There really are so many things that say “Christmas” to me–homemade cookies and candy, wrapping gifts, caroling etc.   But to me, Christmas is really made special by the people I share it with year after year.

As a young child, Christmas meant gatherings at Pappy and Grandmothers, singing, and sitting on the stairs as we waited to open gifts.  It also meant a Knicely Christmas which was an all-day affair filled with gifts, shopping and playing with the many cousins.

While these extended family gatherings are still an important, fun part of Christmas, I find that now I also look forward to gathering with just my immediate family and sharing a meal and exchanging gifts.  I have thought several times this Christmas about the passage of time and how it changes your perspective on life.  What used to be the best part of Christmas is still good, but not as good as gathering with my family, those that know me best!                                                                                                               -Katie Rohrer

Oh, star of Bethlehem so bright, Ah match the splendor of the night

And shine upon the town

A little Babe doth yonder lie, Beneath a vast and starlit sky

God’s Son, the Christ come down

Come angels now, adore and bless, this chosen son of Righteousness

To God all glory be

Then shepherds come and bow thy head, Before the Christ Child’s lowly bed

This Sovereign Deity

Come one and all, and now draw near, This sacred scene let us revere,

Within our thankful heart.

We yet today may worship too, From ages old- this Babe so new

And love to Him impart.

-Janet Showalter

Photo Credit: Deborah Horst

And I’ve got a new Christmas memory to add to the collection. I am completely enamored with Sky Lanterns right now. I discovered them when I was in Holmes County this fall and decided that would be a great birthday gift for the bro-in-law who has every thing. So, a quick search on Amazon, and there were a number of these fascinating things heading my way. Briefly- they are a miniature hot air balloon with a square piece of candle on the bottom-that you light, and the hot air makes it rise and you watch it until it is out of sight or burns out. I feel like its similar to creating a shooting star in reverse, and I am responsible. 🙂 When we set one off for Sherm’s Birthday, there was a friend coyote hunting at the neighbors and he reported hearing voices, then coyotes going crazy and this weird burning object drifting overhead… I love it- my own UFO 🙂 Emily has never been around whenever I’ve set one off- so… Julia and Sherm came for a Christmas Morning Breakfast right after chores and it was still dark when that was over- so I thought “Now’s my chance” WRONG The wind was blowing and I ended up chasing my own burning UFO through the back yard as it made straightway for our ag bags. FAIL!

So I thought I’d try again that night with the Rhodes family. It was a still crisp night- with no wind. It was dark and I didn’t scout out the area properly- because as soon as our lantern lifted up into the air- it headed straight over into Uncle Fred’s Chinese Elm tree and there it hung- burning brightly, as the men got all excited and shook the tree- causing it to move a little. In the end the helpful Papa Bear found a stick and fired it at our shooting star and pierced the flimsy sidewalls of the lantern… And great was the fall of it. Moral of the story- Chinese Elms and Chinese Lanterns are from the same country(at least I guess they are)- but don’t mix well.. LOL Next year? 🙂

Let your light so shine!!! Enjoy the last few days of 2014. Blessings, Kendra