Down Home East Texas December 2021

DOWN HOME east texas WINTER 2021

40 YEARS OF CHRISTMAS MEMORIES AT KADEE CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

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ON THE COVER

I’m so excited about experiencing Christmas and the entire holiday season from our beautiful location in downtown Sulphur Springs.

Watching the city workers put up the lights and all of the Christmas decorations has been really cool, for me. Being downtown, with this amazing view of the square is something I think many people take for granted, especially if you’ve been here a long time. We have the most beautiful downtown square that I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot in my lifetime. Please make it a point to come and take a stroll and visit our amazing stores and restaurants, not just downtown, but all over our beautiful city.

I hope everyone enjoys this Winter’s edition of our Down Home East Texas magazine. It is a pleasure for us to put this together for you four times a year and it seems like everywhere we put them around town, they go like hotcakes.

We have them available year-round here at our office, so please don’t hesitate to stop by and say hi and pick up our current edition or past editions.

Cover Photo By Cheyenne Welborn, C. Welborn Photo

From my staff and I, we wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and a blessed and joyous holiday season.

40 Years of Christmas Memories at Kadee Christmas Tree Farm

BY ARIEL PHILLIPS

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Dave Shabaz Publisher

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DOWN HOME east texas staff

Todd Kleiboer

Ariel Phillips

Asst. Managing Editor

Reporter

Daylan Millard

Advertising Sales

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Kat Curling

Graphic Designer

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Carey Gable

Contributing Writer

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Delightful Dishes to Dazzle Holiday Guests

Gracious Gifts That Give Back Sweet, Chocolatey Stocking Stuffers

Wintering Your Houseplants

Christmas on the Square

Continuing 40 Years of Christmas Memories

The Camper Christmas Carol

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Delightful Dishes to Dazzle Holiday Guests Entertaining guests during the holidays isn’t just about a main course that calls all to the table. What often makes a festive gathering more fruitful is a spread of delicious appetizers, delightful drinks and divine desserts that keep loved ones coming back to the kitchen for more.

For appetizing dishes from the first guest at the house to the last out the door, you can heighten the flavor and appearance of favorite recipes with one simple ingredient: apples. Ranging from tart to sugary sweet, finding the right balance for your palate is key. Scent can also influence taste, especially when you have a balanced sweetness with an uplifting, fresh aroma.

Turn to an option like Envy Apples this holiday season for satisfying texture and taste with a consistently balanced, refreshing sweetness coupled with a crisp, elegant crunch. They make for an easy snack when eaten fresh out of hand but are also perfect for holding over pre-dinner appetites in small plates like this

Bell-Issimo Brie Melt or Apple Stuffing Bites with Rosemary Gravy.

The versatile flavor of apples isn’t just limited to foods, however. For the adults in the room, Pumpkin Spice Apple Cider with a splash of bourbon is a seasonally appropriate way to quench thirst and break the ice. Simply omit the bourbon for a kid-friendly version so the whole party can savor a sip.

Easy to spot with their crimson red skin over a golden background that practically glows, Envy Apples offer an easy, eye-catching way to try new tastes and celebrate joyful occasions together. The bright white flesh is naturally slow to brown when sliced for a fresher flavor in sweet treats like Apple Oat Crumble and Citrus Caramel Topping for a tasty way to elevate your holiday get-togethers.

Find more sweet holiday recipes at EnvyApple.com.

sugar mixture. Spread in 9-inch pie dish.

In another bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour and oats. Using hands or fork, cut in butter until pea size crumbs form. Sprinkle evenly over apples.

Apple at Cru ble and Citrus Cara el Topping tablespoons sugar teaspoon ground inna on n y Apples di ed into large ubes tablespoon le on ui e

Bake 40-45 minutes until mixture is bubbling and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes.

In small pot, whisk caramel, salt, orange zest and orange juice until warm.

Spoon apple oat crumble over large scoop vanilla ice cream and top with salted citrus caramel.

Apple tu ng ites ith ose ary Gra y

up bro n sugar

bo sto etop stu ng

up all purpose our

tablespoons butter

up old ashioned oats

ups di ed n y Apples

up old butter di ed s all up ara el

Gra y

teaspoon salt

tablespoons butter

orange est only

tablespoons our

tablespoon orange ui e

ups bee broth teaspoons osher salt

anilla i e rea

turns resh ra ed pepper teaspoon

Preheat oven to 350 F. In bowl, stir together sugar and ground cinnamon.

