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Emerson Publications
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The Family First
Newsletter In this issue:
Keeping Christ in
Christmas The Joys of After-Christmas Sales Maple Ham (Slow Cooked)
Good morning!
Merry Christmas! I wish you and yours the merriest Christmas ever!
P.S. Be sure to visit our sponsors!
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Keeping Christ in Christmas I realize that not everyone reading this is a Christian, but even if you are, you know that it's sometimes difficult to keep the focus on Him even at this Christmas time of year. There is so much focus on gift giving. Television and print ads bombard us, and our children, with things to buy. We think that in order to be good parents, we have to provide everything our children want. After all, we don't want any disappointed kids on Christmas morning. This year, while unpacking my decorations, one of the first things to catch my eye was an unfamiliar styrofoam box. I had no idea what was inside, but as I proceeded to open it, discovered it was a nativity scene. I remembered, faintly, buying it at Hallmark after Christmas last year. It had never even been out of the box. It looked like it was carved out of wood, although it's possible that it's all molded polymer! I placed it on my bookcase and took a few moments to admire the beauty of it. Next, I unwrapped a pottery candle holder that has a primitive nativity scene carved out of it. My daughter bought me that one. I also found the wooden nativity scene painted by my friend, Janna. Before I was through, I had about 6 variations of the nativity scene before me. There was even the Fisher Price nativity scene I'd bought last year. I put it under the tree for the grandkids to play with. It seemed that we would all have a nativity scene to remind us that Christ is the reason for the season. At that point, I decided to leave everything else in the tubs. This year, I was leaving Santa and Frosty in the tub. I wanted to just surround myself with nativities. Just looking at all of them warmed my heart. It just felt right. Later that week, I went to visit my friend, Colleen. As I looked around her house, I saw a nativity on the piano, and another one on the coffee table. She had beautiful glass ornaments on her tree, but that was it. I commented on how nice and orderly everything looked. She said she was tired of the clutter and decided to just use her nativities. It made me smile and I told her I'd done the same thing. There is a lot of symbolism in the stories of Santa and Frosty, and they are certainly good role models for our kids. For example, Santa is a wonderful, bearded gentleman loved by young and old alike. He rewards the good children and all of them at this time of year are worried about whether or not they've been naughty or nice. They want to make sure they've made the list! As parents, we do all we can to keep Santa alive for as long as we can because we enjoy the wonder in our children's faces when they believe. It's a sad day for all when you stop believing. Frosty, as the song says, is a jolly, happy soul who loved the children enough to risk melting just to be with them. His last words to them were "I'll be back again some day." There's certainly nothing wrong with Santa and Frosty, and I love them as much as the next person does. I don't ever want to outgrow my love for Santa or Frosty, and nothing delights me more than singing the Christmas songs with my grandkids. But when we are sending emails to keep God on our coins, and desperately wanting presidential candidates who believe in God, then why not turn our focus to Him and the greatest gift He had to offer? His Son. For me, displaying my nativities keeps me focused on the birth of the Christ child. Like Santa, our Heavenly Father rewards those who are good, and those who believe in Him will have joy. Like Frosty, He loved the children - young and old, AND we have God's promise that Christ will be back again some day. When you look at Santa and Frosty as reminders of what we believe as Christians, you get a totally different picture. So celebrate this most wonderful time of the year and shout Merry Christmas to those you meet and greet. It IS a holiday, but let's not forget whose birthday it is! Copyright 2007. Joyce Moseley Pierce. Visit www.emersonpublications.com
A Tree of Memories
by: Joyce Moseley Pierce
My friend, Judy, makes a Christmas ornament every year and
includes it in her Christmas card. It's something small
and lightweight so it doesn't add to the postage but it's home
made and always something special. Without fail, for the
past 20 years or more, I have received this treasured gift from
Judy.
The first time my grandkids were old enough to help me decorate
the tree, I told them about Judy's ornaments. Now, when
they help decorate, they can usually pick out the ones she's
sent me. This year, they asked, "What did your friend send
you this year"? They know, like I do, that
Judy's ornament will arrive. Like clockwork.
This year, reflecting on Judy's faithfulness at sending these
ornaments, I really started to think about it. I don't
know that I'm going to start that kind of a tradition, but I do
love the idea of a perpetual gift, or a gift that keeps on
giving year after year. An ornament is such a gift because
like Judy's ornaments, I am reminded of her and her kindness
every time I decorate or even look at my tree.
This year, the thought of dragging out all of the Christmas
decorations just seemed overwhelming to me. We put up the
tree, hung the decorations, and stood back to enjoy it.
