Following a 75-year-old tradition, the Nonantum Children’s Christmas Party Association hosted its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Sunday evening, December 7th. As they waited in the brisk air for the human Santa and the tree lighting, at least 300 people – and a number of dogs — joined the lively festivities on Watertown Street, in front of Coletti-Magni Park.
Families, Nonantum residents, and visitors – many of them dancing, singing, drinking hot chocolate and devouring cookies – joined Master of Ceremonies Frank Battista as he belted out Christmas carols. Mayor Ruthanne Fuller offered welcoming remarks and then enthusiastically added her voice to the singing. In addition to the Mayor, Newton’s three State Representatives — John Lawn, who represents Nonantum, Amy Sangiolo, and Greg Schwartz — were on hand to lend their voices to the celebration. John Oliver, and at-large City Council member from Nonantum and the newly elected Council President, was on hand, as were Councilors Tarik Lucas and Julia Malakie and Councilors-elect Julie Irish and Lisa Gordon. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan joined the celebration.
When Santa – Daniel Anderson – arrived at the park and took his place in the sleigh, he was quickly surrounded by excited children wanting to be sure to register their Christmas wishes. Warm, welcoming, and smiling, Mr. Anderson is clearly experienced in his role. Close by is the large red mailbox with an easily accessible flap for smaller customers who want to send letters to Santa. Remarkably, a group of volunteers, led by Linda Anderson, answers every letter. The mailbox also accepts donations to support the Nonantum Christmas Party Association.
Just across Bridge Street from the park, the St. Mary of Carmen Society is selling Christmas trees to raise money for its many charitable commitments. The Nonantum Children’s Christmas Party Association also supplies special holiday food baskets for neighborhood widows and veterans.
Nonantum is home to a significant Italian-American population, many of whom are descended from people who emigrated in the late 19th and early 20th century from San Donato, a village about 68 miles east of Rome. Our Lady Help of Christians has been the spiritual home of that community, and the St. Mary of Carmen Society began in 1935 as a mutual aid organization to help its immigrant families. “These guys all helped one another,” Jim Pellegrine, told Fig City News, noting “The world changes and we do what we can.”
Today the Society organizes the annual five-day heritage celebration – Festa — in mid July and joins with the Children’s Christmas Party Association to decorate Coletti-Magni Park and produce the large parade just before Christmas.
The first Christmas Tree lighting began in 1950, with a 30-foot, 2 1/2 ton Santa Claus. The current Santa statue has presided over the holiday festivities since 1982 and is only 18 feet tall. In its early days, the Association and the Society raised money to provide 2,000 bags of toys – age- and gender-appropriate – for local children. Much of the inspiration, energy, and leadership came from the community’s legendary leader, Anthony “Fat” Pellegrini, who died twenty years ago. His son, Anthony Pellegrini, Jr. chairs the Association. His daughter, Linda Anderson, is involved in many of its activities including organizing the volunteers who for the past 58 years have been “helping” Santa answer the hundreds of letters deposited in the special red mailbox. Fat Pellegrini originated the Association’s commitment to be sure that Santa answers every letter.
One tradition that the Association no longer observes is Santa Claus’s arrival by helicopter at the Children’s Christmas Party – first held at Our Lady’s and then at American Legion Post 440. In fact, when the party moved to Post 440, children lined up in Our Lady’s parking lot for flights to the party’s destination.
Descendants of the first Italian immigrants perpetuate the community’s legacy through participation in the Society and the Association. Along with his niece and nephew, Jim Pellegrine, a retired Newton police officer, continues to support the Association.
Both Teresa Gentile Sauro, President of the Nonantum Neighborhood Association, and Jim Pellegrine attributed the continuing activism of the “next” generation to the fact that parents and grandparents involved the children in traditional community activities like the Children’s Christmas Party and Festa. Mrs. Sauro recalled that in her own childhood, she helped her family decorate the base on which the statue of the Madonna is carried by the Society through the streets of Nonantum.
Bo Pellegrini, “Fat’s” grandson, is the third generation of his family to be involved in preserving Nonantum’s Italian heritage. He is an active member of both the Society and the Association. He and his cousin, Daniel Anderson, Jr., also Fat’s grandson, are determined to grow the organizations by attracting younger members, especially their former school mates from West Newton’s Italian-American population. They, too, were included in assisting parents in setting up Festa and the Christmas Party — often competing to put up more lights in the park than their fathers. And then it was their turn. Bo Pellegrini spoke of Nonantum’s “special charm,” which he said separated it from Newton’s other villages and other local communities. The Association has added more events to its calendar to attract more members and raise more money. A golf tournament was an enormous hit, and the “Vegas Christmas” event on December 19th is sold out.
This year, Arrianna Proia, incoming School Committee member from Ward 1 and a fourth-generation Nonantum resident, was invited to flip the switch that lit the Christmas tree. Ms. Proia’s father, Charles “Chuck” Proia, is Chair of the St. Mary of Carmen festival. Following her family’s multi-generational commitment to the Society, she has undertaken the revival of the St. Mary of Carmen Women’s Society and is deeply committed to perpetuating its traditions.
The Association will be launching its annual Christmas Parade through Nonantum on December 21st. For more information, visit the website at: nonantumccpa.org.
