It's Christmastime Again!

So let's come together and celebrate the birth of a child... wait, just did that for the past two weeks.  And it has been a great time welcoming a granddaughter into this world as we watch very capable and loving parents care for her.  The birth of our savior is one that is much more broadly celebrated and simply the next big thing.  Jesus is the light of the world, so we recognize the importance of His earthly entrance with a festival of lights - wait, that's Judaism.  Well we put a lot of lights up and leave them up for about a month, if not at least eight days.  Let me tell you that it all goes so much the better if you have vinyl siding and jumbo paper clips.  It took Richard and I about a half hour, or would have if it weren't for all the paper clips from last year that I didn't remove before winding up the hundreds of feet of light strings.  He sure is patient with me, though, and this photo shows that we finished in time for it to snow, yet again.  Having lived the first 43 years of my life in the Central Valley, I really have enjoyed the winters here.  Not to mention that this county looks better in snow.
So here we go again with carols playing 24/7, anticipation of time off (and thus time to see the dentist, optometrist, insurance agent, etc.), many parties, loads of food, secret giving, and that story of old being told, felt deep,  loved for the peace that fills our hearts when we ponder its meaning, its worth to us.  May His spirit light our way into a new year.