Lights and Thoughts

"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exists, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy."

~Charles Dana in editorial in the New York Sun, 1897, responding to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon

"When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?"

~G.K. Chesterton
I might add (in tough economic times) are we not also grateful to have stockings to put on those legs?

With so many people in destitute situations, it's hard to decide where to give but if you need a sub-for-santa to contribute to, Rob's work associate died suddenly, leaving five dependent children and his wife. One child is handicapped (born with a brain tumor). This happened just before Halloween this year and the Jacksons are pooling resources to help them.

This year the luminaries at the cemetery will be on Saturday, Dec. 20. If you're in Salt Lake, this is worth seeing at dark. Wasatch Lawn (3400 South Highland Dr). Of course, Temple Square is something to behold as well until January 1 >300,000 lights and more in other parts of the city.

Other light displays I discovered online:
Lights Before Christmas (Nov. 24. 2008 through the season, dusk-11pm) at Layton Commons Park (437 N. Wasatch Dr.) in Layton (801-335-3900)

http://www.christmasutah.com/ (Nov. 28, 2008 through first week of Jan., 2009) at 5631 S. Whispering Pine Circle in Murray (tune to 99.9 FM for music).

Christmas Street (Glen Arbor Drive) in Salt Lake City

For the website with ideas for other states as well, go here http://www.lightpatch.com/christmaslights/
Here's another interesting article, "Go tell it on the mountain..." (Click the post title to read).

And a little Christmas humor: "Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice." ~Author Unknown