From the Editor’s Desk – December 2009

Just like the words claim, It’s the MOST Wonderful Time of the Year! And our son turns ONE! Wow!

Okay, aside from summer flip flops and warm heat, Christmas-time is my most favorite time of the year! I always itch to get my decorations up before the Thanksgiving celebration is over, although my husband usually nixes that idea.

‘Not until Thanksgiving is done’.

There’s always hope that I will win him over next year, right?

Sleigh bells jingling, children singing, pink noses from the cold. Warm cocoa and cuddly blankets while watching Christmas movies from times of old.

I tell ya, this has got to be the best. It’s not about spending money on those I love this Christmas – it’s about showing those that I love how much they mean to me.

Sure, I’ll spend some money on them, but I don’t think it’s the amount that even matters. For me, it’s the thought behind the gifts.

Choosing carefully to show each person that they are special to me.

For instance, I usually receive a special homemade gift from a dear friend of mine – homemade toffee with chocolate and almonds on top. To die for. I just remind myself it’s hibernation time and my hips won’t mind the extra padding anyhow.

I look forward to that gift, and know that she painstakingly makes her goodies and creations for those she loves. Toffee for me, because that is my absolute favoritest in the entire world.

We’ve decided to give our children three presents each year for Christmas, symbolizing the three special gifts that were given to the Lord Jesus Christ by the Magi in honor of his birth.

We’ve done this for about five years now, and really enjoy the process. (Of course we fill their stockings with lots of other gifts, but they each look forward to three gifts on Christmas morning under the tree with their name on them).

Great care is taken when choosing these gifts, as was the care taken in choosing the gifts for Christ by the Magi of the East.

Whether or not you have gifts of material value, or gifts of time and friendship to give – I think we will all be appreciative this year of the gifts we have.

Gifts of family. Gifts of friendship. Gifts of love. Gifts of hope and encouragement. Gifts that truly remain whether or not you have money in your pockets.

These are gifts that we can continue to give the entire year through. Each day can be a day full of gift giving, and enjoying those gifts others bless us with as well.

I truly hope that this issue of the Valley Bugler uplifts your heart and helps infuse the joy of Christmas-time into your very soul!

We have many fun articles on this time of the year, as found on page 14, with ‘The Christmas Spiders’. There are also articles that challenge and inspire us, such as the ‘Christmas Story of the White Envelopes’ found on page 29.

Another favorite of mine is the recipe for ‘Christmas Stollen’ – the yummy bread that is a tradition from generations ago that you can still find in many ovens this season! Find the Bugler recipe for this delicious and tasty treat on page 19.

There’s also a great crossword puzzle on page 29, and while you are there, you can read the story written by a Castle Rock native as told to her by her mother.

Are you down this Christmas season? Kind of a hum-bug attitude?

I challenge you to see the gifts of life all around you, filling you up and lifting you from the downy-dumps.

Don’t be discouraged because you can not provide wealthy gifts of materialism this Christmas, but be bolstered by the new challenge that lays ahead of you in creating gifts of love and using your imagination and creativity to make your ideas a reality.

I recently heard someone say that it’s a choice to live. It’s a choice to have hope and a choice to believe.
They’re absolutely right. And the one Person that can help you make that choice of life and light is Jesus.
In his own words, He is “the truth, the life and the way”. I would encourage you to hold fast to that Truth in this time of uncertainty, unease and great economic stress.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, this is the perfect season to begin your journey of discovering a relationship with the Lord. Churches are open and active with Christmas programs and most always offer Christmas Eve services.

It is this season in which we celebrate His birth. His perfect-ness for our NOT perfect-ness! This little babe, who was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid to rest in a manger – this little babe who is the very hope that this world has in such a dark time.

I wish you the light of Christmas this season. May the jingle bells delight your soul and the Christmas lights brighten up your nights.

Chase away the “bah-humbugs” with the Light of the World – the One who can restore to your soul the peace and immeasurable Joy that no one else can.  No material item, not millions of dollars or even all the gold in the world.

Only Jesus and finding that personal relationship with Him will restore your life to a balance you maybe never knew, or had once before that you wish to seek again.

And so I celebrate the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ with joy and I swing my arms wide and offer up a heartfelt and very warmly wished MERRY CHRISTMAS to each and every one of you reading this letter.

Until next month,

Michelle Myre
Publisher / Editor
Valley Bugler Newspaper
editor@valleybugler.com