Toss apples in lemon juice then in cinnamon

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onion di ed s all

or estershire sau e

tablespoon nely hopped rose ary Preheat broiler.

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ook stu ng according to package directions set aside and allow to cool slightly.

In large saute pan, melt butter saute apples and onion until tender. Set aside to cool slightly.

Stir together stu ng and apple mixture. Spread stu ing on sheet tray and allow to cool in refrigerator. er cooling, form stu ng into medium bites and place on sheet tray lined with parchment paper.

Broil bites until golden brown and slightly crispy.

To make gravy In small pot, melt butter and whisk in flour. ook flour 1 minute, whisking fre uently. hisk in beef broth, salt, pepper and orcestershire sauce bring to boil, whisking fre uently. Remove from heat and stir in rosemary. If desired, continue gently simmering gravy to thicken. rrange stu ng bites in serving dish and drizzle with gravy. Serve hot.

Pu p in pi e Apple Cider n y Apple di ed tablespoon butter teaspoon pu p in spi e oun es bourbon oun es pu p in spi e apple ider

de erara sugar n y Apple sli es or garnish rose ary or garnish inna on sti

or garnish

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In pan over medium heat, saute diced apples in butter and pumpkin spice 5-10 minutes.

In glass, combine bourbon and pumpkin spice apple cider top with sauteed apples. dd demerara sugar then garnish with apple slices, rosemary and cinnamon stick.

ell ssi o rie Melt round brie

oun es

until middle is so .

Slice apples into thick wedges.

Top brie with half the apples, crushed walnuts and dried cranberries.

Serve with rm crackers and remaining apple wedges.

Source

nvy pples

n y Apples up alnuts up dried ranberries r

ra ers

Unwrap brie and place on microwave-safe dish. ut o top of brie round and microwave 0 seconds

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Gracious Gifts that Give Back If showing loved ones your appreciation with holiday presents is a tradition in your family, you can take that sign of a ection a step further this year with gi s that give back to the world around you. ese simple yet impactful gi s help support the rbor ay Foundation and its mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. ith a vision to lead toward a world in which trees are a solution to some of the biggest problems facing the planet today from air and water uality to climate change and more the foundation has more than 1 million members, supporters and partners that have helped to plant more than 400 million trees in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests in almost 50 countries to ensure a greener and healthier future.

For each of these holiday gi s, the foundation will plant one tree in a United States forest to help ensure a greener and healthier future. Find more environmentally friendly gi ideas at arborday. org gi ideas.

A

ar

Cup o Co passion

ou can change the world one sip at a time by gi ing delicious rbor ay o ee this holiday season. rown under the tree canopy in entral and South merican rain forests, the shade helps protect an entire ecosystem while maintaining fertile soil and providing habitat for wildlife. xpect a rich taste that o ers as much flavor as environmental support for every bag purchased, one tree is planted.

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Personalize gi s for those in your life with ive- Tree ards. ach card you purchase plants a tree in honor of family, friends, customers or associates, helping bring the nations forests back to life. Plus, you can personalize the cards for free and they ll be sent to you to sign and deliver personally.

Arbor Day Apparel o holiday gi ing is complete without thoughtful stocking stu ers. Share your commitment to trees with a loved one by giving a t-shirt from the rbor ay Foundation. ade from a 50 50 blend of recycled polyester produced from plastic bottles and organic cotton, each shirt, available in adult and youth sizes, is designed to be so and comfortable.

Produced using eco-friendly manufacturing processes, each t-shirt purchase also plants a tree in one of the nations forests. ring the utdoors n ive your loved one the gi of serenity with the smell of the great outdoors. is 9-ounce rbor ay Foundation Soy ax andle provides an exclusive scent featuring a premium blend of plant-based and ethically sourced fragrance oils. Scent notes include fresh pine, berry, red currant, juniper, light musk, sage, pear and amber. e candle is hand-poured and 100 merican-made. ach candle purchased plants a tree. a e the n iron ent ith tainless teel Show your love of trees with this 1 -ounce vacuum insulated lean anteen stainless steel bottle designed with versatility and portability in mind to create a water bottle, iced co ee mug, sport bottle and insulated cup all in one package. ith a leakproof twist cap and built-in reusable steel straw, you can say goodbye to single-use plastics and hello to reusable products. ach purchase plants a tree in a United States forest.

