YES, VIRGINIA, THERE REALLY IS CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

 

 

There is that special feeling around this time of year. Some folks refer to it as Christmas magic, others call it Christmas spirit. Whatever name you put on it, it’s that light-hearted feeling that makes people a little kinder, more joyful and more giving.

Most grinches and Scrooges would beg to differ and say that no such thing as Christmas magic exists. Personally, I don’t think grinches and Scrooges exist; it’s not really that they don’t like Christmas, but rather it is that they don’t like what Christmas has become. Retailers and merchants never let us forget that it is about the gifts and the almighty dollar.

Christmas has become about the gifts instead of the giving in recent years. Even if you don’t fall into that trap, you are made to feel guilty if you don’t. You have to find the perfect gift, you have to buy a gift for someone just because they bought you one, you have to spend the same amount of money on it as they did. Stop!

It has become the same way with decorating. It is no longer about putting up the simple evergreen tree and having humble decorations. Hallmark has a keepsake ornament for each year that you have to buy, it’s “tradition.” No longer do we drive around looking at homes that are decorated. Now, it’s homes that have synchronized light and music displays and drive through commercial displays. Stop!

For everyone who dislikes the Christmas season for these reasons, it doesn’t have to be this way. You have to look beyond the commercialism. Only then can you find the Christmas magic. It still exists.

Believe it or not, scientists have discovered the Christmas spirit part of the brain…true statement! A study was done in Denmark that did brain scans on two different groups of participants, one group celebrated Christmas and the other group did not. Both groups viewed images. Some of the images were Christmas-related and others were neutral but a similar style to the Christmas-related ones.

Technically, they found that there was increased activation in the sensory motor cortex, the premotor, the primary motor cortex and the parietal lobule in participants’ brains who celebrate Christmas while they were viewing Christmas imagery whereas there was no increased activation in those who didn’t celebrate Christmas. All of this boils down to prove that there is a Christmas spirit network in the brain.

Researchers believe there is proof that the majority of us are happier around the holidays since just viewing pictures that depict holiday themes make us joyful. Other studies are finding the same outcomes.

I can hear some of you snorting now, “Yea, right, really?” Whether you believe the studies or not, one thing is for certain: Christmas spirit doesn’t come from the North Pole, but rather, it comes from you;  it’s inside us all. The bottom line is if we choose to embrace it or not.

 

Who wouldn’t want to find joy in something that surpasses paying bills, going to work, decorating, shopping and all the other drudgery of everyday life? This is a universal season where it is OK to throw away the daily hassles that we get caught up in all year long and instead to remember that love, kindness and joyfulness are the real treasures.

 

Perhaps the best unofficial study of Christmas spirit has been done this year, on a larger scale than ever before and purely unintentionally. The pandemic is actually wiping some of our traditions away. There are no office parties, we can’t gather in large numbers for parades, festivities and social gatherings. Many of these were superfluous anyway. Haven’t you at least once in your life muttered to yourself, “I don’t want to go to the office party, to the neighbors’ annual gathering, etc. but I am expected to. I’d rather just be home.”

Tis the year. People are finding that enjoying smaller groups actually brings them closer. I don’t know how many times at family gatherings I really didn’t get to visit with everyone because there just wasn’t that one-on-one time. Don’t get me wrong, I am missing the gathering with family and friends just as much as anyone, but I am also learning that smaller is sometimes better.

Folks are enjoying their homes more too. Some people decorate to the hilt and are never home to enjoy it. I know people who have decorated early this year just because they are longing for some real joy and brightness in their world. We are learning that it is more than the gifts and the bustle. It’s more about the real magic and wonder of the holiday.

More so than at any other time of the year, you can find accounts of Christmas miracles. Suddenly the money you need for the rent shows up from an unexpected source; a person is healed and doctors have no explanation; a child receives not the gift he asked for, but rather just what he needs in his stocking; people find ways to make it home at this time of year when it seemed impossible. The list goes on. Part of the reason that Christmas is so magical is the mystery of Christmas. There are no earthly explanations.

