DECEMBER 2013
SUNRAYS | 35
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A Quick Reply
T’was the week before Christmas
And all through the mall,
Santa was listening
And hearing it all.
My son was prepared to
Tell what he desired,
But the line was too long and
He was getting so tired.
At last the time came
To talk to the man,
He had practiced about
As much as you can!
His chance came to ask
But his tongue got so tied
Forgetting what he planned,
He looked up and sighed.
He had to tell something
So he shrugged and he said
The first thing that jumped
Right into his head.
Santa laughed and repeated,
“I should bring you a goat?”
Now he was wishing
That he’d just sent a note!
I found that a goat
Is not easy to find
But finally I bought one,
The small, manger kind.
The memory is sweet,
Of my son’s quick reply
To get him out of the mall
And tell old Santa goodbye.
I wonder if he worried
That under the tree
A billy goat would be waiting
To join our family!
―Linda Dwyer, N32
Holiday Sparks
C
hristmas Eve was a time of traditions for our young family. We lin-
gered over the special dinner that my wife, Dottie, had prepared. Our
girls, Lynda and Margo, would get ready for bed and then we would gather
in the den, with a nice fire going in the fireplace. After one of us read the
Christmas story from the Bible, we would finish the evening by reading
The Night Before Christmas
. Then it was off to bed for the girls.
We embellished this tradition with Christmas candles in special holders
I had brought back from a trip to Spain. We lit the candles and the girls
would each hold a candle as we paraded to their rooms, where I’m sure vi-
sions of sugar plums or more contemporary goodies danced in their heads
as they slept. Each year, I photographed the little candle-lit parade to the
bedrooms with my movie camera.
When Lynda was five and Margo three, the parade went as usual until they
reached the doorway into the hall. “Wait,” I called. “The camera didn’t start.”
As I fumbled with the camera, the scent of burning hair and smoke at the
back of Lynda’s neck told the story: Lynda, in the lead, had stopped short,
but Margo had not!
―Tom & Dottie Mitchell, N46
A Chranukah Story
Since our family has mixed cultures
and religions, I invented the holiday of
“Chranukah,” a mixture of the celebra-
tory aspects of Christmas and Chanukah,
so that everyone feels included. We have
ham and potato latkes, light the menorah
candles, and play the dreidel game.
I even had T-shirts made with the Chra-
nukah photo seen to the left.
We also have aChristmas tree, underwhich
are gifts. We read books about both celebra-
tions. It keeps life interesting and fun!
―Susan & Joe Gomez, N15
