Getting ready for the JOYS of Christmas!!

Judy E. Bushy

Now comes the fun time, the month of December!! Oh yes, the evenings will be dark sooner, and we may be colder and could even have snow. But that is nothing compared to the glorious fun and celebration of the babe of Bethlehem’s birth a couple thousand years ago!! This is a joyous time, when we celebrate peace, hope, love and faith.

Christmas Decorating
Some of my neighbors have brightened up the dark December nights with absolutely beautiful Christmas decorations. Doug and Jeanne Goodwin had their home all lit already with lights all around the porch, Santa and his sleigh around a little stump-house in the front yard, and I absolutely love the giant gingerbread person!! Gingerbread was a favorite from way back but always put off eating it because it was so cute!!

Right across the road from Godwin’s, Greg was out putting out their Christmas decorations this weekend too! After you cross the Elk Creek Bridge down on Curly Jack Road, those two homes are always the most festive and brighten the evening as Christmas draws closer!!

Christmas Trees!
The news said the other day that more people are looking for real, live Christmas tree’s this year. They may have had artificial trees in the past year, but this year the demand is definitely higher sooner than it has been for real tree’s. I know that many of my neighbors were hoping to find real live, still living trees, that they could plant and help to heal our forest. The awful views of blackened trees in the area’s where the Slater Fire cause such a sad scene!! Planting trees is on everyone’s mind!

There was more decorating on the Tree in front of the U.S Forest Service District office for Happy Camp last week as well. Mountain Enterprises and Home Depot helped out in the decorating the tree. With Covid we won’t be able to gather around the tree, but the Parade will gather at Kingfisher about five o’clock. At 5:30 those watching the parade will be parked along the route to the Forest Service where the Tree will be lit. You can watch that from your car as well. Then there will be a drive through arranged so that Santa can talk to the kids, and have something to give them as well.

Christmas Activities
Many of our activities that bring warm family remembrances! Remember making popcorn balls and watching a television special of your favorite movie. What is your favorite holiday movie? “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”? “A Christmas Story”? “It’s a Wonderful Life?” “A Charlie Brown Christmas” or another Christmas special?

Perhaps caroling would be allowed with 6’ distances outside. Love singing carols, but need a group to cover my voice! Wouldn’t it be fun to have a hayride caroling like we did years ago!! Perhaps the kids can put on a Nativity pageant (on zoom?) They could probably figure it out better than us oldsters!!

Nothing against baking and decorating Christmas cookies, fruitcake! wE CAN DO all sorts of fun things!
What are you planning to celebrate Jesus’ birthday? Let the month of Joy begin!!