What’s Christmas without a steam whistle?

Local traditions are a great way to enjoy the holiday spirit, no matter how strange they may seem.

This afternoon, I listened to a 15-minute-long rendition of “God Bless America” as played by a steam whistle.

It was… strange.

An eerie, haunting, and kind of mournful sound. The steam whistle brings to mind days of early risers and efficiency, of men in overalls walking to the factory with lunch pails in hand.

Yet the only time citizens of York, PA (within a 5-10 mile radius) hear this call from days past is on Christmas Eve, when the steam whistle at the New York Wire Co. plays carols conducted by Whistlemaster (yes, that seems to be an official job description) Donald Ryan.

Today, I listened to the practice session for tomorrow night’s concert. Having totally forgotten about this annual ritual since I heard it for the first time last year, I was really spooked when I heard the high-pitched wailing from afar, and wondered if either 1.) a neighbor kid was whining somewhere, 2.) a lost dog or a pack of wolves was howling, or 3.) someone’s saxophone practice wasn’t going so well.

Community Celebrations

Local festivals are a fun way to see new things and experience an area's history and culture.

Although Oktoberfest might be the best-known German (or even European) festival, it is far from the only one. Nearly every German town, from a major city like Munich to the smallest little village, holds annual (or bi-annual) celebrations for locals and visitors alike. These public parties provide a little boost to the local economy, a welcome distraction for working citizens, and fun and entertainment for people of all ages. These town-wide celebrations are something for people to look forward to and generally enhance the quality of life in these areas.

How I envy those Europeans!

Although America is not entirely devoid of public celebrations, these kinds of events tend to get crammed into weekend schedules, or, if we're lucky, they're stretched out over a three-day weekend. What a shame! European celebrations often last a week or longer. What makes this possible is the generous amount of time off allowed by the European workplace. Most businesses automatically give employees about 30 days, or six week's worth, of vacation time-- more for higher-up or longer-tenured employees. How pitiful that Americans are only given one or two weeks on average.

Nevertheless, here in America, I strive to be a connoisseur of as may regional events as possible. Just because I can't jaunt off to Europe every week doesn't mean I have to stay home and see nothing! So, in keeping with my New Year's resolution of attending more cultural events, I decided to go on an adventure this month. As a Pennsylvania resident, I thought it was finally time for me to attend one of Pennsylvania's best-known annual celebrations: Groundhog Day.