Written by Eileen Stokes, WTHS Member and former Officer & BOT; Former Chairwoman of the Washington Township Preservation Commission; Skilled Historian, Trinity College alumni
As the community and Washington Township Historical Society celebrate the 2025 Holiday Happenings in Long Valley, we wanted to share an article first published in Long Valley Living, December 2021. It highlights how two celebrations have evolved and continue in our town.
In 1987, Clarabel Kent had a brainstorm – she envisioned a beautifully lit, towering Christmas tree to mark the beginning of the “Christmas Season.” Local families would attend this town-wide event, enjoying carol singing and hot chocolate with homemade cookies.
As a member of the Garden Club of Long Valley, which has shouldered so many civic projects since its founding in 1970, Clarabel became the event chairman. The club saw the event as a gift to the community.
The original evergreen tree planted in 1957.
Zion Lutheran Church was chosen for the location. The Christmas tree would be a magnificent 65-foot tall evergreen which had been planted in 1957 by the Sunday School children to honor their beloved pastor, Charles S. Schmidling.
Church members Stan Andrews and Virginia Allen had guided the planting. Clarabel designed the star, and her husband Jim Kent created it. His son Andrew climbed the tree to position it that first year. Welsh Farms donated cider and Taylor’s General Store provided paper products.
By 1989, everyone was involved. Mayor Robert Schmieder gave an address and Douglas Hoefener of Zion, a Bible reading. David Wolfe of Tree People was hanging the lights and Robert Barkman of Cholive Electrical donated the wires and plugs. The Garden Club purchased new lights, and holiday cookies were served in Field’s Hall afterwards.
Originally held on a Friday evening outdoors, the event was moved to Sundays in 1992. In 1993, because of river flooding, the event was moved indoors. Once inside, the celebration blossomed over the years to include the Zion bellringers and choir, the West Morris choral groups, Scouts, and a children’s Nativity musical coordinated by Sonja Jeanette Baker. And, of course, the arrival of Santa Claus.
The second tree planted in 2015.
By 2015, Rev. Schmidling’s evergreen was visibly failing and was cut down on October 7. A 13’ Norway Spruce replaced it on October 17 and was lit for the first time on December 11. The tree will grow with the new generations who continue to celebrate Clarabel’s brilliant brainstorm.
In 2005, while enjoying the tree lighting, young Leah Kallins asked her mother, Robin Gurin, why there wasn’t a Menorah to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Celebration of Light. Robin reached out to Iris Kadosh of the Neighbour House Bed and Breakfast who then put together a list of local Jewish residents who might be interested. Twelve families donated and purchased a six-foot high electric menorah. Spiro Hadjiyerou, the owner of Caruso’s Restaurant (now the Chesapeake Tavern) agreed to display it on the front porch in the town square. A small group of local families lit the first public menorah in Long Valley on the first day of Hanukkah, December 25, 2005. Rafi Kadosh, Iris’s husband, and Ronald Gurin, Leah’s grandfather, had the honor of lighting the first candle.
In 2006, a slightly larger group of families participated on December 15 at Caruso’s, with families taking turns lighting the eight candles on successive nights. Some gathered for dinner and camaraderie; and a wonderful new tradition was established for the town.
Each successive business – Splash, Andrea’s Dining Room, and now The Chesapeake Tavern, has continued to display the menorah and show solidarity in our community. In 2007 Rabbi Moshe Rudin of Temple Hatikvah in Flanders led the reading of the traditional Hanukkah prayers. Rabbi Jacob Schusterman of the Chabad House in Flanders read on the eighth night, with families taking turns on the intervening nights. Afterwards, families relaxed inside Splash Restaurant and were entertained by Rabbi Rudin’s guitar playing and an acapella group from the Temple.
The event continued to grow with members of Temple Shalom in Roxbury and many Jewish and non-Jewish families from the surrounding area coming to celebrate. The mayor attended and West Morris Students sang traditional Hanukkah songs. The success of the celebration encouraged several surrounding towns to establish their own festivities lessening the numbers gathering in Long Valley center. Children have grown, families moved on, and Covid-19 darkened the porch in 2020, but the community looks forward to celebrating this year if all goes well.
The first public menorah in Long Valley was established in 2005 at what is now the Chesapeake Tavern.
After sixteen years, Iris and Robin are looking for new families and children to become involved and carry on the festive tradition. The menorah is waiting to be brought out. A new location may be needed as the bushes in front of the Chesapeake Tavern have grown and obscure most of the porch.
In writing this article, the Washington Township Historical Society gratefully acknowledges the help of Jan Godek, The Garden Club of Long Valley’s historian, Iris Kadosh of the Neighbour House Bed & Breakfast and Robin Gurin-Kallins of Long Valley, Sarah Scudese, the parish secretary of Zion Lutheran Church, Phil Garber, and the digitized files of the NJ Hills Media Group.
2025 UPDATE – Washington Township continues to celebrate as light conquers the December darkness. The Christmas tree lighting, now in its 38th year, has become part of the annual Holiday Happenings community event held the afternoon of the first Sunday of December – this year Sunday, December 7, culminating at Zion Lutheran at 5pm with the 6pm tree lighting and carol sing on the lawn, followed by Santa’s arrival.
Join the first night of Hanukkah and the lighting of the first candle of the menorah on Sunday, December 14 at 5:15pm on the porch of the Chesapeake Tavern for live music and a singalong. New families continue to organize this holiday tradition, now in its 20th year, and we are all grateful to the Chesapeake Tavern for continuing to host this happy event.
See you there!