Bob Lingle (left) and David Card sit in front of Lingle’s Off the Beaten Path Bookstore, which is reviving Lakewood’s traditional Christmas in the Village event after the village government canceled the celebration of local small businesses in part due to the unexpected resignation of former Mayor Cara Birrittieri this fall. The event will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. P-J photo by Eric Zavinski

LAKEWOOD — Lately, Bob Lingle has felt like he’s been inside one of those schmaltzy Hallmark Christmas movies. With the past couple weeks in mind and the upcoming revival of Christmas in the Village to be labeled by some as a Christmas miracle, hyperbole or otherwise, it’s easy to understand why.

Various residents and business owners had expressed their disappointment when the Lakewood Village Board of Trustees officially canceled Christmas in the Village, a celebration of holiday cheer and small business promotion, at the Nov. 13 trustees’ meeting due to a cited lack of planning.

Less than two weeks later, Bob Lingle, owner of the Off the Beaten Path Bookstore at 28 Chautauqua Ave., was talking with his wife Shannon Lingle during Small Business Saturday, during which many lamented the idea of the event not happening, and a spur-of-the-moment idea cropped up: they could run Christmas in the Village themselves.

Little did they know that in less than two weeks’ time since then, more than 15,000 people would learn about the revived event on Facebook, with nearly 700 already displaying their interest. Bob Lingle’s masters of arts degree in integrated marketing communications from St. Bonaventure University seemed to have paid off.

Christmas in the Village will be hosted in Lakewood on Saturday, Dec. 15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with various businesses and vendors populating Chautauqua Avenue and the surrounding area with Christmas treats, deals and general cheer.

“What if we just did something anyways?” Bob Lingle said he and his wife had asked themselves.

An idea turned into commitment and dedication when volunteer David Card helped the Lingle family spread the word about the newly proposed event. Many businesses jumped on board right away; many had already expected to participate if the event had gone according to plan, so joining in was a no-brainer for most local small businesses.

As the figurative advent calendar leaves less than 10 days before the event brightens up Lakewood, carolers from the local United Methodist Church and Santa Claus himself are tentatively scheduled to appear.

Those interested in seeing what the village has to offer can check out the official event page at facebook.com/events/336142263852280/.

Businesses participating so far include: AKS Sign Designs and Marketing, The Shabby Shrub, Group Ther-Happy, Chautauqua Art Gallery, 3 5 8 Productions, Bag & String Wine Merchants, M. Sharp Salon Inc., Straight Fermentations, Ryders Cup Coffee Shop, Jamestown Area Community Federal Credit Union, Craft Burgers & Brews, Lakewood Memorial Library, The Copper Bell, Forge Health and Performance, and Lakewood Apothecary.

These organizations will serve cookies, hot chocolate and special offers including deals, giveaways and discounts for Christmas in the Village attendees. The credit union will provide crafts for kids. Vendors will also provide refreshments and other wares. Pampered Chef will provide food, and Borsari and Piece of Cake will make decorated Christmas cookies. Paparazzi Accessories will carry jewelry; Perfectly Posh will sell body care products; and Drifty Business will show off home accents made out of driftwood. AKS Sign Designs and Marketing plan on making detailed fliers, so those who walk through the event will know what every business has to offer.

Outdoor entertainment will be provided by Sherwood Arts and Team Tree Guys, a group that will show off live chainsaw carving demonstrations and a fundraiser to benefit the Lakewood Memorial Library starting at 11 a.m.

“The businesses and surrounding community refused to let their tradition go away,” Bob Lingle said and thinks is evident by the grassroots movement local businesses have displayed without the need of village government organization.

As a new business owner himself, Bob Lingle is grateful he’s been able to experience some success so far in terms of community involvement and sales, with Small Business Saturday being his store’s most profitable day in recent memory. He’s had a productive year, especially after taking over as owner of Off the Beaten Path in March.

“My hope is to … show the village government this is something the people want to have happen,” Bob Lingle said.

He said the efforts displayed by other local businesses and support given to him and the event by his wife and their children, Harper and Harrison, has been nothing short of encouraging.

Bob and Shannon Lingle actually met each other at a Barnes & Noble store they worked at together and have fostered more than just their love for learning since then. The whole family has dedicated themselves to the area after Bob Lingle became the bookstore’s new owner and Shannon Lingle accepted a special education and mathematics teaching position at Maple Grove Junior/Senior High School.

“It’s been great to see how quickly the businesses in the village have rallied around saving the Christmas in the Village event,” Bob Lingle said.

All four Lakewood Village trustees expressed excitement that Christmas in the Village will brighten up the area after all. They all plan on attending too. Deputy Mayor Ted McCague said it’s great the event can continue as it not only celebrates the holiday season, but also serves as a economic booster for village merchants.

“Now through the leadership of Bob Lingle of Off the Beaten Path Bookstore, the original concept is realized with the merchants leading the event,” McCague said.

Trustee Ellen Barnes thinks that with the grassroots effort of local businesses leading the event, it will be “better than ever.” Trustee Randy Holcomb applauded the initiative shown by the Lingle family as well.

“I’ll look forward to being there to support the event and keeping my spending local,” Trustee Doug Schutte said.