Connected by community; Blackstone Valley towns celebrate holidays with Chain of Lights.

Byline: Susan Spencer

Imagine for a moment a small-town, New England Christmas. There's a town common with a gazebo ringed in greens. Music of bells and choral groups peals from a white-spired church. A horse-drawn carriage rolls by, filled with holiday revelers. The tantalizing aroma of gingerbread and hot cider wafts from shops as people scurry in and out, greeting neighbors and catching up on the latest news.

If you're in the Blackstone Valley during the first weekend of December, you'll find your vision comes true as the region celebrates its annual Chain of Lights festival. The towns of Sutton, Grafton, Millbury, Uxbridge and Douglas deck the halls and throw open their doors to welcome the holidays during this two-day gala.

Chain of Lights originated in Sutton 18 years ago, according to Gary F. Vaillancourt, owner of Vaillancourt Folk Art and one of the event's founders. Vaillancourt and others felt residents were not getting to know their own town. So a group of volunteers got together to create a community Christmas event everyone could enjoy.

Today Sutton's Chain of Lights festival involves churches, businesses, historical societies and hundreds of volunteers.

"Chain of Lights brings spirit to the area," Vaillancourt says. "We hire trolleys with actors to get people to see what's here. Our goal is to make people experience a small-town Christmas. It's a true community event."

Last year's festival began early Saturday morning. At Vaillancourt Folk Art's workshop and retail showroom, visitors stream through the renovated Manchaug Mills complex. There they observe Vaillancourt's signature chalkware Santas being made from old-world German Father Christmas molds and hand-painted by local artisans. After some cider and cookies, they step out into the chill and hop on a trolley to visit another destination.

Michael F. Kaz, an actor from Worcester dressed as a 19th century gentleman, greets riders as they board. Harvey D. Bileau, born and raised in Manchaug, serves as self-appointed historian, telling people where they're going and a little about the local history.

A sign on the trolley says: Trolley Fare - Happy People Free; Grumpy People $20. Have Fun! "If they're not in a good mood, they'll be by the time they get off," says Bileau.

Sleighbell Christmas Tree Farm, on Whitins Road, is a natural place to start the holidays with a fresh-cut Christmas tree and a visit with Santa. Michael T. Elster of Sutton has been making an annual trek for a tree for several years with his wife, Heather, sons Ryan,

Jordan and Brandon, and several extended family members. He says, "It's got a very family-oriented feel. The tradition of cutting down the tree is fun. At the same time, we're supporting a local tree farm, which there aren't a lot of anymore."

Across town, over the rolling hills and up winding country roads lined with stone walls, the sweet smell of chocolate lures visitors into Eaton Farm Confectioners. Eaton Farm has been making candy for more than 100 years, over 30 of which have been in its current Sutton location on Burbank Road.

Visitors nibble samples of Peanut Butter Lust Bars and White Chocolate Bark, as children select bags of penny candy. In the kitchen, candy-maker Wendy A. Cronan describes the mouthwatering process by which chocolate chips, cashews, crispies, marshmallows, white chocolate and peanut butter are combined and coated in chocolate to make the famous Lust Bars, ready for shipment near and far.

As the Saturday afternoon sun sets and a sparkling winter evening descends, Uxbridge kicks off its First Holiday Night festival with a Santa parade. Crowds, six and seven deep, line North Main Street to watch high school marching bands, civic groups and 18 fire trucks from towns as far away as Spencer and Holliston escort Santa to light the trees on the common.

Inside Lynch's Riverview Wine and Spirits, on Mendon Street, Michelle L. Morrissey of Uxbridge watches as her children Sean, 5, and Maegan, 3, have their caricatures drawn by local artist Mark Seagrave. "It's a lot of fun, we look forward to it every year," says Morrissey. "It's also a nice way to see the places you don't ordinarily go into."

