Lamar Thames

With very little effort on the part of my wife and I, we had probably the best Christmas we have experienced in quite a long time. I’m talking legendary, as in it was so exciting that it was hard for us to fall asleep for at least two nights in a row.

So, what was so exciting about our Christmas, you might ask? Well, first we spent Dec. 23 with three of our children and all six of our grandchildren at our youngest son Joe’s house. Joe is the one who had a major heart attack four years ago at age 35; got married a year later and bought a house the last week in November 2009. Joe had to good sense to choose Tamarah Lohma as the woman he would marry. I will applaud him for that decision for the rest of my life.

The evening was just so full of joy from everyone. It was one of those evenings where

The grandchildren had fun trying to open a present with mittens on. (Photo by Lamar Thames)

everyone was in a good mood, including the children, who were so happy to be spending time with their cousins, their nana and papa and their aunts and uncles. We ate dinner, celebrated Jesus’ birth with an angel food cake (what else?) and candles, passed out presents and played games.

We always try to get together with my children in the Jacksonville area at least a day or two before Christmas for two reasons. One is to get our gift exchange out of the way early because of all the others involved in that holiday celebration, in-laws and such. It just makes it easier on everyone. Then, we are free to travel to Orlando to spend

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Lamar Thames

OK, that is enough dillydallying. Let’s get this thing done.

I am referring to my annual Christmas column. At least the one I used to write when I was the editor of a North Florida community newspaper. It was about Christmases past and present and contained images that ranged in my mind from the good, the bad and the ugly of Christmas.

Notice I have used the word Christmas four times already, not holiday. America’s national holiday is Christmas and it is about both giving and receiving and Christ’s birthday. As well as it is about Hannukah and all the other religions that celebrate their deities in some way. Let’s get over this idea of we have to say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. Celebrating the plurality as well as the original intent of the day is what makes this such a wonderful and great national.

So, Merry Christmas to all. Now let me try to entertain you with some of my holiday merriment.

Emma loves to watch the Christmas train as it makes its rounds under the Christmas tree at Nana and Papa's house.

First, the good has already occurred. It happened recently when my granddaughter Emma came running up to me and squealed, “Papa’s home! Can we turn on the train now?”

It was a night I had to pick up my grandson from basketball practice and meet up with my daughter at our house. Emma had obviously been instructed to wait until Papa arrived before the train could be turned on but she didn’t wait a second before popping the question.

“Of course, we can, Emma,” I answered. We proceeded to the living room where the Christmas train was assembled under the Christmas tree and I showed her how to turn it on and let it make all the sounds of the season that we all enjoy so much: “Ho, ho, ho” and “Merry Christmas,” as well as ringing the train’s bell and Santa shouting, “All aboard.”

Emma is the just the latest in the line of grandchildren who have enjoyed the train and one of these days we hope there will be one more. We haven’t gotten a commitment on that score, but we keep our fingers crossed that we will be blessed with one more grandchild who will someday enjoy the tradition of the Christmas train at Nana and Papa’s house.

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In years past, I have had some sort of calamity with either the Christmas tree or the decorations, both inside and outside.

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You may have seen the big two-story, multi-column antebellum home on Plainfield Avenue that belongs to Kyle and Margaret Abshire. Did you know that the Abshires open their highly decorated home for a night every December to members of the Orange Park Rotary Club for their annual Christmas party? The tradition continued Dec. 10 for the 30th consecutive year and from the looks of it, it will continue for as long as the Abshires are able to host it. Margaret begins the decorating chores at least two months ahead of time. With a deft decorating eye, she carefully places the beautiful holiday ornamentation so that it blends and does not overwhelm the stately home. Poinsettias line a staircase leading to the second floor indoor balcony, a scene straight out of “Gone With the Wind;” seven decorated Christmas trees greet the eye at every turn and holiday cheer emanates from throughout the house — a testament to the good will and hospitality of the Abshires, who only ask that Rotarians bring a $15 gift for both a boy and girl to be donated to the J.P. Hall Children’s Charities for the annual toy giveaway. Thank you, Margaret and Kyle. We appreciate your kindness. (To see more photos, click on the gallery above.)

Hail to the soldiers!

 

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

Transforming the yard to a winter delight. Read the rest of this entry »

A message sent to me by a high school friend, Margaret.

This is very inspiring and worth of being read everywhere this

Christmas. Read the rest of this entry »