How do we know it’s Christmas season? The tree is up in the living room (since November 30). The outdoor lights are shining on our bushes.
The family advent calendar that Ruth made for 1971 is on the wall and we are on day #19. Each day this month Ben has been removing a felt decoration from it’s pocket and pinning it to the felt tree with burlap background.
There are some dozen nativity scenes around the kitchen and living room, some of clay, others of wood, paper, glass, or other materials. Christmas cards have been mailed; many more have been arriving. The elementary school presented its Christmas concert; presents have been purchased and many have been wrapped. Cranberry bread mini-loaves have been baked and readied for distribution. Last Sunday afternoon, Santa rode down our street on the fire truck, distributing boxes of animal crackers.
And once again news media reports the ongoing religious-secular debate: “Don’t take Christ out of Christmas!” “Don’t impose your religion on everyone!” and so on. The debate has hit our hometown this year when one local church wanted to offer a “living nativity” on the lawn in front of its building. Unfortunately, it shares the lawn with the Town Hall; indeed, the space was donated by the church to the town years ago. Because the town owns the shared “green” the selectmen decided to “play it safe” and forbid the use of the green for the living nativity on Christmas Eve.
Town residents Ken and Ambia Smith then offered their property for the living nativity, and since the home is located part way between the several community churches, all the churches are now supporting the event.
The economy “needs” Christmas. Our home “needs” Christmas – it’s a tradition. Do you and I need Christmas? In what way?
Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most. ~Ruth Carter Stapleton
Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder
People can’t concentrate properly on blowing other people to pieces if their minds are poisoned by thoughts suitable to the twenty-fifth of December. ~Ogden Nash
If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? ~Bible; Hebrews 7:11