In the back of Lynch's store, several men and a few women sample winter beers. "Dads were happy to have a little break, too," says storeowner "Chuck" Lynch. Long Trail Hibernator is pronounced the favorite of the evening. Outside in the crisp night air, glittering luminaria light the footpaths along tiny Capron Park, perched on the banks of the Mumford River. The cascade of the waterfall sends a misty prism shimmering into the dark.

Trolleys bring visitors from the center of Uxbridge over to River Bend Farm at Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park, where Girl Scouts have decorated the field with lighted Christmas displays. Two white horses pull a hay wagon around the field to offer a closer look. Inside, volunteers oversee maple sugar demonstrations and craft projects, and ply visitors with hot cocoa.

On Sunday, it's hard to decide how to divide your time between events in Millbury and Grafton. High tea, musical performances, and a visit with Santa offer a fine start to the day's festivities, and can be enjoyed all in one place at the historic Asa Waters Mansion in Millbury.

Diane P. Hill, chairman of Friends of Asa Waters Mansion, welcomes guests to the 1826 home richly adorned with fresh wreaths, greens, and pineapples on the mantels, in the style of Williamsburg. Each room hosts a Christmas tree decorated in a different traditional theme.

A short drive across the Blackstone River brings you to Grafton common, the setting for MGM's 1935 film of Eugene O'Neill's "Ah, Wilderness!" Here an artist carves an ice sculpture and rustic birch reindeer are for sale.

Across the common, costumed carolers from Whitinsville Christian School's Camerata a cappella singers entertain the crowd outside the Grafton Country Store with Renaissance songs. "It's just like a Dickens Christmas," comments one listener.

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Grafton & Upton, one of several churches surrounding the common, rings out with bell-choir music, joyful singing and animated drumming.

Families that want to include their furry, four-footed members in their holiday celebration are welcome at Gibson Kennels on Upton Street, where Dog Orphans no-kill shelter offers pet photos with Santa. Most posing pets are of the canine variety, but according to Dog Orphans manager Ronald R. Morse, they've had pot-belly pigs, rabbits and blue-and-gold macaws. With squeaky toys and treats, Santa manages to capture a memorable picture.

The Willard House and Clock Museum in North Grafton celebrates a Colonial-style Christmas with tea, crafts and traditional entertainment provided by Apple Tree Arts and other local musicians. Old-fashioned popcorn garlands decorate the tree in this 1718 homestead.

The sun is getting low, and a pleasant fatigue starts to sink in. What better way to revive than with a luxurious - and free - soak in a hot tub at Oasis Hot Tubs on Route 122 in North Grafton? As you relax into the foaming warmth, you relish the fresh memories of the Blackstone Valley's holiday charm.

Chain of Lights will be held Dec. 1 in Sutton and Uxbridge; Dec. 2 in Grafton and Millbury, and both days in Douglas. For updated information, visit www.suttonchainoflight.com, www.uxbridgeholidaynight.org or www.town.grafton.ma.us. For Millbury information, call Debbie Berthiaume at Millbury Towne Florist, [phone]; for Douglas, call Marlene Bosma, [phone].

ART: PHOTOS

CUTLINE: (1) Gwen Mason-Callahan of Holden, who is dressed as abolitionist Angelina Grimke, greets visitors as they board one of the trolleys that will transport them to different stops on Sutton's Chain of Lights. (2) Opposite page, members of the Blackstone Valley Community Choir sing during Chain of Lights festivities on the Uxbridge Town Common. (3, 4) Stops along Sutton's Chain of Lights include Sleighbell Christmas Tree Farm, left, and Whittier Farms, below left, where visitors can take a hayride. (5) Below, caroling and the tree lighting are held on the Uxbridge Town Common. (6) The Christmas parade marches by the Town Common in Uxbridge. Below, the horse-drawn hayride at Whittier Farm in Sutton. (7) At Millbury's Chain of Lights, Marie Colacchio talks to visitors in the "Christmas Village" room in the Asa Waters Mansion.

PHOTOG: (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM RETTIG; (7) PHOTOGRAPHY/BETTY JENEWIN