December 7, 2005

Falls City Notes / Dorothy Cassidy

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas," as the song goes. It truly is. The decorations on several homes remind us how close we are to the holiday.

A home just off South Main on Lombard Street really deserves a peek if you're in the neighborhood. A lot of work went into the figures. Thank you for sharing them with us, George and Debbie -- your house is wonderful!

If I didn't feel like Christmas before, I do now. Each one of us has a different way to express our thoughts and feelings about each holiday. That's what makes it so great.
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Bridgeport Chapel put on a play, "The Legend of the Three Trees," on Dec. 4. It was adapted by local members from a traditional folk tale. And the Mountain Gospel Fellowship will perform a Christmas program, "The Star Thrower," on Sunday, Dec. 18, during the 11 a.m. worship service,

When I was young, it was a tradition to have programs at school and at the local church, and I have many wonderful (and often hilarious!) memories of some of our Christmas programs. Children forgetting lines, missing cues and improvising all added to the fun of the experience.
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The Falls City Garden Club will host it's annual Christmas potluck and social at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10. After the dinner, Dana Norman will give a pictorial presentation on the construction of a large water feature in a local garden.

And, of course, the day would not be complete without a few Christmas carols! Sounds like an enjoyable afternoon that you won't want to miss.
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A couple of year-long activities that children might enjoy take place locally. On Monday afternoons, an after-school program called the Good News Club is geared to elementary ages. When I visited the group last week they were enjoying snacks, play-acting, hearing stories and doing other activities related to the Bible and life lessons.

On Monday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. an activity called KFC -- Kids for Christ -- is held at the Grace Family Fellowship building. This group is for students in fifth to eighth grades.

These groups are not affiliated with any particular church or denomination. Parents need to sign a permission slip for their children's participation.
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It is easy to get carried away with all the activity this time of year. Standing on the bridge and listening to the sound of the water helps put things back in perspective a little bit. Sometimes we need to stop and think about what is really important.

In my own life, there were years when Christmas did not seem like it would be very memorable. There wasn't much money for gifts, and Dad was laid off his job. I remember the $2 nurse doll I got one of those years, but most of all I remember all the wonderful smells coming from the kitchen and the laughter at Grandma and Grandpa's little house. Sometimes the older kids would load up inner tubes and head to the mountain to play in the snow.

I hope you will make some new memories or revive a happy memory of your childhood. Maybe there is someone in your neighborhood who would enjoy a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and a few minutes to reminisce. Simple things can mean a lot.

Until next time -- blessings on your home.