Blair Street in Martinsburg Celebrates '12 Days of Christmas'

Residents of Blair Street in Martinsburg are once again proudly displaying the popular "The Twelve Day of Christmas."

Each house on the one-block-long street is showing in the front yard cutouts of one of the "gifts" given by "my true love" in the popular carol.

Figurines include the following: a partridge in a pear tree; two turtle doves; three French hens; four calling birds; five golden rings; six geese a-laying; seven swans a-swimming; eight maids a-milking; nine drummers drumming; 10 pipers piping; 11 ladies dancing; and 12 fiddlers fiddling.

In addition, there is a large welcome sign in one of the yards that reads "The Families of Blair St. Present The Twelve Days of Christmas."

The display was created in 1969 by Blair Street residents. Susan (Hite) Grabel, a Central High School sophomore and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hite of 100 Blair St., designed the characters that were traced on to wood. Men who lived on Blair Street cut the characters out of wood, and everyone helped with the painting.

Following a popular response in the first year, the Blair Street display has become a fixture during the Christmas season.

Blair Street residents welcome those traveling the street to see the portrayed Christmas song. They urge motorists to enter their street by Mulberry Street and to exit by Wineland Street, so that the characters are seen in the order recorded in the song.

To find Blair Street, turn north on Mulberry Street from East Allegheny Street. Go two blocks and negotiate the "dog leg" in Mulberry Street at Christiana Street, and keep going north on Mulberry one short block and turn right onto Blair Street. Drive slowly. The figures are on both sides of the street.

The display will be lighted each night from 5 to 10 o'clock.