Advents Corner

I have lived in several places through out my life. I was born and raised in Louisiana but moved away shortly after graduating high school and since then I have lived in a few different places such as, Orlando Florida, Saratoga Springs New York, Auburn Alabama and a few more. I have always said my favorite place was when I lived in Charleston South Carolina.

I loved it there because we had beaches but we still had a winter. You lived in a city but you also had that southern charm. People there were always so friendly and the variety of things to do was just amazing. There is Rainbow Row for those that like old houses and the farmers market to get all kinds of souvenirs. You can take a boat out to Fort Sumter or see the beautiful steeple on St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. There were just so many things we did when we lived there it is hard to name them all. I also enjoyed walking around Charles Towne Landing and watching them make candles in their period dresses. I think Charleston is the only place I have lived that I would actually move back too. Of course that is not in my future because right now we are talking about LA although I wish we were talking about Hawaii. If you are thinking of going there sign up for the Trusted Travel eNewsletter to get more information on the places you can see.

I know this is just something someone wrote and it probably is not true but I have a feeling someone somewhere in the world has done something like this at Christmas time.  I am 36 years old and I still believe in Santa.  I believe he lives in all of us and not just at Christmas time.  I have a rule in my house EVERYONE must believe in Santa, if they don’t then they do not get presents because Santa does not visit anyone that does not believe in him.  For as long as you believe in yourself you should believe in Santa.  Now read below, the beautiful story and think about a time when you gave of yourself for someone else.  Post your story here if you like, we would love to hear all of the good deeds you do. 

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: “There is no Santa Claus,” she jeered. “Even dummies know that!”
 
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her “world-famous” cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.
 
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. “No Santa Claus?” she snorted….”Ridiculous! Don’t believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and
let’s go.”
 
“Go? Go where, Grandma?” I asked. I hadn’t even finished my second
world-famous cinnamon bun. “Where” turned out to be Kerby’s General
Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. “Take this money,” she said, “and buy something for someone who needs it. I’ll wait for you in the car.” Then she turned and walked out of Kerby’s.
 
I was only eight years old. I’d often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.
  
I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock’s grade-two class.
 
Bobby Decker didn’t have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn’t have a cough; he didn’t have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!
 
I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.  “Is this a Christmas present for someone?” the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. “Yes, ma’am,” I replied shyly. “It’s for Bobby.”
 
The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn’t get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.
 
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, “To Bobby, From Santa Claus” on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker’s house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa’s helpers.
 
Grandma parked down the street from Bobby’s house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. “All right, Santa Claus,” she whispered, “get going.”  I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.
 
 
Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.  Fifty years haven’t dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker’s bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were — ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.  I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.

I really want to win this cute Yoda backpack for Lani, could you just see her going off to daycare with Yoda on her back teaching her the way of the force.  You could also win this or 5 other prizes during the Six Crazy Christmas Gifts giveaway.  Check out what you need to do to get into the running for Yoda, a Sonic Boom Alarm Clock with Bed Shaker for those hard to wake sleepers or a Marshmallow Shooter that shoots up to 30 feet.  I know Matt would love this one; the guys in his office all have air soft guns so this should fit right in.  Take a moment to visit and register to win.

Parson is another term for clergyman or pastor.  So Parson Brown is Pastor Brown. They are telling “Pastor Brown” that they are not married but he can marry them when he is in town.

“In the meadow we can build a snowman
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He’ll say ‘Are you married ?’, We’ll say ‘No man,
For you can do the job when you’re in town.’”

Read the verse to your child then let them color the picture.