A rich tapestry, a holiday sampler or a smorgasbord of Greenbelt life are all apt descriptions for the series of videos woven together and available for viewing online. Known as December Days, the videos were filmed and produced as a response to the cancellation of Greenbelt’s traditional tree lighting ceremony. Chris Cherry, the performing arts program coordinator with Greenbelt Recreation, conceived of the idea stating, “A sampler or smorgasbord came to mind, since both are collections of treats served during the holidays.” The project included a release of a new video every day between December 1 and 15 as a way to connect the community; all 15 videos in this series continue to stream. The videos capture a variety of holiday traditions, depict mouthwatering foods and interesting homemade crafts to make, provide health and wellness tips and include stories and beautiful music. All the videos feature Greenbelt residents.
It is an open question as to whether December Days will become a yearly event. Many organizations have provided virtual programming during the pandemic, with an acknowledgment that they have been able to reach a much larger audience, including community members who were never able to attend in-person programming. Cherry explained, “I wish I could say that we can do all of the programming we did prior to the pandemic, plus all the new programming we have been doing since the pandemic began, but time, staffing and resources won’t suddenly double once Covid is tamed.”
Teamwork
Although Cherry handled the bulk of the filming and editing, he was provided some assistance by collaborating with a production partner, Greenbelt Access Television (GATe). “By sharing the shooting and editing duties, we were able to produce a fuller slate of offerings than either of us could have done working alone. Phoebe McFarb of GATe not only filmed and edited four of the videos, but she provided technical assistance and a much needed second pair of eyes,” stated Cherry. A second collaborator was Kevin Wilson of the Astronomical Society of Greenbelt who filmed and produced the fascinating and informative video, The Starry Winter Sky, describing to viewers in a clear and concise manner how to identify phenomena in the December night sky.
Greenbelters Showcased
The videos capture the passion and generosity of Greenbelters as they present a family recipe or a cherished tradition, or display enthusiasm for art, fitness, films, books and history. Cherry, a Greenbelt resident himself, enjoyed filming neighbors and colleagues and described the experience by saying it was “a joy, seeing them light up as they demonstrated or shared something.” Cherry loved the variety of the series but expressed a soft spot for the final video, A Candle in the Window, the first video he made from last December and reprised this year. “I think it succeeded in expressing both the sadness and the hope we were all feeling during the shutdown, before any vaccines were available,” said Cherry.
Popular View
As of noon Friday, December 17, there had been 5,916 views across the platforms featuring the series: City YouTube, City Facebook, Greenbelt Recreation Facebook and GATe. Greenbelters can watch Vijay Parameshwaran in Chalk It Up to the Season as he draws a delightful design for Diwali or watch other videos to learn how to make latkes or a pine cone owl. Follow the Drinking Gourd, a short film that will delight children, highlights how Black enslaved people escaped to freedom by following the North Star. For those who seek to shed a few pounds or learn to relax in a busy season, be sure to watch Shape Up with a Winter Workout or Take a Breath. There is something for everyone: enchanting music, film recommendations, book suggestions and much, much more. As stated by Cherry, “Most of all, these films affirm the continued vitality of our community and its institutions, for which we can all be grateful.”
