki tells WAMC it’s one of the center’s major toy drives, which ultimately leads to hundreds of toys and other goods going to families in need – including 1,500 children last year.
“Each child receives roughly three to four presents - depends on what we have donated - but usually a book, a game, a puzzle, and then something else from their wishlist, along with the pajamas and the blankets and the hats and mittens and all of that,” she explains.
Bialecki says the ECC serves 4,700 families across the Greater Easthampton area, translating to about 10,000 people a month.
Helping with that work is about 200 volunteers, who also help put together the Christmas gift packages made possible by the community.
Also helping Sunday – both the Santa and the Grinch who made their way to the pavilion via fire truck, with Bialecki leading them in through the crowds.
“Seeing the joy on the kids’ faces and just the sheer wonder of the holiday season, and, for me, coming down and seeing all of these fabulous toys, I just keep thinking, ‘Oh, that's one more child that gets a toy. Oh, that's fabulous! Oh, I know that Janie asked for that toy, and now I've got it,’” she adds. “So, for me, it's a great kick.”
As for the Whobalation – the event’s Whoville theme stems from local beliefs that the classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas" takes inspiration from the Pioneer Valley.
Specifically, when it comes to Mt. Crumpit, home of the Grinch, Dr. Seuss was said to be inspired by the iconic Mt. Tom. At the foot of the mountain lies Easthampton, not unlike Whoville, where the Grinch experienced cardiomegaly, what with his heart growing three sizes upon saving Christmas.
For what it’s worth, Geisel does not appear to have ever confirmed such a connection.
That and, thanks to some sleuthing by Rick Teller, the now-retired archivist at the Williston Northampton School, it’s more likely Geisel was inspired by his California home atop Mt. Soledad, which also overlooked a village.
That’s according to author and Geisel biographer Charles Cohen, who suggested the theory to Teller over a decade ago.
Yet, similarities are similarities and regardless, the kids got a kick out of it, including 8-year-old Eamon of Holyoke.
“I really liked it - I liked playing on the playground, I liked all the lights, I liked the Santa…” he told WAMC as he and his family made their way home.
His mom, Meghan Garrity, says this year’s turnout was especially large, featuring a great deal of singing.
“It's a huge community event … and so, we bring toys to donate to other families, which is really important - to give back – and … this is the biggest turnout we've seen in a couple years now,” she said. “At first, I didn't think they were going to sing together. Normally, they used to do that first, but they did it at the end and … to me that is the most special part.”
Also making the trip to Easthampton, a group of Springfield College students – bringing gifts of Play-Doh, puzzles and friendship bracelets. Hayden Wechter says it’s a great way to get excited for the holiday season.
“It has been a unique experience. I have never been to anything like this, but it was really nice to give toys and see all the kids really excited,” Wechter said. “It’s been really, really fun, and definitely puts you in the spirit of Christmas.”
According to organizers, those who didn’t want to venture out into 30-degree weather Sunday have a warmer option coming up this week.
“We have so many people that like to give in this community - I mean, this is actually one of several toy drives - we have another one next week called the "galactic toy drive," where we have Darth Vader and several of his friends coming to the Northampton Lodge of Elks … to collect toys for the people that don't want to be outside,” says ECC volunteer, Elaine Wood.
More information about the Easthampton Community Center can be found here.