The answer to the question of Christmas magic and Christmas spirit is best summed up by the answer to a little girl’s innocent question so many years ago, Francis Pharcellus Church’s, an editor of the The New York Sun newspaper, reply to a little girl’s question on the reality of Santa Claus. His answer from back in September of 1897 has become a classic and has been translated into 20 different languages. His last line speaks volumes to the validity of Christmas magic, “ Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist…..The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see….”

Even in our day, it is summed up by Roald Dahl who said, “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Or, as Dolly Parton puts it, “It’s the memories that make the magic.”

 

This year on December 21, the winter solstice, Jupiter and Saturn’s great conjunction will produce a bright spot just above the southwestern horizon soon after sunset. This hasn’t occurred in this magnitude since 1226 AD, leading many to think this is the Christmas Star, the same that was seen over Bethlehem so many years ago. To many, this is a sign of a miracle, especially after the year that 2020 has been.

Christmas magic, Christmas spirit, or whatever name you put on it makes the world a better place. This is what I choose to believe and I’m sticking to it! Merry Christmas!

O CHRISTMAS TREE!

 

 

Ahh, the Christmas season is upon us. Whatever your beliefs, whatever your traditions, at the center of most folks’ holiday is the lowly Christmas tree. It brings warmth, light and cheer into our homes. However, not all trees are created equal and, with a little forethought, getting just the right tree for your home can make for a much more enjoyable experience.

The use of trees to decorate goes back to before the birth of Christ, with the first being in Riga, Latvia in 1510. In this country, cherry and Hawthorns were used in place of evergreens in the past. All the nostalgic movies and books depict people trapsing off to the woods to cut their own trees but, actually, live Christmas trees have been sold since 1850. In New York in 1851, a fellow named Mark Carr opened the first Christmas tree lot in the United States.

How it has grown since then! Stats from 2012 show that 24.5 million real trees were purchased that year as well as 10.9 million artificial trees. There are more than 15,000 tree farms in the United States with 350 million trees growing on those farms. Altogether, roughly 100,000 people make their living in the Christmas tree industry. Christmas trees are big business.

Artificial trees were developed in Germany in the 19^th century. Goose feathers dyed green were attached to wire branches and these were then wrapped around a central dowel that was used for a trunk. Artificial trees have come a long way!

Even so, many of us still prefer the live trees. The smell, the touch, the idea of a living Christmas tree is still the real deal to many. Still, choosing the right one isn’t always easy since there are more than 35 species from which to choose. They all have sturdy green boughs, a pleasant scent and the classic shape.

The best way to tell them apart is by the look of their needles and branches. Fir needles are fat and flat and their cones stand on top of the branches. Pine tree needles grow in clusters of two, three or five needles, depending on whether they are red, yellow or white pines. Their needles tend to be very long.

The balsam fir was the most popular and was considered the traditional Christmas tree until about 20 years ago when other species flooded the market. It is still the most fragrant.

Firs, including balsams and Canaan, are more expensive than pines because they grow slower and there is more expense involved in producing them. They sport stiff branches for decorating, their needles won’t shed and their scent makes the whole house smell like Christmas.

The most traditional Christmas tree is the white pine whereas the white spruce is considered the best for ornaments. Douglas fir is the most popular but balsam fir is the most fragrant. If you are going for low maintenance, choose Scotch pine. However, if you talk to most tree growers, their hands-down favorite all around and best smelling is the Nova Scotia Balsam Fir.

To choose the best tree, after deciding the variety you want, go to a Mom and Pop tree lot rather than a big chain retail store. Those at larger stores are usually cut in October and shipped in. Besides, there are other perks at privately-owned tree lots. You can sometimes wander their farm looking for the perfect tree and many offer hot chocolate and sleigh or wagon rides to make “getting the tree” a memorable experience.

