Somerville Heroes by Stephanie Hirsch

Thank you this month to residents who helped make the holiday season magical. Some invented or carried on traditions, and some shared stories through different types of holiday displays. Thanks are also due to those people who had to work extra hard this season while many of us took breaks.
Here are a few signs of the season from around town…

Home decorations ranged from the simple bow on a fence or string of lights on a bicycle on Berkeley, to homes like this one on Church Street, which was lit up on every corner.
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On Willow Ave, residents Teresa McGowan and Rob Auffrey incorporated a chicken coop to display a nativity theme. The scene, which they call the “Three Wise Hens Nestivity” got its start like this…
“We try to do something different for Christmas decorations,” Rob said. “One year, our lighted bike became a stop on the Illuminations Tour.” This year, Teresa wanted the theme to be chickens, because she keeps hens in their backyard. Nothing came to mind until Teresa started decorating their house, and Rob suddenly thought of using an old chicken coop and decorating it likewise.

During the decorating they realized that the inspiration was actually to create a Nativity scene in the coop, and the chickens Rob had envisioned in the yard should represent the three wise men. With the addition of plush stuffed toy chickens, and findings from Michael’s in Porter Square, the Nestivity was complete!
Neighbors and passersby have been enjoying the display since its arrival. The photo below is from neighbor (and local photographer extraordinaire) Jeanine Farley.
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On Kidder Ave., the home of Todd Kaplan and Rivkah Lapidus has a display that Todd explains “retells the story of the Maccabees’ resistance to Greek rule and the Greeks’ attempts to wipe out any religious observance, which is the heart of the story of Hanukkah.”
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And finally, in the Spring Hill neighborhood, each year at the holidays, the Houghton family continues a meaningful family tradition. They decorate the dedication at Colonel Charles Houghton Square with a Christmas Tree and lights. Colonel Houghton, and his wife Agnes who had immigrated from Belfast, were the patriarch and matriarch of a large group of Somerville residents and their families. The Houghton kids and their own families have been important contributors to our community in different ways. The children of Charles and Agnes include Maureen Foster, Sheila Tracy, and Kathleen, Charles, Brenda, Mary, and the late Rita Houghton, who was a long-time Somerville Schools teacher.
Kathleen Houghton, who just retired after 40 years of working on disability recreation with the District and City, shared the story. She and her siblings grew up with her parents near Houghton Square on Spring Street, and Kathleen still lives there today with two sisters. Their large family decorates the memorial for important family events, like weddings and baptisms. “After a family wedding,” Kathleen said, “The couple takes a picture with their grandfather’s sign, usually decorated with flowers.”
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Charles Houghton was an honored WWII Colonel assigned to track down Nazis trying to escape being brought to account for war crimes. After his military service, he contributed locally, “advocating for education and recreation programs for children with disabilities,” Kathleen said. His daughter Mary’s cerebral palsy showed him the need, but he advocated for all kids.
The descendants of Charles and Agnes continue to serve our community in so many ways. Within their big family are a former School Committee member, a City Treasurer, firefighters, advocates for special education and inclusion for children and adults with disabilities, teachers, people working on the front line of addiction and recovery, and more.
And one last shout out is due to the many people who have to work extra hard during the holiday season. Amber Rose Osiris’s picture of her husband Josue’s UPS delivery route made that point perfectly! Our skipped trips to the mall are extra stops for Josue on his route. Thank you!
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