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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Nothing says Merry Christmas quite like an old water heater decorated with lights and ornaments and dropped on your front lawn in the middle of the night.</p><p>At least it&#8217;s a tradition that has helped celebrate the best time of the year in Kingston for the last 34 years.</p><p>And it happened this past Tuesday, when the Kingston Christmas Water Heater was ceremoniously presented to Anthony and Rebecca Dicton on Gibson Avenue.</p><p>The entire process is worth examining. It&#8217;s a modern day legend that has left 34 families as members of a unique fraternity. Without conducting any extensive research, I would venture to say the beloved and treasured Kingston Christmas Water Heater is one of a kind when it comes to holiday traditions.</p><p>Based on that assumption, Anthony and Rebecca Dicton must surely feel quite proud of that sparkling, (approximate) 50-gallon Christmas decoration adorning their corner lot for the next three weeks or so.</p><p>And the rules clearly state the water heater must remain in place for the duration of the holiday season and it must be lit by 8 each night and remain lit through the night until early morning, preferably 8 a.m.</p><p>This tradition was carried out on a Tuesday evening, just a few days after another coveted award was presented &#8212; college football&#8217;s Heisman Trophy. I don&#8217;t know for sure, but the selection process for both awards &#8212; the Heisman and the Kingston Christmas Water Heater &#8212; are conducted in similar manners.</p><p>I have never attended either prestigious gathering, but I am fairly certain the water heater process goes something like this.</p><p>The committee, which is made up (I think) of all previous winners, plus a few selected dignitaries, decides to meet on a particular cold evening in a garage somewhere in or near Kingston. It has to be in an area where there is enough parking to handle the SUVs, pickup trucks and other vehicles.</p><p>And the place must be reasonably heated. Food is probably served and, perhaps, a few adult beverages are consumed. (I&#8217;m guessing.) At some point, a designated leader calls the meeting to order and nominations are offered from the floor. Once the nominations are over, a discussion is held regarding the qualifications of each nominee &#8212; in other words, who is most deserving, or who do they want to bestow this honor on this year.</p><p>After some debate, at times a bit spirited, the winner is announced. Then, group members don their apparel and head to their vehicles. Most go directly to the selected site, while a few others stand in the back of a pickup with the water heater and parade up and down the streets of Kingston.</p><p>At a pre-determined time, they arrive at the site and proceed to carry the water heater to the lawn of the designated recipient. The water heater lights are plugged in and the doorbell is rung &#8212; and rung and rung until the people inside are awakened and somewhat reluctantly come down to see what the heck is going on.</p><p>It is at this magic moment they open the door to see about 40 people singing a few Christmas carols in front of the Kingston Christmas Water Heater. Usually, this is when the recipients tear up and begin to get emotional.</p><p>Anthony and Rebecca Dicton were awakened Tuesday evening and graciously came out to accept their awesome award. Their two children wisely remained asleep inside.</p><p>The tradition began in 1984, when plumber John McGlynn replaced a water heater for his friend, the late Tom Lahart, on Loveland Avenue. When Lahart didn&#8217;t pay a $10 fee to remove the old one, McGlynn decided to leave it on Lahart&#8217;s lawn. He and some friends would go back the next night and decorate it as a Christmas joke, and a local legend was born. </p><p>When Rebecca Dicton was told they would have to keep it for another year if they didn&#8217;t live up to the rules, she vowed to comply, adding, &#8220;We don&#8217;t want it for another year.&#8221;</p><p>And that&#8217;s the essence of this tradition &#8212; it is a presentation that is anticipated every year by residents of Kingston who wonder if they will be chosen. Then when they are bestowed the honor, they can&#8217;t wait for it to be over.</p><p>It&#8217;s better than the leg lamp in the movie &#8220;A Christmas Story.&#8221; Take a drive by and check it out.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Bill O&#8217;Boyle </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Columnshot-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Bill O&#8217;Boyle </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_IMG_1490-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A group poses with the Kingston Christmas Water Heater last week after it was awarded to the Dicton family. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_IMG_1490-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>A group poses with the Kingston Christmas Water Heater last week after it was awarded to the Dicton family. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle, or email at boboyle@www.timesleader.com.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Beyond the Byline: Honoring the Kingston Christmas Water Heater