By Debbie Bond
Merry Christmas everyone! Can you believe it’s time to celebrate again! To everyone who still has shopping to do, before I go any further I want to remind everyone to shop locally, keep your money in your area. Second, please pass it on, meaning do an act of kindness and show generosity for someone less fortunate. Be it just paying for the person behind you in line for their lunch, or a cup of coffee. When in the store buy a bag of dog food and drop off at your local rescue or humane society. As long as you are showing kindness to God’s creations you will never ever go wrong.
Everyone’s into primitives it seems these day so those in Rainelle I urge you to shop at Norma Hall’s shop, Blackberry Primitives. She is open every weekend and has some of the most beautiful things that would satisfy any one on your list.
I am making gifts this year. Little things like rag purses, rag throws, pillows, and neck scarfs. Yes a person has to start really early when you do this, but you are giving a gift that is one of a kind, especially made by you for someone you care deeply about. Sometimes the best gifts are the homemade and hand made ones. I often gift cookies, candy and cakes as well. I am not someone who goes into the high tech things or big expensive gifts that will never be used again. I prefer to keep it simple and from the heart.
I love Christmas Cards and thank everyone who has sent them, my address is still P.O. Box 673, Leslie WV 25972, for those who have inquired. You can also send special little things you’d like me to share in this column as well.
Music is a big part of the holidays and I love Christmas carols. I miss the days of caroling, yet it’s my own fault since I have yet to find a home church to mix and fellowship with people in my area. Love the grand Cantatas that communities put on and the one in Richwood over in our sister County Nicholas often put on a beautiful one.
Being old fashioned as I am, it saddens me to see some of the churches not putting on the traditional Christmas plays. There was nothing more special to me then to see the kids dressed up as angels on high, shepherds tending fields and of course the Three Kings. The manger scenes were so special and watching the kids fidget is always so cute.
There’s not one thing wrong with how things were done in our day, actually I think they were the best of times and our grand babies are missing out on so much. We’ve went along with the “give me” world and find most times it’s easier to just go with the flow. So this Christmas I am putting a challenge out there to all the grandparents. My challenge is to take one afternoon or evening, as long as it’s several hours, to do the old fashioned Christmas. Show the family how special just giving of time can be. Make popcorn and string it and tell how it was in the day of your parents and all the Christmases past. Sit around the living room and read the story of the birth of Christ. Anything that will remove you from the hustle and bustle of all the commercialized and artificial things that Christmas has become through the years and step back to a time when all that was important was time spent with those you love. A time when it wasn’t what you gave but the giving itself. Remembering the greatest gift of all is your time.
Remember the nursing home patients. So many have no family that remembers or cares enough to spend time with them. A kind word, a warm smile and a caring hug can be one of the greatest gifts you can share.
It really is the season, the season for love and kindness, generosity and smiles. A time to pass it on. It truly is better to give than to receive. Remember that waitress if you eat out, give a little extra, they work twice as hard for twice as less. Your tip is actually part of their pay. Be generous.
Be safe in your travels, enjoy the small things as much as the big ones. Count your blessings and share a blessing. Remember those who have no one and try and spend some time with them. Be kind to those out having to deal with the craziness of shoppers, they’re doing the best they can.
Before I close out for another week I would like to give some special shout outs to the State Road Workers who take care of my little community. These wonderful folks have kept my road up so well through these rough wintry days and my appreciation for them is so much. To my post mistress who does the best she can to make sure my packages are gotten to me since the hours of the Post Office have changed to make it almost impossible to get mail. To my Trash Collectors, who when the weather is bad and snow is deep and it’s hard to get my cans to the road, come those extra steps to get it for me. Yep, it’s the little things. To the person who helped get my packages into my vehicle, to the one who held the door open as I battled the wind and slick walk, thank you. Yes, it’s truly the little things.
From us here at the BIRDHOUSE we wish you and yours a wonderful and Merry Christmas, praying your home is full of the most important gift one can have, the gift of love.