Sweet, Chocolatey Stocking Stuffers 3 DELIGHTFULLY DELICIOUS HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

If you find yourself deciding between gifting traditional stocking stuffers or giving the gift of tasty snacks at the holidays, there's one simple solution: go for both. After all, combining two hallmarks of the season - sweet treats and stylish gifts - is a surefire way to put yourself on the nice list this year.

Spread cheer to family, friends, coworkers and more with these special ideas you can personalize for the ones closest to your heart. If you're lucky, they may even share the chocolatey goodness inside.

Find more holiday gifting inspiration at mms.com.

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A Sweet Celebration of the Season If you're looking for holiday gift ideas, remember decking the halls with holiday candy is a tradition for many on your list. Filled with customized chocolate candies, this M&M'S Christmas Tree Gift Box carries the holiday cheer through your own messages. It's a unique gift option that looks perfect under the tree or stuffed in a stocking, and the personalized notes or photos allow you to bring back cherished memories and moments together.

The Gift that Keeps Giving 'Tis the season to be sweet, and a unique option like this Personalizable M&M'S Blue Snowflake Dispenser in White Gift Box makes for an unforgettable present that includes a 1-pound bag of personalized chocolate candies to add to the dispenser. The modern candy dispenser with a wintery design that calls to mind the reason for the season offers a twist: With each turn of the dispenser, customized candies can include your own photo, messages or festive art.

Stylish and Scrumptious A surprise visit from an elf is a sweet way to spread holiday cheer, and this Personalizable M&M'S Elf Shoes Gift Box adds just the right touch of colorful fun and whimsy with a cutout of pointy-toed elf shoes displaying the delicious, custom-decorated chocolate candies inside. This unique creation featuring jester-style shoes - complete with little bells on the tips - can please all ages. Just personalize the candies with phrases, clip art or a special photo to share with your nearest and dearest.

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Wintering •

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Houseplants

TIP ONE Keep them warm at 55 degrees and above. Anything below 55 degrees and plants can die from the cold temperatures. You always control the indoor environment for them including humidity & lighting.

TIP TWO Avoid having plants in front of a heating vent or heater. It will dry your plant down to the bone and possibly kill it! Get a hold of a digital thermometer that reads temperature and humidity percentage. That will help you know how to control your temperature & when to turn on the humidifier.

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TIP T EE Stop fertilizing your plants during Winter.

TIP O Do not propagate during Winter. Most houseplants growing season is Spring through Fall, due to the warmth of the seasons.

TIP I E Do not overwater your houseplants during winter. People tend to water their plants as if it were Summer, which is a huge mistake due to the season and temperature change and not enough sun/ warmth.

TIP I Another problem people encounter when over watering plants is that it can lead to pests, such as gnats; which later leads to root rot with your houseplant. Other common bugs people encounter are mealybugs & spider mites.

With the right care, all these problems can be prevented! Please contact the Plant Niche for your overwintering houseplants needs. We can take care of all your Winter maintenance!

TIP E EN Grow lights are another sun substitution if your plant enjoys bright light.

REMEMBER THAT PLANTS ARE iN A WAY TRYiNG TO SURViVE THE WiNTER BY STAYiNG WARM, HYDRATED AND PEST FREE. THiNK ABOUT HiBERNATiON!

Tomlinson St, Sulphur Springs, Tx 54 theplantniche.com

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The Christmas tree stands resplendent last year after being constructed by the city fire department

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These large ornaments hang on the magnolia trees down Main Street.

CHRISTMAS ON

THE SQUARE

By TODD KLEIBOER

Jerry Maynard Sulphur Springs Parks and Recreation Director Jerry Maynard coordinates the preparation for the holiday decorations on the square.

Behind the magical bright lights that will illuminate the Sulphur Springs square in December, a team of four have worked nearly 500 hours over three weeks to bring the square to life for the holidays.

“The goal is to be done by Thanksgiving,” said Jerry Maynard, Sulphur Springs Parks and Recreation Director.

The trees are decked out with lights wrapped around their trunks, and their branches are adorned with ornaments.

The Sulphur Springs Fire Department also builds a giant Christmas tree on the square’s

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fountain, now dry for the winter, and a sleigh will be pulled in before Thanksgiving as a last finishing touch.

“For the past four or five years, it’s been pretty much the same,” Maynard said. “I’m real pleased.”

Lights are also choreographed with a music program, Maynard said, that plays throughout the holidays. All of the lights, from the tree lights to the building lights, are involved in this twinkling wonder, which just “brightens the square,” according to Maynard.

