What could be more festive than entering another world dedicated to a time and place when and where the Christmas tradition began?

For the seventh year an enclave is being put together with great skill and effort by a team of local volunteers... and it’s once again transforming Sooke Baptist Church into a sort of shrine for the yule tide season.

Here is your invitation to take in the 2008 Bethlehem Walk – set to run Saturday to Monday, December 6, 7 and 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Walking through the doors is like a mini-holiday, a chance to escape your modern concerns if only for a little while.

Credit for the idea of the local celebration goes to former Sooke Baptist parishoner Margaret Stephen who passed away three years ago and dwells in the fond memories of Walk organizers.

The response to the annual Bethlehem Walk has been growing as the years go by and if it were possible, the event itself could very well grow accordingly. But the project has used up every square inch of available space with the 40 stalls that fill the church sanctuary.

Walking through the prepared premises a visitor has no impression of being anywhere other than a cramped and busy old time street scene.

The construction and decorating are first rate, same with the costumes and commitment of the volunteers. It’s an animated, good-time atmosphere from start to finish and the stalls are decked out to resemble businesses of the day.

Sooke Baptist Church secretary Gaye Patterson says the attraction got started some years ago and the first version was housed in the cozy confines of the Baptist Church’s previous location across from Home Hardware on Anna Marie Road. The next year tents were used, something that looked good on paper. Patterson said no one was sorry to see the end of that plan as much as they appreciated the donated shelters. As it turned out, a cold wind all but blew the tents right off the property. The tents were unavailable the next year and that was just as well, as the decision was made to move indoors.

Folks representing all five Christian churches in the community take part in putting the whole thing together. The scene is Roman-adminstered Bethlehem a little more than 2,000 years ago. There’s more happening than usual as there is a census underway.

Visitors from across the south Island make their way to the local Bethlehem Walk. A similar event is also held in Parksville... and from time to time in Central Saanich.

Reviews of these efforts are not available but it’s a fact as many as 2,200 have filed through the local facility over the three-day run. The average is 1,500 to 1,800.

A special feature of the event is the choosing of a baby to play the starring role.

This year the honour goes to Riley Ridewood who was born October 4 in an ambulance outside Victoria General.

The Bethlehem Walk is free, fun, festive and first-class. There’s likely to be a choir singing at the front end and hot chocolate to enjoy in the cool night air outside near the manger at the finish. See if it doesn’t enhance your Christmas season.