On Mount Desert Island, Holiday Traditions Become Acts of Community Photos of some holiday events throughout MDI this weekend
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On Mount Desert Island, Holiday Traditions Become Acts of Community

Photos of some holiday events throughout MDI this weekend

Carrie Jones

Dec 15, 2025

A young child in a cozy sweater and beanie is enjoying a roasted marshmallow on a stick while sitting near a fire pit, with other children and adults nearby.

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by the Maine Seacoast Mission.

A young girl smiles while writing a letter at a table decorated for the holidays, with a red mailbox labeled 'Letters to Santa' and a Christmas tree in the background.

MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—“Magic exists. Who can doubt it, when there are rainbows and wildflowers, the music of the wind and the silence of the stars?” Nora Roberts once wrote.

And who can doubt it when an island fills itself with memories and moments and holiday cheer purposely created by volunteers and organizations and businesses to create joy.

At event after event this weekend, magic emerged from sharing stories, from connections created and remembered, from building events that made children gasp with wonder. Magic was made with s’mores baked over an open fire as a giant reindeer hugs a neighbor nearby, with Santa in Southwest Harbor explaining that the reindeers are on diets and only need carrots this year.

“Really?” one bundled up child gasped up toward Santa, who kindly crouched to get on the boy’s level.

He smiled. “Really.”

Magic emerged at the Bar Harbor Historical Society’s gingerbread house competition as grown architects leaned toward a gingerbread building to get a better view.

“These are amazing, right?” a woman nearby said.

“Amazing.”

Magic happened when there are women giving tours of Christmas displays at the Southwest Harbor Historical Society’s Manset Meeting House, telling stories of their $5 wedding dress, the Ralph Stanley boat, the figurines that came from down the street and others that came from other continents.

Magic happened at Southwest Harbor’s Harbor House chili festival and craft festival as the smells of chili powder wafted through the building and one crafter proudly explained how her mom set up her table for her.

And who can doubt the magic when Santa hopped off the fire truck in Southwest Harbor to come light the tree and a young fellow who has been standing in the dark, waiting yells out his very important question: Santa, is he on the naughty list?

“You’re on there twice,” Santa bellowed with a mischievous ho-ho-ho. But not to worry . . . not to worry . . . Christmas will still come.

And who can doubt it when people gather next to the Tremont School and students play “Jingle Bell Rock” waiting for Santa to light the trap tree.

And who can doubt it when the YWCA of Mount Desert Island brought in volunteers and presents and helped 100 children both learn the great joy and responsibility of picking out presents for their family members, but also the agency to do that themselves, with the help of a shopper.

“We’ve been offering this event to the community for over forty years,” Abby Robinson has said. “We’re pleased to be able to, thanks to local community members and businesses who help with gifts.”

The Seal Cove Auto Museum in Tremont hosted a holiday open house. The Southwest Harbor-Tremont Ambulance, Southwest Harbor Police Department, Pemetic Elementary School, and the Southwest Harbor Fire Department assisted with a community-wide effort to help replenish local food pantries, culminating in a “Fill an Ambulance” Food Drive on Saturday, December 13.

Two children carrying a box of food donations near an ambulance, with adults nearby, during a community food drive event.
Photo via Southwest Harbor Police Department
A man dressed as Santa Claus rings a bell while interacting with a child wearing a red jacket and a colorful knit hat, inside a cafe with a menu board in the background.
A woman and a young girl wearing festive winter attire, including a red hat and earmuffs, share a joyful moment, with the girl laughing while holding a bowl of food.

“Children see magic because they look for it,” Christopher Moore once wrote.

The thing is that at events like these, adults can look for magic, too. They don’t have to look hard. They can see it in action.

As W.B. Yeats wrote, “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

The magic, too, can be in the memories held in objects and moments created on purpose by kind people in organizations or just happen in the moment a child sees a giant Snoopy and reaches out for a hug or stands gazing up at Disney princess at a Witham Family Charitable Christmas.