I made the decision right then and there not to decorate much
beyond the tree. The gifts I had bought on clearance
last year after Christmas were ornaments, and I decided to start
my own tradition of giving ornaments. Maybe other people,
like me, were tired of the clutter. It doesn't
take up any "extra" space and you just can't have too many
ornaments on a tree, especially when they trigger thoughts of
special friends and times. I loved the idea of not just
having a Christmas tree, but a tree of memories.
I was so pleased when this year, it seemed that most of my
friends had the same idea. Many of them brought ornaments
and I immediately hung them on the tree. I had my stash of
ornaments for that unexpected visitor who arrived with a gift,
and both of us were happy. My friend, Brenda, stopped by
last year to give me "a little something," and I was unprepared
to give her anything. This year, when she
called to see if I would be home, I was ready for her!
She gave me a beautiful bell ornament that has Santa's head on
the top and a clear glass bell below. She was a bit
embarrassed to point out that the heart clapper said "2006" on
it because she bought it last year. She said, "Well, we
were friends in 2006, too, so I didn't think it would matter."
We both had a laugh about that, and then I admitted to her that
I had bought my ornament last year, too. Good
friends appreciate the fact that you're practical and sensible!
Judy will forever be known for her handmade ornaments.
What will you do to start, or continue, a tradition that will
build memories for others?
Copyright 2007. Joyce Moseley Pierce. Visit
www.emersonpublications.com
Looking for a way to prepare your children the entire month of December. "24 Days of Christmas" is a great way to have your own advent experience. Download this book today and use it for years. Contains a scripture and a story for each day of December leading up to Christmas Day. This is a gift your family will enjoy year after year. http://www.emersonpublications.com/24days.htm
The Joys of After-Christmas
Clearance Sales
This year when I opened my Christmas tubs to start decorating, I surprised myself by finding some items that I had picked up on clearance last year.
1. Ornaments - Last year I found some adorable little Santa ornaments that were on clearance at 90% off. These little Santas were unusual because they weren't red - they were a brown pottery, and each one was holding a heart. I love both hearts and Santas, so I bought every one they had. At the ridiculously low price of about a quarter apiece, I couldn't pass them up. This year, I lined them up on a shelf behind my Christmas tree, and when surprise visitors came to call with a gift, I had something to give them, too. No one left empty handed. Everyone thought they were just adorable...and I'm sure they thought I paid much more for them.
2. Decorations - I was in a Hallmark store last year after Christmas and picked up a beautiful nativity scene at half price. Since Christmas was already over, I packed it away with my other Christmas decorations. When I opened the tubs up this year, I had totally forgotten about this set. A nativity scene in my home really helps me to focus on the "reason for the season," which is the Birth of Christ. Maybe you already have one, or your collection of them is enough, but it's a great gift for someone else. You can generally buy two at this time of year for what you'd pay for it in the pre-Christmas rush.
3. Candle holders. You may not want to buy candles and keep them until next year unless you have space inside your home to store them. They would melt on the first day of summer in my attic! However, last year I found some beautiful candle holders for a fraction of their original price. They were beautiful frosted glass with an unfrosted snowflake design. With a tea light inside, the light shines through the snowflake and looks just beautiful. I grabbed a few of these and they made wonderful hostess gifts this year. Include a tea light, or even fill it with Christmas candies.
4. Pot holders. This might seem like a crazy gift, but you'd be surprised at how many people just love getting pot holders. One year a woman in my office gave all of us Christmas pot holders. We all thought it was a little odd, but no more odd than the other person who gave each one of us a bar of soap! Once I got that pot holder home, though, I realized how shabby my old pot holders looked. Ever since then, I buy Christmas pot holders for my friends. Sometimes I'll include a freshly baked loaf of bread or a small plate of cookies, but after the goodies are gone, the pot holder remains.
5. General Christmas stuff! You can find Christmas picture frames, which are great to give as is, or customize it with a picture that person would enjoy. I have Christmas picture frames that I change every year with the latest picture of my grandkids with Santa. Other items might include Christmas soap holders, soap dispensers, towels, spreaders, mugs, and even butter bells. If the packaging is a bit tattered, you can always repackage it in a bag stuffed with tissue paper.
6. Wrapping paper, bags, tissue and cards - Almost everyone knows you can get bargains on these items right after Christmas. With the introduction of dollar stores, this might not be that big of a deal, but if you like a particular card manufacturer, like Hallmark, for example, this is the best time to buy them.
In addition to getting such a great price on all of these items, the best part was my own surprise (and relief!) when I discovered them at the start of the Christmas season. Instead of rushing out to find gifts, I had them already, and that allowed me to do what I like best, and that's spend this time of year with my family.
Copyright 2007. Joyce Moseley Pierce. Visit www.emersonpublications.com
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