Christmas Magic on MacArthur Avenue

by Charles McGuigan 01.2006

Kaitlyn Overman, age 4, dropped seven gifts into the Sgt. Santa box at Dot’s Back Inn, which made her eligible to win one of two bikes purchased by Bob Kocher, owner of Once Upon A Vine, and one of the organizers of the first annual Christmas on MacArthur. As fate would have it, Kaitlyn won one of the bikes a week later on Christmas Eve at the time of the drawing.

Now, Kaitlyn’s grand-mother, Barbara Clark, is a waitress at Dot’s Back Inn, and knew full well that Santa Claus was planning to put a bicycle under the tree for her granddaugh-ter that very night. So, Barbara and her husband, David, explained to Kaitlyn that come Christmas morning she wouldn’t be needing a second bike. Kaitlyn decided to give the bike to someone who really needed it.

Barbara walked over to Once Upon A Vine, picked up the bike and pushed it back up MacArthur Avenue to the restau-rant where she leaned it in a corner. In the early afternoon, as Barbara hovered around tables, taking orders, delivering lunches and drinks, she couldn’t help but notice that a man kept eyeing the bike, going over to it, admiring it. 

“I know a boy who would love that bike,” the man told her.

As it turned out the man was a Big Brother and the child he mentors is a ten-year old boy by the name Lucas.

“Well, if Lucas can get here before five o’clock, the bike’s his,” Barbara said.

At quarter till five an old Chevette pulled up in front of Dot’s Back Inn. Lucas and his mother, Pam, entered the restaurant and picked up the bike. And Lucas brought his old bike as a gift to Kaitlyn.

Remembering the events, Barbara told me that there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Even the cooks—Jamie and Mike—were tearing up. “It was quite a Christmas Eve,” said Barbara. And it wouldn’t have hap-pened if it hadn’t been for the kindness of a little girl and her grandparents, and Christmas on MacArthur.

Christmas on MacArthur held December 17 from noon to 4 p.m. was a booming success. Hundreds strolled along the Avenue throughout the day. A fire truck, courtesy of Richmond Fire Station # 16 on Chamberlayne, was on hand, and kids got a chance to sit in the driver’s seat and pose with real firefighters to the general clicking of digital cameras.

Santa Claus made a two-hour visit, and the kids swarmed round him, then climbed up on his lap as he tilted his head and pricked up his ears listening carefully and nodding to their Christmas wish lists. He handed out small toys and sweets to every child who visited him.

Amy Henderson and The Orderlies, harmonizing perfectly, entertained the crowds with scores of original tunes and popular covers along with a couple of carols. Local artists displayed their wares alongside Rich’s Stitches in the parking lot of Once Upon A Vine. 

Stir Crazy offered warm, seasonal beverages—hot cocoa and hot cider, and Carytown Books allowed kids to decorate their own holiday cookies and then consume them. In the kid’s book room parent’s read to groups of enthralled children. Three kids who entered a contest to draw a likeness of Santa Claus each won a $25 gift certificate to Carytown Books.

Every shop on Bellevue collected new, unwrapped toys and by the end of the day more than two large pickup truckloads of toys were delivered to Sgt. Santa just in time for Christmas. Everyone who donated a toy was, of course, eligible to register to win a bike And one of the bikes that was given away added more than a little magic to Christmas on MacArthur. 

The event, which was sponsored by the Shops on MacArthur and North of the James magazine, is destined to become an annual event.