Christmas a-comin'

Excerpts taken from "Just Thoughts of a Plain Country Woman" by Lucile Ellingwood Morrow from The Collinsville News,  December 11, 1958.

"Christmas a-comin' and I don't rekon none of us is any neare'r ready fur it than we wuz-but
we'll just have to get'ready, that's all. Christmas ain't a-goin' to hold off one hour on our account,
and aill't it a wontlerful· season of the year, though?"
So says, "Ole Miz Tutt Logan" And I must agree with her since getting ready for Ohristmas is a
bigger job every year, seems to me, since I must get ready both here at home and in my room at
school. There are some Christmas ideas, though, that I am more firmly convinced are right the older I
become.
The spirit of Christmas and the return of gift for gift, or repaying a previous favor or benefit,
are widely separated when we think of the true spirit of Christ, in His earthly mission.
Perhaps we have poor children in our midst who would delight in, taking part in Christmas programs
in various churches, if only they had suitable clothing. Maybe we could help them make over some
lovely garments picked up at a rummage or clothes sale.
Without doubt there are widows or widowers who have striven with brawn and brains to make Christmas seem like Christmas to their families or maybe they are alone, the family being too far
away to come for the day. Can we, with a clear conscience, sit down with our family, knowing
that even one of these lonely ones sits alone? Even though we do not ask them to join our circle,
we can share our home-baked pies, cookies, candies or flowers with such a lonely one.
It isn't the expensive gifts that make Christmas really Christ-like but it is those deeds that portray
His teachings. Give what you will, to whom you love, and eat goodies until you are miserable if you choose, but if you don't forget self and try to make someone else happy, then Christmas will not seem like Christmas."