Well, folks, that magical time of year is fast approaching.

Yes, you guessed correctly – I am referring to the celebration of the Kingston Luminaries.

If you are new in town, or have lived in a cave for the last two decades and are accordingly unfamiliar with this quaint tradition, it is Kingston’s annual attempt to put all of the infi ghting, backbiting, name-calling and grandstanding on hold for an evening of “forced community fun.” Yes, friends, on that special Saturday evening (December 20 this year), our community takes pains to forget the misdeeds of the no-good, reprobate developer trying to put a 40B project in our back yard, the neighbor who accidentally built his “spite fence” three feet within our property line and refuses to take it down, or the town offi cial who called his fellow citizens a bunch of yahoos because they didn’t support his town meeting proposal.

For a brief instant of time we substitute civility, even friendliness, for business as usual.

All transgressions, real and imagined, are placed on the back burner for Luminary Night. Think of it as a holiday cease-fi re in a war zone. Sure, we all know that the fi ghting will resume eventually, but for that brief moment, we step back and smell the coffee – or in the case of the Kingston Luminaries, the candles.

Newcomers and repeat attendees alike will enjoy an idyllic stroll along Main Street viewing the many luminary lanterns (which, truth be told, are merely bags of sand with candles in them, but they somehow look far more impressive in the dark than that description would suggest), when everyone harkens back to simpler times. Our village becomes a magical place with horse-and-buggy rides, an abundance of pedestrian traffi c, congeniality at every corner (people saying hello to perfect strangers), Christmas carols sung from location after location, open houses, great programs by many of our Main Street churches, and, perhaps best of all, lots of free food.

It’s as if someone waves a wand and for a few hours our gritty little village is transformed into a Norman Rockwell painting.

As you may have surmised, I am being somewhat facetious here. Lots of planning and effort goes into this event, it’s great fun, and I of course know that not everyone in Kingston fi ghts with everyone else the rest of the year. It only seems that way.

So, having provided this tantalizing overview of Kingston’s special holiday, how could anyone resist checking it out? But wait – there’s more.

As a veteran of numerous luminary celebrations, permit me a few additional observations – and a word of caution.

First, take heart in the knowledge that you absolutely will not get a speeding ticket on Main Street that night.

It isn’t that Kingston’s Finest takes a holiday from traf-fi c enforcement, but rather that the street is closed to automobiles for the duration of the festivities. Parking is at a premium, so you’ll need to arrive early (before the street closes) and either befriend a Main Street resident with a large driveway (or lawn), or else park in the center of town and walk some distance to get to the events.

As an aside to my friends on Main Street, there may be an economic benefi t here for you in these challenging times. As a boy growing up in nearby Marshfi eld, I marveled at how all the homeowners around the Marshfi eld Fair turned their lawns into parking lots during Fair Week to the tune of $3, $4 or $5 per vehicle.

Capitalism at its fi nest! So if you’re lucky enough to live along Luminary Lane and want to score a few extra bucks for the holidays, put up those “Park Here” signs right away! More good news: even if you do number among the aforementioned villains of the community (scoundrel developer, thief, polluter, or other), the odds are that you’ll get a friendly reception at the Luminaries.

There is something about the Christmas spirit, the hot chocolate, the caroling, and the jovial atmosphere of the crowd that brings out the best in all of us. Plus, it’s dark and the chances that you’ll be recognized are slim, particularly if you keep moving. So here’s a real opportunity to mingle a bit and pretend that you are a likeable individual.

Do you like to sing but have never really mastered the skill? Then you won’t want to miss the lighting of the Christmas Tree near the old Town Hall, followed by impromptu Christmas caroling. If you feel inclined to burst into song but are riddled with self doubt because someone once told you that you couldn’t “carry a tune in a wheelbarrow”, your off-key renditions of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” or “Silent Night” will likely be drowned out by those better suited to the task.

So, go forward and sing without fear of embarrassment. On this night everyone is your friend.

The only “down side” to the festivities would be the horse-and-buggy rides which commence at the Beal House. Don’t misunderstand; the rides are great fun, but as you walk the streets watch your step! Our equestrian friends are not as schooled in (how shall I say it), “bathroom etiquette” as their human counterparts, so tread carefully – a challenge made all the more daunting because of the cover of darkness.

Yes, friends, the magical night is nigh. It’s a rare window of opportunity to meet and greet your neighbors, enjoy the festivities, and revel in all that is good about Kingston. Celebrate while you can; because before you know it, that proverbial other shoe will drop and you’ll be reading about a new scandal in the next day’s newspaper. After all, even Norman Rockwell-esque villages have their closet skeletons! With that said, my sincere thanks for your indulgence in reading these columns for another year. Merry Christmas, and my best wishes for a happy, healthy New Year to you all.