Before we left for vacation, I had my heart set on going to Kingston’s traditional Snowflake Festival. Growing up in the city, the holiday season always felt spectacular but never truly personal or cozy. When I first went to the Snowflake Festival, it was a totally different feeling — like stepping into a small-town holiday movie. There were the lights, the hot chocolate served from the fire station, kids performing onstage while their parents mouthed the words to their songs. We bumped into Jim’s students, and some friendly faces. It’s the kind of event that makes you feel rooted in a community.

So when Jim told me that the same Friday also happened to be the first wrestling meet of the season at Kingston High School, I hesitated. He was excited to see his old team compete — Jim coached the team for three years before stepping back this season — but I didn’t want to miss the festival. We settled on a compromise: we’d catch the meet and head to the festival afterward.

I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic as I took my seat in the gym. My back was still sore from shoveling snow earlier in the day, and sitting on the hard bleachers didn’t help. But as the evening went on, I started to feel differently.

The gym was buzzing with activity. Families, teachers and neighbors filled the stands, chatting and cheering for the wrestlers. Jim still keeps up with his former wrestlers, their stories and their progress as wrestlers, even now that he’s no longer their coach. It’s the kind of dedication to mentoring that doesn’t disappear when you step away from the role.

Behind us, a family with three young kids were watching the matches. The parents explained that their two boys are little balls of energy, and they do just about any sport they can get their hands on. The little girl turned the bleachers into her personal monkey bars, so she wasn’t too different. The boys have started wrestling and came to the match to learn from the high schoolers. The 8-year-old who goes to Midtown Jiu-Jitsu in Kingston, pointed out a wrestler on the varsity team. “I know Ben!” he exclaimed, clearly proud to recognize one of the “big kids” from the gym. It was a small moment, but it highlighted something bigger: how important modeling is to the little kids in our community.

Later, Coach Malachy (MAL-uh-kai) Silva, founder of Midtown Jiu-Jitsu in Kingston, stopped by to say hello. We had heard his name from a few of Jim’s students before. They rave about this guy. “Coach Malachy” grew up in the Hudson Valley and came back with a deep commitment to serve this community after 20 years in Los Angeles where he last co-managed the gym of the renown Renzo Gracie. The two talked about kids they had both coached and shared stories of their progress the way only guys can do (half of the conversation was between the lines).

Both Jim and Coach Malachy saw their share of trouble as young men and now share a commitment to guiding boys toward becoming strong, positive, self-assured adults — not just in athletics but in life. It takes time, patience, and a commitment to the community that is nothing short of impressive.

For me, the highlight of the night was the heavyweight match. Noah, a wrestler we’ve watched grow over the years, won his match. Afterward, he came up to say hello, his face glowing with pride. “Are you proud of yourself?” Jim asked. “I am,” Noah replied, his grin saying everything.

The meet ended at 8 p.m., much too late to go to the Snowflake Festival. Walking out of the gym that evening, I was a little disappointed, but then I realized I’d found the holiday spirit — not at the Snowflake Festival, but in a sweaty high school gym. It’s not about the decorations or the nostalgia of seasonal events. It’s about showing up for one another, whether it’s at a wrestling meet, a classroom, or a neighborhood gathering. Sometimes, the holiday spirit isn’t something you plan for — it’s something you create with your community.

Barbara Magnoni and Jim Rich are subscribers, and co-founders of the Hudson Valley Plant Exchange, living in Kingston. Rich is a coach and health teacher at Kingston High School. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer; they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Kingston Wire Editorial Team.