An account of a lovely Valentine's day tradition in Ludlow, VT
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Every year in mid-February, when the Vermont landscape is at its most colorless, the United Church of Ludlow, which is located just a couple of blocks away from where Klara’s grandparents live, decorates two of the trees outside its front door with colorful hearts. They are made from fabric and stuffed. There are always two hearts of the same fabric connected to each other by a string. This gesture is in celebration of Valentine’s Day and it adds a lovely splash of color to the white winter landscape.
Every year the church members choose one or two members of the Ludlow community whom they want to acknowledge for their contribution to or engagement with the community. They will then decorate, secretly at night, a tree in front of the home of the person or family with hearts in order to thank and acknowledge them. In February of 2012, we found the tree outside John and Rosa’s house decorated with hearts, it was a wonderful gesture. The tradition is that you then either decorate the tree in front of your house again with the hearts every year in February or you pass them on to someone else.
I have always thought that this is such a beautiful tradition that adds welcome color and love to the long Vermont winter, just when you wonder if it is ever going to end?! And although I am not a regular churchgoer I feel connected to this church as we had John's family memorial service here and my father used to attend this church whenever he would visit Ludlow. I am looking forward to seeing the heart go up in a few days!
Lots of love from Vermont!
