BUCHANAN, Va. – A unique tradition in Buchanan is honoring a difficult time in history while also getting the town into the Christmas spirit.
Hundreds of empty gallon milk and water jugs with candles in them line Main Street in Buchanan on Christmas Eve.
They’re called luminaries.
More than a dozen volunteers spent about 45 minutes Tuesday afternoon setting out the jugs.
The candles were lit just as the sun began to set.
The collection of jugs starts in August, with a large part of the collection effort done by students at Buchanan Elementary School.
This tradition started back in 1985, which many people will remember as the year of the historic flood.
The flood left many people in the town without water, so people from around the area brought residents gallon jugs of water.
That year, a town resident came up with the idea to re-purpose some of the gallon jugs of water.
“Her goal was to have the town known as the town that glows with love," community development planner Harry Gleason said. "We kind of gave a rebirth to this project in 1995 as part of our revitalization activities. We’ve really poor people throughout the community together.”
The event is something to look forward to every year, he said.
“It’s beautiful to see by car, but it’s really magical if you were able to walk the sidewalks. It’s a half mile display, from beginning to end, of luminaries and it’s really special because it’s very quiet and then you’ll hear the church bells ringing,” Gleason explained.
The jugs will be collected Dec. 25.
Anyone wanting to help can meet on Main Street at 9 a.m.