Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! Yes, with the Christmas holiday falling on Wednesday, The News is out two days early this week which means you could be reading this on Christmas eve.

We are publishing the paper as if everyone will see it before Christmas, but we know lots of people won’t read it before Christmas. But, I’m still using this space to wish all our readers and advertisers (who hopefully are also readers) a very merry Christmas and happy holiday season.

I know in year’s past there’s been some hullaballoo about whether to say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays or what. I think both are appropriate. I certainly believe we are celebrating the birth of our Savior, but soon after, we celebrate the end of one year and arrival of a new year. There’s two holidays in there. So happy holidays seems to encompass more than Christmas. For me, it’s merry Christmas and happy new year all wrapped up in one. I also know some people observe other holidays that I’m not real familiar with such as Hanukkah, which I believe has been celebrated longer than Christmas has.

Then there’s other holidays such as Kwanzaa which has not been around nearly as long. And, who knows, there may be others not familiar to my culture, but still important in other cultures.

And as for my culture, there are some who believe Christianity is the only religion, but I personally respect those who believe differently than me.

Christmas is steeped in tradition, and I think that’s what makes it so special…as well as making it so difficult when trials occur at Christmastime. I love the traditions, even if sometimes I have to be reminded of some. Like, my kids and I enjoy fondue on Christmas eve. I enjoy stuffing stockings…and buying for that stuffing. I spend way to much money on toiletries, candy, nuts and fruit which we all get in our stockings.

I love the tradition of putting up the nativity scene first thing when I begin my Christmas decorating. I don’t want to forget the reason for the season, so I start off with that, and it’s a constant reminder of why we’re doing all this craziness.

I say craziness cause there’s just not a lot of free time in my everyday schedule now. And, so then we add shopping and wrapping, baking (and eating), parties and celebrations. And sometimes it becomes overwhelming.

Many years ago the Presbyterian church offered a series on Christmas where we could look inside ourselves and learn to prioritize and therefore enjoy the season more. Problem is, I had a health emergency and was unable to attend the group sessions so I haven’t learned my lesson.

I spent hours Saturday baking before the whole family got together on Sunday for Christmas. It was fun but also tiring. I do have a half dozen different kinds of cookies to share, but they’re disappearing fast (many into my tummy…and we have a holiday from exercise. Not good.)

And I’ll be wrapping Christmas eve..it happens every year. But now two days before Christmas, most everything is done, and I can relax and enjoy, maybe take in a Christmas movie. I hope you can too.

So for now, I bid everyone a very merry Christmas, and good tidings for the new year.