MERRY CHRISTMAS

Yes, I know it is after Christmas, but I hope you all had a wonderful day (and season) I know I did.

For the past several years, Christmas has not meant much to me, but for some reason this year it turned out very nice. I wonder if maybe it was because I didn't expect much. Of course having moved just a month before, left me kind of wondering just what would happen. But, I have been truly blessed. It has been just wonderful.

Special occassions often lead to traditions, and such has been the case with my family and Christmas. From the time I was a little girl, Christmas always meant spending Christmas with my Dad's mother, Grandma Arcand, and that side of the family. We often spent most of Christmas day with my Mother's Mom and Sister who lived in the bay area. After that part stopped for some reason, we continued to spend Christmas Eve with Grandma A, until she passed away in 1947, and then it was still Christmas Eve with my Aunt & Uncle. My uncle died in the 50's, but my Aunt continued with Christmas Eve. The last one we had was in 1971. She passed away the next week in Alaska. Then the Christmas tradition kind of went by the wayside. Then in about 1989, after HRR and I had seperated, we stated trying the get the family together again, but the older girls were married and having families of their own, so there was much conflect for Christmas Eve or even Christmas Day. So, we started getting the family together on the Sunday before Christmas. This we did for years, even when I was living in an apartment in Woodland for two seasons. When I moved into the Senior Aparttments in Yuba City, and could no longer host such a group, the family took over. Michael had us for a couple of years, Becky had it one year, Judy had it one year, and then we had it at the Odd Fellows hall in Yuba City one or two years. We had stopped exchanging gifts, for a number of reasons, and somehow, it just lost a lot of the feeling, at least to me. I think the fact that I was no longer working, and could not afford to "gift" the way I had, probably had a lot to do with sppoiling Christmas for me. So this year, even after the invitations had been sent out, it was decided not to have the "family" gethering again. Of course, I was sad to see it happen, but I had been expecting it for a couple of years. And, on my part, I think it turned out better, even doing it this way. All of the sisters did not get to spend Christmas together, but that wouldn't have happened anyway; one was in Texas with part of her family; another lives in Nevada; so they would not have all been together anyway. But by doing it this way, I spent Christmas Eve with one daughter and her family (eleven out of a possible 16), Then I went over to a granddaughter's to spend the night and have Christmas morning with her family - 7 of us here, and then we went to another daughter for Christmas day - 24 here. We really got to visit with each other much better, without trying to have all of us together at one place. Later in the evening, the daughter I had spent the day with brought me home. All in all it was a wonderful Christmas for me!!

And really, that wasn't all. Three different times during the week before Christmas, friends from church had taken me out to see the lighted houses. This is something I have always enjoyed, and man, they really do it up right down here. Although I was told, things were not as decorated as they have sometimes been - good old "economy" you know. There is one section in Rocklin where there are about five or six blocks where every house is really lit up. And, all with themes - "Precious Mements", "Popeye", "Snoopy" and just about every children's story you can think of. They had music playing, and there were people walking up and down the street. It was very imprssive, and a beautiful night to do it. Oh, yes, we also had a very nice Christmas party for the OASIS group of the church. We have about one hundred people who are considered "members" of this group and there were between 40 &50 there. Members of the church had prepared a Prime Rib dinner. Very good. It was a dreee-up party and really had a holiday atmosphere. We exchanged gifts (each person brought an ornament to exchange) and it was just a very nice evening.

So, it has been a very pleasant Christmas for me. I hope each of you have some special memories to keep about this year, too. And may your New Year be the best you have had. Right now, things are pretty tough for a lot of people, maybe even one of you. My prayer is that this next year will be a very good one for each of you, and as I said, may you keep many good memories with you. God Bless you all.