Christmas Thoughts

This is the first Christmas in 44 years that I did not have my children with me. I am a blessed man; blessed with three beautiful daughters and 16 healthy children. For the past 44 years my daughters have been in our home for Christmas morning; for the past 22 years they have been raising their own families and they were all in our home for Christmas celebration. This year however, we were all blocked in by icy roads and blowing snow. This year my wife Dixie and I had the day to ourselves. Quiet, restful and rather eerie but also a blessing in disguise.

When all of our grandchildren were young and only numbered three or four my wife and I began a family tradition which has become very time consuming to say the least. For each grandchild we hide one gift and then give them clues where they may find each succeeding clue. Each clue they locate leads them closer to the coveted prize. When the number of grandchildren was smaller it was very easy and their age made it possible to stump them occasionally causing much excitement as they all tried to find the next clue.

Now we are attempting to hide 16 gifts in a three bedroom home plus five clues per gift. Each clue must lead that particular child to the next clue without uncovering one of the other children's gift or clues.That takes 96 hiding places that do not intersect. When the weather is bad we try to keep them inside so we don't cause a mess by tracking in and out. This is becoming quite a challenge. It is not uncommon for me to spend 40 hours making up the clues and hiding each of them plus the gifts.

Now days we have grandchildren that are in their 20's and don't you know it, they too wish to keep the tradition going. You ever tried to stump a 20-something with clues and hiding places. Unbelievable I know but we do it every year.

This ice and snow storm really was a gift from God so that I could get caught up. Today all day long I have been hammering out clues, thinking of hiding place and the toughest of all; making the clues rhyme.

Merry Christmas whoever reads this; I hope you are as blessed as I am and I especially hope you know the Reason for the season like I do. Jesus is His name and it seems the entire world is trying hard to forget that Name. Now days you hear "Happy Holidays" rather than Merry Christmas. Nothing wrong with happy holidays but to me it take Christ out of the holidays. Jesus is the reason for the season and I am not afraid to proclaim that. Merry Christmas everyone; Jesus was the baby in the manger, the reason for the Maggi traveling afar, the reason for the angels proclaiming this wonderful miracle so many years ago.

Hopefully with any luck I will have all 16 gifts adequately hidden plus all 80 clues that do not intersect or give away another's hiding place by this Sunday when all come home for a belated Christmas celebration. I am certianly a blessed man.

Merry Christmas everyone!