Hansen: Holiday spirit, Laguna-style

Christmas used to be for children. Now, in Laguna, we have seasoned it for adults.

It started a few weeks ago at the Sawdust Festival’s Winter Fantasy, complete with special microbrewed winter beer and Janis Joplin songs.

On Monday, it continued with the free Montage holiday extravaganza, served with well-appointed wine and cured salmon canapés with crème fraiche on toast.

Friday is Hospitality Night, with our own bar in the middle of Forest Avenue, dinner specials and, oh yeah, Santa on a fire truck.

As a dad with kids, I have to admit: THIS IS AWESOME!

While the Winter Fantasys and Hospitality Nights are consistently good, it was this year’s second annual Montage shindig that has completely thrown Laguna Beach over the top when it comes to holiday parties.

There was a giddiness in the air at Montage, as if the royal palace were opened to the public for the first time.

And that’s not far from the truth.

Last year, there were about 1,200 people; this year, it was almost 3,000. Next year, if the Montage keeps serving free crab risotto and succulent bites of hanger steak, they may have to shut down Coast Highway.

On a stunningly beautiful and pleasant evening, the event may have been the largest, five-star public buffet in Southern California.

With understated decorations of white roses and hand-crafted table settings, it was clearly a community event like no other.

“I don’t know about you, but I feel so spoiled,” said a gushing Mayor Toni Iseman, before getting help from dozens of children to light the 50-foot tree, festooned in white lights.

Everyone seemed to sense the elegance of the occasion. Unlike Hospitality Night, there were few hoodies and more outfits, with people dressing like they used to, as if going to grandma’s house for Christmas dinner.

People waited patiently in lines for the food; there was no jostling or stepping on toes. Kids were dressed up as little elves and angels.

While waiting to see a Macy’s-worthy Santa, parents struggled to keep the grass stains off their children’s clothes — not surprising, considering the children were playing on grass that resembles the signature No. 3 green at nearby Monarch Beach Golf Links.

Like many high-end resorts, nothing was out of place, and everything belonged.

The pool was seemingly ringed with fire, courtesy of cream-colored luminarias.

There was carne asada tacos, squash soup, sea salt brownie bites and dried cranberries.

The mulled spiced hot cider was smooth and rich, not bitter.

It’s hard not to fall victim to all this beauty and generosity. It admittedly makes Christmas more sublime than it really is.

It’s as if everyone agreed that just for this one night, it’s OK to splurge. No one is getting hurt. No one is protesting.

The point is, regardless if you are at the Montage, or downtown eating candy-covered apples or at the Sawdust getting wood chips in your shoes, you are invariably smiling because it’s worth it, if only for a time.

The time means something, the start of a new season, a time of giving. That’s all — just as it has for hundreds of years.

So when everyone stands around the big fancy tree or the pepper tree or the art tree, there is always a collective nod of approval, acknowledging that we are on the threshold of a new year.

Which always means we are hopeful for something better.

DAVID HANSEN is a writer and Laguna Beach resident. He can be reached at davidhansen@yahoo.com.