Merry Christmas with a look back at the three stages

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from the staff at the News Journal along with the many businesses that have placed a Greetings ad in this edition of our paper.

Don Estep is publisher of the News Journal.

It is that time of the year that affects people in different ways. I call it the three stages of a Christmas experience.

The first, of course, is when you are a child and your hopes and dreams are of what Santa will bring you. To me, this is the best part.

I remember those times when I went to bed earlier that usual and before I fell asleep every little sound I heard I imagined it could be Santa.

Then, when morning came, bright and early I ran to the living room to see what Santa brought. Unlike today’s Santas that bring a multitude of gifts, usually there was that one thing that I wanted and Santa never failed to bring it.

To go along with my younger days I couldn’t wait until school was out. That is when we would put up our Christmas tree. Usually it was me and my two sisters doing the decorating.

We would get a cedar tree and put it in a stand that held water. It was in the same room with our coal burning stove and if it didn’t get enough water it would dry out in a hurry.

When the decorating started it was me against my sisters. Yes, I was the trouble maker. But we had fun.

The second phase of Christmas for many people is when you have children of your own. Yes, I have spent many Christmas Eves putting together Santa’s presents at 2 a.m.

Unlike when I was a child, our children would come sleepy eyed out of bed and stare at the many presents they got from Santa. Then they made a rush toward the Christmas tree.

Those were great times. I always had my Super 8 camera rolling and caught every second of the excitement. I have tons of film and  I have transferred much of it to a DVD. Thus, our kids don’t have to rely on memory, it is there in living color.

The third phase of Christmas is when you get old and your children are gone, as are many of your friends and relatives. This is the tough one for many people.

I am at that stage now. Although I do have a wife, children and grandchildren to lift my spirits, Christmas no longer means having all our family gather at my parents house. There would be 30 or more of us waiting to see what my dad had given my mother on Christmas Eve. He didn’t know either because one of my sisters had done the shopping.

Regardless of which stage of Christmas you are experiencing, we wish you a happy one.  For me, although it is much smaller than back in the good old days, it is still a meaningful time of the year.

I love the candlelight church service, the music of Christmas and of course, the food. As far as gifts, just having people around is all I need.