By Brandon Dietert
2017 Chair of the Board
The Christmas Spirit Flowing
The Christmas season in New Braunfels is a special time of year that centers around some amazing events that are part of the reason that New Braunfels is such a special place to live, work and play. These activities bring out the small town charm and “Rockwell-like” family moments that warm the heart and help bring our community together. The first of these events is the Downtown Tree Lighting and the arrival of Santa Claus; this event gets everyone in the mood for Christmas and is fun for all ages.
Wassailfest is the largest of our community’s Christmas events because it brings thousands of people to downtown to visit our local businesses, try some wassail, shop, visit and enjoy the season. This year was extra special since we had the added excitement of several inches of snow the likes of which we had not seen since the snow of 1985. The Christmas spirit flowing thru our downtown that night was special and will be remembered for years to come.
If these two events didn’t get the spirt of Christmas flowing in you then one of the following definitely will…Weihnachtsmarkt, Caroling on the Plaza and The Downtown Christmas Parade. These many events make our community the place that people want to visit and live. I firmly believe that the many civic events we have throughout the year are one of the many reasons why New Braunfels is growing so quickly. People come to our events and have so much fun that they want to be part of the excitement and join our family.
On a completely different note, Christmas also brings to an end my year as Chair of the Board for the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce. This experience is one I will never forget. This year has been a whirlwind at times due to all the events and activities that we participate in but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. It has been an honor and pleasure to serve in this position to help make New Braunfels a thriving city of economic growth and prosperity. Working together with our amazing staff, civic leaders and elected officials we have strived to make New Braunfels a better place with opportunities and success for all.
New Braunfels has had some exciting things happen this year and with the loop construction beginning and the development at Veramendi starting to get off the ground, the excitement and opportunities will continue. I think we really did “link community and business success” in 2017. I look forward to celebrating 2017 at the 99th Chamber banquet next January 26 and “balancing success” in 2018.
Enjoy your time with family and friends this holiday season and remember how blessed we are to have the opportunities we have in New Braunfels…Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!