Once again, the street of Colorado Circle will illuminate on Christmas Eve night.
Residents on Colorado Circle wanted the community to know they will still be putting out luminaries this year.
In last week’s edition of The Green River Star, Patsy Christensen wrote a letter to the editor stating Montana Way will no longer be putting out luminaries on Christmas Eve. For various reasons, new families moving in and others aging, Montana Way decided they will not put out luminaries. Christensen is the one who started the tradition in that area.
When Anne Backstrom read the letter, she quickly called the Green River Star office to inform them that Colorado Circle will still be placing luminaries out on Christmas Eve night.
She said their neighborhood started the luminary tradition about two years after Montana Way did; and they are not ready to give that tradition up. Backstrom said the Christian tradition started in Mexico and worked its way to New Mexico. People would light luminaries so it would light the way for the baby Jesus.
“We live on a little, quiet circle and we get more traffic that one night than all year,” she said.
Backstrom can still recall when the entire side of East Teton used to light luminaries. Over the years, the tradition has dwindled down to two streets; and now there is just one.
“It’s kind of become our Christmas gift to the community,” Backstrom said.
Backstrom, who has acted as block captain for several years, said she purchases all of the candles and bags and then sells them to the neighbors who want to participate.
In the past, Anne and her husband, Tom would fill the bags with sand too, but they have had a problem with storing that much sand. It always seems to freeze. The last few years, those who participate provide their own sand. Some residents have even used kitty litter to hold the bags in place, she said. Backstrom has also discovered long-burning candles and has started purchasing them for the event.
“We would get up in the morning and some are still lit,” she said.
Backstrom can recall when her family would deliver the luminaries to the neighbors. When her children were younger they thought it was fun going through the neighborhood delivering candles and bags, but as the children got older that tradition died out. Now, neighbors stop by the Backstroms and pick up the supplies.
She can also recall how her kids and the neighbor’s kids would play and have snowball fights.
Colorado Circle still has 20 to 25 houses that participate; and Backstrom is hoping they will remain committed. The neighborhood always jokes to each other that if they ever sell their house they must make sure the new owners are on board with participating in the luminary event.
“I don’t want it to go away yet,” Backstrom said. “Colorado Circle is hanging in there.”
Without the support of the community and neighbors, this luminaries would not be possible, she said.
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