Maynard said he is most proud of the tree lights as they provide the most light, truly giving off a magical feel, and the hardest part of the holiday endeavor is stringing the building lights along some of the oldest buildings in Sulphur Springs, Maynard said.

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Taken in 2015, this picture shows Sulphur Springs Fire Department members assembling the giant Christmas tree that has now become a main centerpiece of the square’s festive look during the holidays.

A member of the Sulphur Springs city crew wraps a streetlight in a strip of Christmas lights for this year’s decorations.

“You get up onto the roofs of some these buildings,” Maynard said.

Although the square hosts a plethora of events throughout the year such as the Claws for a Cause, its firework display and concert or various markets, preparing for the holidays is the most labor-intensive for city workers.

“It’s really neat,” Maynard said. “A lot of people seem to enjoy it.”

A city crew puts up ornaments on trees lining Main Street.

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Continuing 40 Years of Family Memories at the Kadee Christmas Tree Farm very adult that celebrates hristmas probably remembers decorating a tree with their family, whether it was a live tree or an arti cial one.

For most families, it s an all-day a air from nding the perfect spot in their house, digging the ornaments and tree stand out of storage, driving to the farm or store to pick out the perfect tree and getting it set up at home. is tradition continues today with families visiting hristmas tree farms such as the adee Farm to pick out that perfect tree for their home.

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Using an early 0th century house and homestead as a starting point, Frank and velyn Bollman planted their trees in 19 1 and opened for business in 19 . e farm is located in reenville just a few miles outside of one ak and is convenient to the allas area, ommerce and Sulphur Springs. ith 5 acres of trees to choose from, a petting zoo, a general store and a walk-through light show, theres no better place to have a family friendly adventure with the kids. er years of working with the original

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owners, the Bollmans, Tish and ames oodru purchased the property last year and have already started leaving their mark on the property by building a light display that makes even adults stop and look. eres ve generations on my husband s side of the family that have worked here, Tish oodru commented. e want to keep it fresh and updated. eeping the farm in tip-top shape is a full time job which includes stringing lights, unloading the pre-harvested trees, doing inventory, to landscaping work such as mowing and trimming the trees. ost of the employees are family, friends and high school students during hristmas break. any families around unt, Rains and opkins ounty have found their perfect hristmas tree at adee Farm with several repeat customers bringing their children and grandchildren to the farm. hen you see their faces light up, especially the kids, that makes all the blood, sweat and tears worth it, Tish said. e re honored to be part of their family s tradition. ith so many di erent people visiting, the oodru s make sure they have something for everyone from pre-harvested to cut-your-own, harlie Brown trees to full, tall irginia Pines. e try to have a variety of everything, we don t trim the trees to all look the same, Tish said. uring the pandemic, oodru shared that the number of visitors didn t really change. e re all outside, we had multiple pay stations, limited the number of people who could be in the store, Tish shared. e did really well. e snow and rain this year has slightly a ected the trees growth, and the farm lost a number of trees. er this happens, an inventory is done to determine the number of

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trees that can be sold this year to ensure there are trees available for next year. s part of the Texas hristmas Tree rower s ssociation and the ational Tree rower s ssociation, a portion of the farms dues go to providing trees for troops and their families.

In 005, more than 191,000 free farmgrown hristmas trees were donated to troops and military families in the United States and overseas. In 01 , thousands of trees were donated by over 400 hristmas tree growers and their customers in 5 states. e hristmas tree tradition is almost 00 years old with the rst record of a tree being on display is in the 1 30s by erman settlers in Pennsylvania that set up community trees. e image of a decorated tree with presents underneath came about a er an engraving of ueen ictoria and Prince lbert with their children gathered around a hristmas tree published in the Illustrated ondon ews in 1 4 .

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Trees were originally decorated with popcorn, apples, candles, tinsel, gingerbread and flour paste wafers.

By 1 90 hristmas ornaments were arriving from ermany and hristmas tree popularity was on the rise. e invention of electricity brought about hristmas lights making it possible for the trees to glow for many days.

