Bob Christenson :" I'm not a card carrying Christian but I still enjoy the spirit of Christmas, the smiling, sharing,and caring. I also still want to find that Red Ryder BB gun under the tree one day. Am I wrong?"

Bob, I had a Daisy when I was a kid and managed not to knock out any of the neighborhood windows. I wonder if there is a 5 day waiting period for BB guns these days?

Nick

Clonnie Yearout:

Got to get to work.  When I get home in the morning I'll only be responsible for working a normal 40 hour week like the rest of you guys. 

Do any of you feel less secure today than yesterday?  Are you stressed with concern about the ability of our public servants to provide the services needed to protect us?  Well there is really good reason for those uneasy feelings today.  Unless he was pressed into extended service on his last day of work, Clonnie should be retired by now!!!!

Congratulations Clonnie, hope you enjoy the easy life of retirement.  Of course I would anticipate a sizable increase in posts to VoV now that you have all the spare time on your hands.  Dave may have to retire in order to keep up with the responses.

We look forward to your future comments from retirement, but do sympathize with Mrs. Yearout since you will be around the house a lot more!!!  And I really do hope the EMS folks are able to recover from the loss and continue to provide the good, dependable service they are known for.

Edward Lyons:

It is a selfish, crass & deadbeat society that depends on milking its income from the memory of a poor couple, far from home, with nowhere to stay except a barn, & the poor lady about to give birth. They spend on lavish parties, & bribing their maleducated offspring, while 4 billion earthlings living on less than a dollar a day, lie in the dark, sleepless, hungry, & itching from bugbites.

Instead of splurging on the traditional Potlatch, Americans should be asking themselves what we can offer the rest of the world, instead of asking what we can get out of them. Or just keep trifling with God & praying for money, if we want to learn what it means to be poor for real.

Edward,

Excellent post! Your focus on the reason for the season is an important reminder during this commercial season that begins earlier and earlier each year. Your advice for how to treat others is spot on and inspiring--for this season and the entire year!  

Deb 

Robin Hinrichs:

I plan to spend about the same, or maybe a little more.  But not on buying items for family and friends that are given just for the sake of giving a gift.  My plan this year is to try and give back.  So I will be donating to local entities that have seen a huge drop on contributions.  Places like Bradley Free Clinic, Ram House, The Arts Council, and the Roanoke Symphony, to name but a few.  All of these organizations have made huge contributions to our quality of life here in the valley.  They give us the gift of health, safety, food and beauty. And now they all are in need of help.  The economy has caused havoc for them as well as our friends, neighbors and loved ones.  I would hope that besides giving a few personal gifts to close friends, all of us would consider giving to any of our local organizations.  It doesn't matter to which one, or how much.  It will come back to us in spades.

 Beautifully said Robin!

It is a sad commentary on our culture that the second most important holiday for Christians and a very important holiday for Jews has become little more than a frenzied shopping spree that leaves us neither fulfilled nor happy. We bow to the appeal of retailers and stress to buy things as gifts that are frequently unneeded and unwanted, only to face the additional stress of paying for them when the bills come due in January.

Rather than focus on how much we plan to spend on each other, let's focus on how much we can and will give, both of our money and ourselves, to help those less fortunate than we. In our current economic environment the need is even greater than in recent years. Let's redirect our attention to helping the homeless, the unemployed, and others struggling to meet their needs. In the words of Jesus, the true reason for the season, "In as much as you did it unto one of these...you did it unto me." We can help fill these needs by seeking opportunities for direct involvement or though the many charities that are struggling to respond to the increased needs.

Yes I will give gifts this year, but they will be modest and will not be at a level that will cause me added stress when the bills come in January. Will I spend more or less than last year? I have no idea. I will promise to focus more on my gifts to my church and to charities that are seeking to improve the lives of those less fortunate than on my gifts to family or friends who really don't need them. I believe this is the way to know the true peace of Christmas.

Gibson Brown:

Love of our Creator, love of family, love of friends, and grasping why the ultimate gift one can pray for is world peace. Merry Christmas is not found in a store. Merry Christmas is found in the sparkling eyes of those we love. One can't purchase the true meaning of Christmas, so keep purchased gifts simple, and the charge card in the wallet. Make our Creator proud, give the gift of love freely, and be thankful for the many blessings so easily taken for granted. Gip

This may be your best post ever Gip! Your message and the way it was written were superb.

