IBERIA PARISH — The day after Thanksgiving, families across Acadiana flocked to Christmas tree lots to kick off the holiday season. For some, it’s a beloved tradition. For others — like Mr. Charles Bonin of New Iberia — the joy comes less from decorating and more from making someone else happy.
“I’m not really a Christmas person,” he said with a laugh. “But my wife will make me be a Christmas person for a while.”
Charles, who was born and raised in New Iberia, moved away for decades before returning to his hometown. After coming back, he reconnected with a familiar face — a woman he’d once seen in a high school yearbook and told himself he’d date someday. Years later, he did exactly that.
Now, he’s on the hunt for a six- or seven-foot tree to brighten her holiday.
“This one might be a little flat on one side, but that’s fine — it’s going against the wall,” he said.
While Charles doesn’t care much for the lights or ornaments, he and his wife have a holiday tradition of their own. Every year, they assemble small goody bags for friends, neighbors, and the local shop owners they’ve come to know well. It’s their way of showing appreciation during the season.
“We don’t mind giving,” Charles said. “We don’t need much ourselves.”
For him, the tree isn’t the centerpiece of Christmas — togetherness is. And if picking out the perfect tree brings his wife joy, that’s all he needs.