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M M

s a kid, picking out a hristmas tree always took all evening with my family. e would round up all ve of us kids, even the ones that had moved out, pile up in my dad s truck and drive out to adee Farm, no matter where we lived. e ve even driven from over an hour away and even went during a drought just to pick our tree. er playing in the maze, which was no longer

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up on my last visit, visiting the animals in the petting zoo area, we would pick a saw then spread out and start walking, keeping our eyes peeled for a six to eight footer, with full branches and a pointy top. er nding our tree and taking turns with the saw, a long and sweaty task, we would bring the tree to the aisle and wait for the adee Farm hands to come pick it up and toss it on the trailer. e then waited for our tree in the general store enjoying a cup of apple cider and looking at the wreaths, ornaments and other goodies for sale. er the farmhands used the tree shaker to knock the dead needles and other debris from the tree, they would wrap it and o er to load it in the truck for us. e customer service and friendly atmosphere made the experience something unforgettable. etting the tree home and set up was another two or three hours, with digging the tree stand out of it s year long slumber, nding our ornament boxes and making sure the lights worked. e would turn on a hristmas movie or music, make hot chocolate and apple cider then get to work. e youngest kid always got to put the star or angel on top and the oldest was in charge of the breakable ornaments. er moving out, I lived with my grandfather for a year and convinced him to get a live tree for hristmas because I missed the tradition that much.

I even cut the tree down myself and bought the ornaments

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e amper hristmas arol By arey able

The Camper Christmas Carol

BY CAREY GABLE

ife is unpredictable. at is the only motto on which I cling. Predictability is a great confusion that rarely holds true. here we think we will be or where we think we will go, these are the ideas that so bore us. e unpredictability of life is the very thing that makes it so joyous It is the surprising circumstances that add the flavor to our worlds. It is the Tapatio hot sauce of living us, when I found myself downsizing my life, I saw it as an adventure. I had not planned on downsizing. It was a whim more than anything. et in a blink of an eye, I chose to live in a camper on the back acre of my brother s land. verall, I viewed this as a positive turn away from materialism and fully embraced a minimalistic life. It was a joy to occupy a small space and live a small life. Small living was ideal for me. is was all working great Until that day when hristmas came with two children. In

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my rush for simplicity and minimalism, I failed to consider a few things, such as how was Santa going to visit in a tiny camper or how was the lf on the Shelf going to hide or where would I hide my presents to the children In an agitated panic, I suddenly realized this the day a er anksgiving when my daughter asked me about putting up a hristmas Tree. I well and truly panicked ead in hands, face palm, full on I have no idea how I didn t think of this panic.

Improvising became the moniker of the day. ith my preteen son and my ve-year-old daughter pressing hard for a hristmas tree, we loaded up the truck and moved to owe s. But

what do you do when your entire living space is a small walkway from one bed to a kitchen table to bunkbeds tree would literally split the walkway and create a great divide, thus rendering the living space useless I was uickly nding myself humbugged by the entire situation. y rst thought was to nd a harlie Brown tree and prominently display it on the kitchen table. Small, simple, it would su ce and stay true to my new-found minimal life. Sure enough, owes had such a tree r did have . t one point in time. It was only a foot tall and featured only one ornament. t least that was what the sign above the empty shelf proclaimed. y

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hum-bug muttered to himself as I looked all around for something similar, to no avail. s my daughter examined every blowup yard ornament and my son perused every arti cial tree over seven foot tall, I was once again sullen. hat was hristmas without a tree hat would it be without a present or surprise I was thoroughly depressed with my lack of foresight.

I, nally, rounded them up and in a slow melancholy hu , walked from the arden entrance. e marched our way into the parking lot, my children bright eyed and me depressed. en, as if by divine inspiration, it hit me lmost literally ere, standing in front of me, was a giant red canvas tent. Inside, it housed various shapes and sizes of real pine trees ust like deciding to move, on a whim, we sauntered into the tent. y children protested that a real tree would leave too much of a mess inside the camper. at was when I explained, es, but what if we put it UTSI the camper hat if we use our yard space and decorated it with cheaper ornaments so that we won t be upset if it storms and breaks them ey light up and uickly began searching through the gallimaufry of trees. ve-foot pine was selected and loaded into the bed of the pick-up. e ran back into the store to selected gold and silver ornaments and a metal topper. en we were o . It was with great joy that we lowered the tree into the stand. It was with more joy and slight s uills of excitement as we cut the rope and the limbs unfurled into a full, fat tree. ven my ever-unimpressed son commented on the surprising size of the pine. en we set about decorating. I turned up the classic hristmas music, Bing rosby serenaded us as we added d cor. ach tiny, shimmery ornament made the camper feel

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more like home. ach strand of outdoor lights added a sparkle that wasn t there previously. nd then, nally, I li ed my daughter as she placed the metal topper on the tree. e stood back in appreciation. Both of the children smiled their childlike smiles and I smiled my dad smile. et, I knew that I had not uite done enough. ver the next week, I borrowed one of the sold-out harlie Brown hristmas trees and placed it on the kitchen table as a center piece. It became the center of the hristmas action. hen we watched movies, it was always visible. hen we made cookies, it was there.