Don’t forget to measure height and width of where you want the tree to go before you leave home. It’s an optical illusion when you get to the tree lot…they always look smaller there. The worst thing is to find that special tree and then have to chop some of it off because it won’t fit your space.

Refrain from buying too early. Lately, it has become the norm for some to buy their trees even before Thanksgiving. A fresh tree, kept properly hydrated, will last for a good month. Make sure the tree has dark green, flexible branches and that it is not already shedding. It should have a strong smell and you should be able to feel the moisture and tree sap residue on the needles. Don’t forget to check the bottom of the tree, if any branches are brown, it was probably cut at least a month prior.

Now, for the not-so-fun part. The average gorgeous, perfect Christmas tree has approximately 30,000 bugs calling it home. Yuck! That is another reason to buy from tree farms since most of them have mechanical tree shakers to rid your tree of insects. It is also a good idea to leave your tree in the garage for a few days before bringing it inside. You may even consider spraying it with non-toxic neem oil to get rid of the last of the stubborn critters.

After the holidays there are a few creative ideas to make use of your tree even more instead of just disposing it. It can be set outside and strung with popcorn, berries, etc. and used as a bird feeder. The tree can also be broken up and thrown on your compost pile.

Trunks can be burned in fires but not the branches since they can spark. However, you can burn the branches separately outside and use the ashes as fertilizer in gardens.

If you have a balsam tree, its needles can be used as fragrant potpourri. Boughs can be cut and used as winter decorations. The wood and branches both may be used in crafts to make birdhouses, candle holders, paper weights and much more.

Of course, the best option is to buy a potted tree and plant it in the spring. That way it just keeps on giving joy.

Christmas trees are definitely rooted in our traditions. A few other facts about them are:

*The top Christmas tree producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan (yea!), Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington.

*The “Tree of Paradise” was used in old plays to symbolize the Garden of Eden. Apples were hung on it and that may have been the beginning of Christmas ornaments. The first manufactured ornaments were sold by Woolworth’s in 1880.

*Thomas Jefferson’s assistant, Edward Johnson, came up with the idea for tree lights in 1882 and they were mass produced starting in 1890.

*The average growing time for a Christmas tree is seven years.

*A national Christmas tree has been lit every year since 1923 on the South Lawn of the White House.

*Teddy Roosevelt tried to ban trees in the White House as an environmental concern since so many were being cut for the holidays and he believed that this would lead to deforestation. However, his son surprised the family with a tree in the White House for Christmas morning…this sort of debunked his plans!

The tree at Rockefeller Center began in 1933. Since 2004, the tree has been topped with a 550-pound Swarvoski Crystal star and since 2007 it has been lit with 30,000 LED lights powered by solar panels.

*In a survey of favorite smells, Christmas trees were eighth on the list.

To many of us, the Christmas tree is the tradition that we associate most with the holidays. It is a symbol of warmth, good cheer and togetherness. Worth all the effort in putting it up and taking it down, it is a symbol of hope and love…and who doesn’t need that right now!

 

 

THE HARDEST HARVEST

 

Another year’s harvest is in the books for us and many others are getting close. Though anyone who knows farming, knows that no two years are alike, this one has definitely been different.

Farmers in east central Indiana have been blessed with the perfect crop, or as near perfect as you can get. Crops got in at the right time in the spring, the rains came at the right times and fall provided a bigger share of sun-kissed days than normal to get the crop out.

Ron has been farming for more than 40 years and he said this may have been his best corn crop ever. There were other changes too. Harvest even looked a little different this year since he invested in a grain cart instead of solely relying on wagons to get the crop in. The whole idea was to make life a little easier. Of course, that depends on if you ask him or the grain cart operator, but that’s another story.

But there were other changes too. Harvest is every farmer’s payday, the time when a year’s worth of efforts pays off. When they climb in the combine, it’s like a kid at Christmas. Though this year I didn’t see that happy on Ron’s face. I felt the same echoes from other farmers too, “It’s just not fun anymore like it used to be.” What gives?