Or, it can happen in moments far away from the holidays when a community gets together to feed their neighbors or keep them warm. They raise money and donate food for island food pantries. They chop wood and donate it for the MDI woodbank. Community and magic is built and rebuilt, piece by piece, moment by moment, story by story, action by action. And that?

It’s a special kind of magic.

Santa Claus interacting with children and adults at a holiday event, surrounded by festive decorations and nighttime ambiance.

HARBOR HOUSE AND SOUTHWEST HARBOR’S CELEBRATION AND THE GREAT QUIETSIDE BAKE-OFF

Two participants at a chili cook-off, one smiling with a red pot of chili and the other seated beside a slow cooker, surrounded by various toppings and condiments on a red tablecloth.
Three individuals at a holiday event, one wearing a Santa hat, standing behind a table with a crockpot, serving food.
Two women serving food at a community chili event, with a Christmas tree decorated in the background.

Salted dark chocolate chip cookies from Milagro took first place at the bake-off, which raised $130 for the Common Good this year. The winners donated their prize money. Second place went to Common Good, which made kolaczkis. Next Level’s stuffed red velvet cookies took third.

At the chili cookoff, the hottest competition around, Justin Trotter won best spicy; Anne Trotter won best vegetarian; Peter Trouts won best professional; and Katie Gentile won both best regular and people’s choice.

WITHAM FAMILY CHARITABLE CHRISTMAS

A young girl in a red jacket poses with two women dressed as Elsa and Anna from Frozen in front of a festive background with snowflakes.
Two staff members serving food at the North Pole Cafe surrounded by festive decorations, as excited children and adults wait in line.
A family enjoys a holiday cookie decorating activity at a community event, with children and adults gathered around a table filled with treats and decorations.

We have a much larger story with photos about this here.

YWCA CHILDREN’S BAZAAR

A young boy in a red shirt smiles and holds a piece of paper while looking up at someone off-camera, surrounded by holiday decorations.
A girl wearing a festive elf hat stands next to a boy, as she writes on a piece of paper in a sunlit room filled with plants and decorations.
A woman wearing a festive Santa hat and an apron smiles warmly while interacting with two children, one in a grey hoodie and another with blonde hair, against a backdrop of holiday-themed decorations.

TREMONT TREE LIGHTING

A costumed Santa Claus stands next to a child in winter attire, against a backdrop of decorated lobster traps with colorful lights and ornaments.
A holiday gathering scene with people around a table filled with festive treats and decorations, set against a snowy backdrop.
Children preparing to play music outdoors, with music sheets on stands and winter attire visible.

BAR HARBOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Gingerbread pastry shop model with decorative icing, surrounded by holiday decorations, at a competition.
A young child with light blonde hair and blue eyes hugs a person wearing a black shirt, smiling contentedly. In the background, there are festive decorations and other children and adults enjoying the holiday atmosphere.
A decorated gingerbread house, named 'Devilstone Cottage,' displayed on a table with other gingerbread creations at a holiday event.

In a glorious show of gingerbread innovation and skill, the Bar Harbor Historical Society hosted a gingerbread contest at LaRochelle on West Street while also collecting supplies and donations for the Bar Harbor Food Pantry.

“Devilstone” by Lauren O’Connell and C. Johnston won the adult category. “Enchanted Candy Cottage” by Elam, Sadi, Finn, and Nayel Monaghan won the youth category. “The Patisserie” by Race Parsons won people’s choice.

The judges wanted to give an honorable mention to “Christmas in Hobbiton” by Anna Durand for innovation.

MANSET MEETING HOUSE

Colorful holiday-themed figurines on a green tablecloth, featuring a decorative Santa doll, a hand-painted nesting doll depicting a nativity scene, and small tree ornaments.
Close-up of a vintage doll dressed in red with a surprised expression, resembling a classic Christmas decoration.
A collection of colorful origami peace cranes arranged on a black table, accompanied by a note expressing hopes for peace throughout the world and inviting attendees to take a crane for their tree.

Photos and videos: Carrie Jones/Shaun Farrar/Bar Harbor Story.

There are many more photos over on our Facebook page, which is here.

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