Christmas at the North Pointe Lighthouse

Yesterday evening I visited Mr. and Mrs. Granger for the annual lighting of the North Pointe lighthouse. This neighborly couple operate the lighthouse on the Coast of Despair several miles outside of Tamworth on Tide, and have done so for the last twenty seven years. Mr. Granger was just finishing up with the last of the Christmas lights around the garage when I arrived. The couple turned them on for the first time just as dusk was settling in. It was a quiet, simple ceremony. Mr. Granger said, “Are we ready?” To which Mrs. Granger replied, “Just get on with it,” and the deed was done.

Every Friday and Saturday evening until January 1 the Grangers open the lighthouse walkway to visitors wanting to experience something truly unique. Visitors are welcome to call at the house between 5:30 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. Mrs. Granger will greet you at the door with a welcoming “Come on in, You’ll catch your death out there!” She will lead you to the walkway between the house and the light house and invite you to climb the stairway to the top for a scenic view of the Sea of Solace.

“Stay as long as you like,” she'll say. “When you’re done, come back down for a warm before you leave. You’ll want to try my hot cocoa and mincemeat pies as well. Guaranteed to brighten even the darkest winter mood.”

Laughter fills the Granger home every weekend during the holiday season as people stop by for an adventure into the lighthouse and a nice cupper and pie afterwards. The front parlor will always be full. Sometimes groups get so large Mrs. Granger opens the kitchen and the family room.

Last night people started arriving shortly after the lights came on - drawn from the highway by the lights and the sign Mr. Granger nailed to the lighthouse's mailbox inviting all to stop. I stayed longer than I had planed. Visiting the Lighthouse and the Grangers was like stepping back to a time when Christmas was simpler. At 9:00 P.M. I excused myself, explaining I had a long drive ahead of me to Cloverdale. I left with a baggie full of mincemeat pies and my thermos full of cocoa.

Every season, the Grangers serve hundreds and hundreds of pies to hundreds and hundreds of visitors. Spending time at the North Pointe Lighthouse has turned into a holiday tradition for many local families. If you’re looking for an nostalgic adventure into Christmas's past. I invite you to visit the Grangers and the North Pointe Lighthouse.