December 3, 2025
ISSUE 49
50¢
IT'S IN THE CLASSIFIEDS
Hunting for a job? In the market for a new home? Have something to sell? Turn to the Classifieds in The Dispatch and at dispatchnews.com
Countdown to Parade Night and Town Fest
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atonville is settling into the holiday season, and the town is getting ready for one of its most cheerful days of the year. On Saturday, December 6, families will gather for a full schedule of community activities, beginning in the morning and continuing long after the sun goes down. The day brings together food, lights, music and the familiar small town excitement that comes with seeing neighbors line the streets.
A FESTIVE START: SANTA BREAKFAST, 8 TO 11 A.M. The celebration begins bright and early at the Ohop Grange with the annual Santa Breakfast. The morning event runs from 8 to 11 a.m. at 41608 Mountain Highway E and offers a warm start to the day. Families can enjoy breakfast, crafts for kids, live music and photos with Santa. The event supports the Eatonville High School band, and donations are accepted in cash. It is a cozy way for many families to launch into the holiday weekend. HOLIDAY ACTIVITY DOWNTOWN: 4:30 P.M. By late afternoon, downtown begins to glow with activity. At 4:30 p.m., the vendor and activity area near the Eatonville Visitor Center opens for browsing, shopping and Santa photos. The early evening window gives residents time to stroll, pick up hot treats, visit with friends and enjoy the holiday atmosphere before the parade begins. Many makers bring seasonal crafts, home baked goods and small gifts that feel unmistakably local. CHRISTMAS PARADE: 6 P.M. At 6 p.m., the Christmas Parade travels along Center Street and Mashell Avenue. The route turns the main corridor into a festive walkway filled with lights, decorated vehicles and familiar faces. School groups, sports teams, clubs, businesses and families traditionally take part, creating a lively mix
Get Set to Shine for the Annual Light Show
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atonville is getting ready to shine again. With December now underway, neighbors are opening storage bins, testing lights, and deciding how they might participate this year. The community light show has become one of those traditions that feels as familiar as the mountain in the distance. It is friendly, cheerful, and open to everyone who wants to join in. Homes, barns, porches, and yards across town will light up beginning December 12 and continue through December 28. Anyone who lives within the town limits can participate. Sign up is simple. You can register your address on the town website or in person at the administrative office. The deadline to sign up is December 8 so organizers have time to prepare the final participant list.
of music, costumes and homemade floats. The combination of early winter darkness and holiday lights gives the parade a warm glow that carries through the length of the route. TOWN FEST INTO THE EVENING After the final float passes, the crowd flows back toward the vendor area for Town Fest. Booths stay open into the night with crafts, snacks, warm drinks and baked goods. Activity tables for kids offer simple holiday projects such as cookie decorating or ornament making. Music and conversation fill the square while families take their time visiting each booth and enjoying the evening. TIPS FOR THE DAY Parking downtown fills quickly and many families like to arrive early to find a
good viewing spot. Local shops and eateries along Center Street often stay open later during event nights, which gives visitors a chance to warm up and support neighborhood businesses. Bringing extra layers, blankets and a travel mug with something warm can make the evening more comfortable. A FULL DAY OF EATONVILLE TRADITION December 6 brings together the spirit of the season in a single day. From a morning meal with Santa to a nighttime parade, the town creates a holiday setting that feels welcoming to both longtime residents and newcomers. The day celebrates the creativity, generosity and togetherness that define Eatonville at this time of year.
There is no cost to take part, and residents are welcome to decorate in any way they choose. The event is meant to be inclusive, encouraging people to participate at whatever level feels right for them. Every home adds to the sense of community and helps brighten the darker winter evenings. Judging is optional. If you want your home considered, check the judging box during registration. The town has not released this year’s judging schedule or the date winners will be announced, but participants will be contacted directly once those details are finalized. Even if you choose not to compete, your participation helps make the season feel a little warmer. The light show brings neighbors together, creates a shared sense of celebration, and reminds us how much a small town can glow when everyone adds their own bit of light. If you have ever thought about decorating, this is the year to give it a try. Eatonville will be shining. You might as well join in.
MY CHRISTMAS ANGEL STORY By Floyd Braun
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y Christmas story begins back in December of 2007. It has been a very hard year for all of us. We were both working very hard,but that year in October, I had a heart attack on the job. Two weeks later the kids had been sick and one in the hospital, and then to add to the hard times, my wife at that time had surgery and was out of work from it. We had sold everything a little over a year earlier to start anew after the great recession had hit, and wiped us out financially. We had both taken higher paying jobs in Bothell Washington in hopes for better times and days. We had a modest apartment with the dreams of owning a home again. In the first days of December our car decided it was going to die, and so did my little truck. We had decided that the only option that we had left was to go “home” to the Cheyenne River, regroup ourselves and start over.
We needed a car to get home, and at this time our credit was as bad as it could be. We had a few hundred dollars to figure things out with. First we needed a car that would make the 1200 mile trip in December. Not far from our home was a small car lot called Volunteers of America Car lot. We had never noticed the lot before that day so we decided to stop in. A nice old man, fairly round, with a beard, a warm handshake and a kind voice came out to greet us. He said how can I help you today? I said we need a car that will just get us home to South Dakota next week. It doesn't need to go any further, just get us home. He said ahh, ok I got just the car for you over here. It was a 1993 Chevy Lumina, it was blue and priced at $2500.00. My head sank and he said how much do you have, young man? I said I have 600 cash and can come up with a bit more in a day or two. The old man said go take a test drive, and let me see what I can do. So we did and the car ran like it was brand new.
Upon our return, the old man said I am going to sell this car to you today for 600 out the door if that works for you? I was shocked. Dumbfounded really and said ok, we can do that. He said my only request is that you call the office here when you get to South Dakota, so I know you made it. I said ok. So we finished the sale and paid the man. A few short days later we were on the road to South Dakota and it was like we had an extra passenger with us the whole time. Just a feeling,a presence really that said just keep going you're doing fine. The weather the whole way out was great, and the whole way a snow storm was on our heels so to say, but it never reached us till we got home. That night it snowed really heavily. The next day, I called the car sales lot and asked for Don. They said, I am sorry but there is no Don here, he passed away a few years ago. I described him, and the lady said
yes that sounds like Don. I said is your lot on Bothell Everett Highway still that's where we bought our car a few days ago. She said, oh no that lot closed a while ago after Don died. I hung up the phone and it then occurred to me, I had bought a great car from an angel. He then also traveled home with us to ensure we got back home safe.