Remembering the true meaning of Christmas
“I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.”
— Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol”
Christmas season…celebrated globally in myriad ways which have all changed. Taking courage from the wisdom of others could help us make it through yet another holiday sheltering in place.
A favorite annual viewing of “A Christmas Carol” — by Charles Dickens (1843) — is part of our annual family tradition. Themes of this work are Christmas, redemption and social injustice. The moral of “A Christmas Carol” has everything to do with the transformation of the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge. He begins the story as a miserly, closed-hearted man, later emerging as a caring, kindly one when he said, “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.”
Dickens wrote some amazing quips: “Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!”
Or, “But I am sure that I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round…as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely.”
A couple more:
“For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.”
“Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!”
Perhaps that’s just the ticket in this time, to remember that Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. And to extend compassionate help to those in need.
Tuesdays at the Plaza… At 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Pastor Michele Robbins of Ukiah United Methodist Church hosts an ecumenical service, inviting people to bring rhythm instruments if they want to (mask and social distancing required).
On Dec. 22, the service will also be the Longest Night Service for people who might be feeling down and having trouble getting into the spirt of Christmas. On Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. (after the 7 p.m. Facebook service), people will gather again at Alex Thomas Plaza to “spread the candlelight” around the circle while singing “Silent Night.”
Helping others… ” Thimbles & Hoops” is a group of women from First Baptist Church Clearlake Oaks who began years ago making quilts for the mothers in a local hospital whose babies died at birth. The local Fire Department asked for blankets for those whose houses were burned in a fire. Police Department asked for blankets to keep in the trunk of squad cars to wrap up children who had to be removed from an abusive situation. Quilts also go to Social Services for many times when workers go to the home to remove the chile or babies from unsafe conditions, the child has no child.
There’s one story of a nude child dropped off at the office. A worker had just picked up a box of quilts and had them stored under her desk. She was able to wrap the infant in a warm safe blanket.
Old jeans were turned into survival pouches that were then filled with daily needs (toothbrush and paste, tissue, soap, towel, sanitary supplies for females, comb, brush, etc.). These were given to high school students found living under an overpass in a nearby town because they were homeless.
Recently quilts were given to the Director of Missions for Butte County fire victims.
Before the quilts or survival pouches are given out they are prayed over by all the women of Thimbles & Hoops.
Thimbles & Hoops meet
every Wednesday morning at the church. Many of the supplies are donated and the attention of local businesses brought donated fabric and money. Men, women, boys, and girls are welcome to come be taught the gift of giving through sewing. For more information, contact Sue
Totten at (707) 701-1909.
Caroling in COVID… First Presbyterian Church (for almost 20 years) sponsored an annual community Carolsing with guest artists, which was the event which many folks looked forward to. Changes, of course, had to be made, so last Sunday they held an informal carol sing outside around a tree, and later served refreshments (about 50 brave souls stood in the dark and cold).
To cheer drivers all month long, they have a Nativity Christmas tree and strobe on the breezeway roof. The church is located at the corner of Perkins and Dora Streets in Ukiah.
Harpist we know…world renown harpist Anna Maria Mendieta, from San Francisco, has blessed Ukiah with her playing for years in many venues. She just released a brand-new classical crossover album “Tango Del Cielo,” which celebrates the music of Astor Piazzolla as we approach the 100th anniversary of his birth in 2021. It represents a one- of-akind vision for both tango music and the harp repertoire.
Anna Maria released “Tango Del Cielo,” on all digital platforms in August. The album focuses on new virtuosic arrangements for harp and orchestra featuring original works of major composers created specifically for Anna Maria, and it is receiving great reviews.
The Tango del Cielo Album debuted #2 on Billboard’s Classical Crossover Charts! And it remained on the charts for several weeks; at one point the record company sold out of albums and needed to re-stock; winner of Clouzine International Music Award for
Best Classical Crossover Album; Music Video “Libertango” was awarded “Best Music Video” by the Clouzine International Music Awards: https:// youtu.be/ptvrjlzatno.
Tango Del Cielo Album & Show site: www.tangodelcielo.com
To Buy: www.tangodelCielo.com/album
To Listen: Spotify: Album “Tango Del Cielo” — Anna Maria Mendieta
Cheer-i- o!