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Show A cartoon we sawthe other day showed a father bending over a crib, eliciting the costs inherent with raising an infant to maturity. He asked a simple question are you worth it? The next block showed the Infant standing up in the crib, bussing the old man on the forehead. His reply "some things you just have to do anyway!" - o - There are so many ingredients ingred-ients to Christmas, that are essential the tree, Santa Claus, bright colored lights, the story of the Christ child, and yes, even Rudolf the red nosed reindeer. But for us the single most important in -gredient is kids. Without kids around for Christmas, you can go through all the other preparations, prepar-ations, but it just isn't Christmas. Fortunately, they don't have to be your kids. They don't even have to be grandklds. In fact, they don't even have to be relatives. rela-tives. But a successful Christmas must have the anticipation, an-ticipation, enthusiasm, doubt, faith and skepticism that only youngsters can give. o Of course, Christmas would be nothing if it weren't were-n't for parents, grandparents, grand-parents, neighbors, aunts uncles and everyone else who make Christmas a holiday for kids. And like the fellow in the cartoon, no doubt we all get to wondering at times if it's worth it. After all, most of us spend too much, work too hard, and give too much. And often we have to pay for it in the months to come. -g Is it worth it? The answer an-swer is yes. Thisweeklre-ceived Thisweeklre-ceived a card from my son. It was addressed just "Dad". That has got to be the most beautiful word in the English language, though I suppose "Mom" is just as beautiful. The card was from my oldest son Steve. He's a grown man now, making his own way in the world, and doing well. But likely he will always call me "dad", and when he does, I'll melt, nothing he asks would be too much, if I had it. -O - Just reading the word "dad" , makes me warm and glowing. It reminds me of the day he was born. How fast he grew, his accomplishments, accom-plishments, first at home, then in school, and today as a man. I can recount them one by one, or all in a flash. The same is true of the 'others, Darryl Scott, Sean Casey, and Kelli Roxanne. None of them will be with me this year, andChristmas won't be the same. Packaging Packag-ing gifts, weeks early, so they will have them Christmas Christ-mas morning has little of the old spirit that once existed. Their mother and I used to work half the night, assembling, as-sembling, wrapping, and placing pla-cing their things under the tree, before they woke early to see if Santa had arrived yet. I remember how they used to creep out of their room and ask, "Dad, is It time yet?" And generally, long before daylight, we'd say, "Look and see If Santa's (Continued on Page 8) HERE'S MORE ABOUT Just Bet ween come yet!" And then the day began. o Yes, Christmas means many things to many people, .but to us, it means more than anything, kids! And, the greatest Christmas gift of all is when they look at you and say, "thanks, dad!" And you know that that warmth, love and respect will always be there between you. |