Luanne Traud:

We enter the holiday shopping season with mixed reports on the economy and consumer confidence. Will you be spending more or less than in recent years?   

Regardless of the state of the economy, our holiday tradition has been (with a few exceptions) a competition between friends and family to see who can create the most alarming gifts out of "nothing."  Armed with supplies from local thrift shops, we challenge our creativity to delight (or dismay) recipients with our "masterpieces."

Because my children are scattered around the country, the only big ticket holiday item is airfare.  And happily, no one wants anything other than the opportunity to spend time together. 

We reserve a day over Thanksgiving for Santa's workshop.  This year we'll decorate gift soap with photos of notables (Tiny Tim, Magnum PI, Joe McCarthy, etc.) adhered to the bars with paraffin.  And exquisite candlesticks made from discarded dentures - Voila!  Thanks to skills learned at a wonderful workshop at the Taubman Museum, I'll teach the little ones how to sculpt with plastic wrap and packing tape.

Special friends and I treasure our ongoing Christmas competition.  We search Goodwills year-round to find ingredients for the "perfect" gifts (often of questionable taste).  Last year I received a pocketbook fashioned out of a rubber chicken.  In turn, my friends were undoubtedly disquieted to find a wreath (festively decorated with greens, holly, ribbon, and a bleached cow skull) adorning their front door.  One of my children sent me a Masai warriors' pillow while she was working in Nairobi. Friends have received Russian cookbooks (in Russian of course) which I brought home from Kyrgyzstan several years ago.  Misprinted doormats were (un)coveted - but always joyfully received - gifts until our Orvis Outlets closed. Am now working on transforming an old cowboy boot from the Rescue Mission thrift store into an elegant vase. It's the thought that counts - and it's only one of the reasons that this is our favorite season of the year!

E. Duane Howard:

For years now I have been giving out Apple Butter made at an orchard in Stuarts Draft.

I make hundreds of sour dough sugar cookies.  Then the real fun begins in creating a gift arrangement, having laid out everything that had been purchased through out the year. I try to select a container and make an arrangement that is befitting the personality of the person it is being created for.  Yes, it is very time consuming, but it allows me to share the joy of the season with far more neighbors and friends than I could otherwise do.

 

I think receiving a gift that is made, be it arts and craft or better yet, something home baked, is one the best gifts one can share with family and friends for Christmas. All said and done, a hug, kiss or smile from a love one or good freinds means far more than all the gifts money could buy. 

 E. Duane - Your friends and family are blessed through your thoughtfulness. I enjoyed reading your post. We honor the Christmas season best by giving genuine gifts from the heart such as those you prepare. I like the fact that you enjoy and take great care in planning your gifts for others. Deb  

Sandy Light:

...we challenge our creativity to delight (or dismay) recipients with our "masterpieces."

Sandy - I enjoyed reading the story of your creative gift traditions. What fun!

Cheri Hartman:

Topping our list:  the gift of bringing a great grandchild from Rhode Island to Roanoke so an ailing 91 year old can reach across the ages to kiss the first baby in the newest Hartman generation.   The gift of time being the most precious this season.  Time to share our love, laughter, memories. 

 Cheri - What a great post and a special holiday for your family.

Bob Terry:

He should not even see his food being pushed into his darkened cell.

Luanne Traud:

We enter the holiday shopping season with mixed reports on the economy and consumer confidence. Will you be spending more or less than in recent years?

Dr. Dave..."I thought about buying all my family members and friends copies of Sarah Palin's book for Christmas, but then I figured they'd probably all have their own autographed copy anyway.  Maybe some ammo, bottled water, canned vegetables, batteries, and other survival supplies would be good Christmas presents."

Dave, I enjoy your shock humor. Sarah Palin is "unique", should be a fair statement. That, and she is fairly curvy and easy on the eyes. Especially when standing beside a McCain-looking politician. The media seems put out by her, yet they will print article after article, newscast after newscast, telling why she is not worthy of being reported on. As to the ammo and survival supplies you are considering wrapping as gifts this year...did you get a phone call? Or, am I right you like the shock humor thing too? Hope it's the latter. Gip