For every activity, that little borrowed tree stood in testament of the decreasing hum-bug within me.

Shortly therea er, l e, the much-traveled lf on a Shelf, began to make regular appearances. t rst, she only appeared on the shower nozzle. en she began attacking the snacks in the pantry. en she surprised us all by hanging from the television in protest of T U RIST S I S She even went so far as to ride a roll of hristmas cookies onto the counter. l es antics made the tiny camper a place of wonder and excitement. e never knew what she would cook or conjure up next It began to feel like magic even in our cramped space.

Finally, hristmas ve came to the hristmas amper. e were all nervous how the night was going to play out. e knew that we might see Santa since he is a large man and the camper was noisy to walk through. e also were all concerned that the lack of chimney might give him pause. y daughter was R worried that Santa would not know that we had moved into a camper and he might accidently skip over us. ll of these were legitimate

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last-minute concerns To ensure that he didn t miss us, we mixed together Reindeer Food that glittered in the a ernoon sun. e made a huge bag of food and then, strategically, we poured it into a line through the pasture that lead to our door. e even made a welcome sign for Santa out of glitter and posted it It reflected the light brilliantly e certainly did not want Santa to miss us just because we were in a camper. en it was time for us to visit all of our family for hristmas ve activities. I had started to truly feel the hristmas spirit in a way that no amount of allmark movies could have ever made me feel. It was like I was in my own little hristmas special, e amper hristmas arol e arrived back to the camper at mid evening.

But we still had lots to do before we would be ready for Santa. e baked cookies on the tiny camper sized cookie sheet and sat them out under the harlie Brown tree. ilk was placed with care. l e had done her job well and made sure we were well prepared for the night. ach of us put on our hristmas pajamas and with carols singing in our heads we laid down for the night. y daughter was too anxious to sleep in her bunk and climbed into bed with me. y son occupied his usual spot with his feet half hanging out of the bottom bunk.

Sleep came uickly for us all. at was until the rambler from the ortherner decided to arrive.

It was close to one when the rst jingles gave me pause and stirred my slumber. I arose groggy and sti from the bed. In a secretive and stealthy manner, I opened the jarring camper door. s I leaned my head out ever so slightly, I was blinded

by the lights from the hristmas tree I stumbled down the steps and in a graceless heap I plummeted to the dirt. ooking around, I could see a large expanse of the Reindeer Food had been disheveled and was missing, consumed I arose to my feet to see what critter could have disrupted our plan. I scampered to and fro searching for anything that could have caused the issues. I glanced under the camper. I crawled on top. I ran behind and stood out front. I peered over it and into it. I searched the ground. I nally surrendered and turned around. ere in the door, agape and ajar, stood the presents stacked high, I could see from afar.

In an instant I turned into lark riswold on hristmas morning smile spread ear to ear.

I could see the toy camper under the harlie Brown tree, sitting on the floor beneath the kitchen table. I could see my sons new soccer ball and the gaming console. I could see the Polly Pockets and all the rest.

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. en the

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jingle jangle of the harness rose behind me and all I could perceive was a giant mass as it sped through the air. Santa had come, he had found us even in the camper, there.

I went to the storage bins and pulled out my presents. I placed them in a separate stack under the outside tree. en uietly and slowly I went back to bed. I curled up beside my daughter just as she turned, covers in hand. to sleep I went once again. hristmas had found us hristmas had come Somehow, someway, in a camper, hristmas came anyway is year, 0 1, there is no camper. at was only good for a year. is year is a house with space for a tree. is year will be meaningful but di erent. very year, whether hum-bug or not, nding the meaning of hristmas o en is not about the stu or manner or place or perfection. It is about the time spend doing the process of creation.

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ro d o i s Co t Hopkins County residents know how to have fun Whether you attend the annual all estival, holiday events or the rodeo, you re ound to have a good time

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WORKING ROUND THE CLOCK QUALITY SERVICES YOU CAN COUNT ON US

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