Good people, I pray you, tell us the news*

by chuckofish

It’s going to be a busy weekend. Son James is coming home to help us trim our tree and get into the spirit of Christmas. I’ve been wrapping presents steadily and easing the decorations into place a few at a time. The house is beginning to look festive!

Snowmen have taken up residence among the family photos,

and John Wayne awaits the arrival of the tree.

I like seeing him there so much that I may return him to that spot after Christmas.

Today I’ll dig out the Christmas books. Obviously, the Bible is the place to start reading about Christmas, and I don’t have to go looking for a copy, but I’m also in the mood for some fiction. If you’re looking for Christmas-themed reading, I’d recommend The Bird’s Christmas Carol, though it is a tearjerker. You can download a pdf if you don’t have a copy. Here you can find links to a very rich assortment of Christmas stories and novels. I confess that I haven’t read most of them, and that’s good because I want to read some new (old) stories.

Amid the hustle and bustle, give some thought to what Norman Vincent Peele said: “I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story, singing the Christmas songs, and living the Christmas spirit, we can bring joy and happiness and peace to the world.” Sure, he was an optimist but he was right. As Covid restrictions shut down churches and Christmas festivities, we can’t take Christmas for granted anymore and our celebrations will have to be deliberate. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing after all.

*Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Three Kings”