Farmers our age are seeing spouses, friends and others retiring from their life’s work and moving to the next chapter. Most of us make that decision and never look back. It’s not as easy for farmers. Part of their soul is tied to the land that has been part of them most of their lives. At the same time, they are feeling the urge that maybe it’s just time to hang it up. However, that is easier said than done.

Farms, like so many other enterprises, has moved into the big business league. Sad to say, the family farm that has been passed down from generation to generation is disappearing. Volatile grain markets, the price of new machinery to stay on top of the game, mounting repair bills on older equipment and the price of fuel, seed, fertilizer and chemicals have decreased farmers’ profit margin. The younger generation, as much as many of them would like to stay on the family farm, is forced to find other careers to support their families.

By the time Dad is ready to retire, the next generation is already established in other careers. So, what does Dad do, sell the land that he has connected with for so long and made it what it is today to a stranger? Of course, there is always the option to rent the land. The only problem here is that most famers make the worst landlords, a few pull it off, but not many.

There is the right way, the wrong way and then each farmer has his own way. No one, I repeat no one, would ever farm the land, work the land, love the land like the farmer himself. There is that tie to the land that can’t be broken…by anything or anyone.

 

I know this feeling. All of us kids had other lives but when it was time to sell Mom and Dad’s farm, the same land that we helped work growing up, it tugged on our heart strings. We all looked at so many different scenarios on how we could keep the land, even though we all knew that the best option was to sell it. Being reasonable doesn’t make it any easier to let go.

 

Farmers never really retire anyway. Have you ever ridden anywhere with one? Did they notice the new house going up on the corner? Nope. But they noticed the condition of every crop, how far every farmer is along in planting or harvesting, if they got new machinery or if their grain cart is bigger than their own. What about the new Subaru in the Harris’s driveway? Nope, but they noticed that the corn is starting to tassel.

Perhaps the one defining factor for every farmer is that they have always been their own boss and made their own decisions, right or wrong. There are so many variables that they deal with daily; the weather, the markets, new technology and many other factors that will decide how their land will produce in October. There is power in this, in being your own person.

There is also power on the flip side. The culmination of all those decisions, year after year, has made their land what it is, each year striving to make it better. Putting their heart and soul into it all those years has made them a kindred spirit with the soil. It is never “just dirt” to them.

Farming doesn’t care what your age is or how many years you have been working the land. The same grace that lets you decide where, when and how you till the soil also doesn’t release you from that stewardship, but rather makes you a prisoner of it.

 

 

I love my little piece of heaven on earth here in Michigan. But, I also love Ron’s slice of heaven. Although I have only known it for five years, the rolling fields, the woods, the grasslands all hold a special place in my heart. It all goes back to whenever you dig in the dirt, it becomes part of you, no matter where that dirt is.

 

 

So, this is truly a hard harvest for many farmers our age, even though it may be their best producing year yet. They are no different than any of us. They want to travel, to pursue some hidden interests, to take it a little easier. They want to actually enjoy the spring and the fall instead of always having it be their busy season. They have reached the age where they have earned that right. They just don’t know how to do it.

It’s probably the hardest decision they will ever make. I daresay that every farmer that has raised a family has gotten married twice, once to his wife and once to the land. I would also be willing to bet that, no matter how strong of a bond there is between a farmer and his spouse, the bond with the land is stronger.

This is also a lone decision that every farmer has to make for himself. As hard as it is, I would hope that each one appreciates what a privilege it is to be able to go out on his/her own terms. In the last few years, many farmers have been forced to sell because of circumstances beyond their control.

This is also why my hope for all farmers is that when they do make the decision to hang up their work shoes, they do it in a good year. Only then will they know that it is truly their decision to move on and not just that they are a victim of circumstances.

Ron has always said that for every farmer there will be a crop that doesn’t get in or one that won’t get out. Every farmer will have their own year that is their “hardest harvest.” The only saving grace is that when they have that year, they make the decision for their life instead of life making it for them. I wish each and every farmer all the best.