Christmas is right around the corner. We just celebrated the third week in Advent, and there are just two more candles to light: one for the fourth Sunday, and then the Christ candle typically lit on Christmas Eve.
Are you ready for the season? Here's a checklist:
Are your cards written and sent? My husband, Jim, and I have received a few cards, but I have noticed a radical decline in the amount of cards received the past few years. We get a few emailed cards, but I think the trend is to ignore the traditional sending of Christmas greetings, probably due to the time and cost involved.
Are all of your gifts purchased and wrapped? Have the ones that need to be mailed gone out yet? Mine are still in process of being wrapped, and I am waiting on a few more items that were ordered online to arrive. As the News Bulletin's editor, Thomas Boni, recently wrote, perhaps you can find some last-minute gifts on Main Street or at other local shops here in Crestview. It is nice to help out our local economy.
Remember: local food banks need contributions this time of year, whether financial, or canned goods and staples. Your church may have adopted families in need, and your family can contribute this way. I know people in our community experiencing financial hardship who could use a kind hand this time of year to provide food for their children as well as some gifts. Check with your church or the Salvation Army.
Have you decided what you will serve for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners? On Christmas Day, my husband and I will have ham, baked sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and pie for dessert — very traditional.
There are many wonderful Christmas Eve services here in Crestview. The News Bulletin has listings for churches that shared their information. I hope that you and your family can attend one or more.
Jim and I will sing at 6 p.m. at First United Methodist and then we will attend the 11 p.m. candlelight service at First Presbyterian.
Make your plans now to attend the church of your choice and celebrate the greatest Christmas gift of all, the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!
Janice Lynn Crose lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: 4 last-minute Christmas questions