Children caught bubbly snowflakes on their tongues during a Downtown Clarkesville Christmas.
We’re in the midst of the Christmas season. Local events abound. There are tree lightings and concerts, live nativities and light displays, ice skating in Cornelia and snow bubbles in Clarkesville. It’s amazing how much Habersham offers this time of year.
Looking at the long list of events and activities it’s also amazing how much time, money and effort people put into making this season special for all of us.
From elected officials who approve funding, to the city employees who plan and execute details, to the businesses, churches and schools that sponsor events and the shop owners who decorate and greet folks with smiles, Christmas in Habersham is a community event.
I know not everyone celebrates the season. There are those who don’t find the same spiritual meaning in Christmas as others. I respect that, we all should, but I can’t help thinking that even non-believers must feel a bit lighter and cheerier with all that is happening around them.
There’s just something about this time of year that reawakens the soul. After 11 months of laboring and wondering what the world is coming to, it’s nice to be reminded of the goodness and beauty that surround us. My heart thrills each time I see a Christmas tree light up and sparkle against the night sky. I relish the sight of wreaths adorning doors, windows and lamp posts. My eyes eagerly devour the spectacle of Christmas lights in the park, Christmas parades and kids looking wide-eyed at Santa. My ears delight to the sounds of carols and hymns and cheery holiday greetings.
I can’t get enough of Christmas.
Oh sure, there’s the hustle and bustle – been to Walmart lately? We hunt for parking spaces and jockey for position in store lines. We watch our bank accounts dwindle. We grow tired and cranky at the end of long shopping days. We get tied up in knots by the Christmas rush but we endure it with the best of intentions. We hunt and jockey and growl, grin and bear it to make others happy. Each gift we buy is wrapped with anticipation and love. We place our gifts under the tree and walk away giddy as we look forward to watching our children tear into them Christmas morning. We tie perfect bows on top of the gifts we give to our friends, the beauty of the packages a reflection of the beauty they bring to our lives. We struggle to find the perfect gift for our parents and grapple with what to give those who seem to have everything. We do it for them. We do it for ourselves. Imagining the joy our gifts will bring others brings us joy.
Speaking of joy…
My parents named me Joy because I was born close to Christmas. I wasn’t the Ben Jr. my dad expected. Joy’s a tough name to live up to and, I admit, I often fall short. There are many people in our community today who aren’t falling short. They’re spreading joy in countless ways and we’re all the recipients. To them, I say “Thank You!” Thanks for the long hours you’ve spent decorating our towns and rehearsing for performances. Thanks for sharing your time, talents and hearts.
A special thanks to local Main Street directors Mary Beth Horton and Heather Sinyard. While it’s their job to plan and coordinate events for Clarkesville and Cornelia they go above and beyond what their paychecks cover. Just look around and you’ll see the evidence of their hard work and dedication at Christmastime and throughout the year.
If you haven’t participated in any of the Christmas events held here in Habersham I encourage you to do so. All seven cities – Alto, Baldwin, Clarkesville, Cornelia, Demorest, Mt. Airy and Tallulah Falls – have something to share. Thanks to them all for giving us a community Christmas: For filling our hearts with joy today and for giving us memories we’ll cherish tomorrow.
