A Light in the Window
By
Gerry Niskern
Yesterday, a granddaughter was telling me about her family’s tradition of driving around on Christmas eve to look at the beautifully decorated homes in some parts of our valley. And I was remembering the many drives that Ken and I took, including some Senior guests, who’s driving days were over, to enjoy the Christmas lights.
Actually, going way back, I remember piling into my Dad’s Plymouth to drive to a small city nearby to where the “rich people” lived. That was one treat of the season. The area where the owners of the coal mine and steel mills lived always had fantastic decorated homes . My favorite mansion I always looked for, was one done all in blue.
There is something about light that has always brought cheer to the soul. Back in the l7th century people in Germany started putting lighted candles on their tree. The tradition spread from there and to many the lights symbolized the Christmas star.
Then in l882, Edward Johnson, Edison’s partner, put the very first string of 80 electric Christmas lights together. The red, white and blue lights on his tree made quite a stir, but the public was not ready to trust electric illumination for quite some time. Then a couple of the presidents encouraged lighting up the White House and in the twenties and thirties it became more popular with the public.
When I was a kid, during the depression, most people had some artificial Christmas wreaths to display in their windows. And if you were really lucky, yours had a candle resting on the bottom with a bulb that lite up for the “flame”. My sister and I thought our house looked grand with our lights in every window!
When picture windows became popular In the fifties and sixties families started placing their tree in front of the window. Of course, after that, it was “Katy bar the door!” Lighting up your house and the yard outside became competitive!
After spending last Holiday season in isolation as most of us did, this Christmas was supposed to be different but it is turning out to be iffy for many. So thank goodness for those ambitious souls who light up a “thousand stars” for all of us to enjoy.
Treasure the tradition and the lights!

She came, she saw and she conquered
By
Gerry Niskern
To continue: A funny thing happened on the way to the Christmas tree that my great-great granddaughter was supposed to decorate. She spied the old toy box. Toys came flying out (discarding all cars and trucks) until it was almost empty.
After putting all the dolls, and a couple of dinosaurs to bed, she discovered the little kitchen stove and pots and pans. I casually mentioned that I sure could use a cup of coffee. Her eyes lite up, she recognized a fellow actor and the four-year-old included me in every scenario. I had a role to play and I better get it straight!
Later, she learned to play “Go Fish”, sort of. Knew the names of all the types of fish ,but not all the numbers but it didn’t matter because she soon had more pairs than me.
We worked puzzles and read books (her favorite thing) and then around noon she said, “I’d like to eat something now.” About the time I was saying “okay” she whipped open the frig and said, “I’ll have that orange” and said yes to my offer of veggies. “I’ll help you” she said and brought over a stool to stand on, grabbing a banana on the way. “And this too”. She directed me on how to slice them and turned down my offer of chicken salad but later as she was enjoying her spread, she casually offered me a zucchini slice and later, a banana slice.
After writing a letter to her mother she started out the door to my mailbox. When told she couldn’t go there, she handed me my phone and said “Call the mailman and tell him to come here and pick it up.”
Turns out she had never played, “Hot or Cold” while finding a hidden object. She loved it! Then when her four- hour visit was about up, she realized she hadn’t decorated my tree. Every time she picked up an ornament to hang on the tree she offered me one. I think she set a record in tree trimming time.
She is one of the most confident and self-sufficient kids I’ve seen in years.
I know you are not supposed to brag about your grandkids, but I believe they passed a law that if it is a great-great-grandkid, it’s okay.

A walking, talking Christmas gift
By
Gerry Niskern
The best Christmas gift ever is coming next week!
Not everyone gets to have a great-great-grandchild, but I have one and she is coming to spend a day with me next week.
I’ve gathered puzzles, books, and games. I know she’ll want to explore the grandkid ’s old toy box too. There is a little wooden wagon filled with blocks that her grandpa used to haul diligently from room to room. Of course, she might be shocked at the three dolls that reside in the box. You see, their hair was trimmed many times by her cousin that now runs a popular hair salon.
There is a tiny stove with pots and pans that her great uncle cooked many a gourmet meal on when he was three. As a teenager he made the best apple pies of all the family cooks. And of course there are a ton of cars and trucks with many miles on them.
I’ve only seen this little brown eyed, four- year- old three times. She lives with her mama in another town, but gets to come to spend next week with her grandparents, aunt, uncles and cousins next week and know everybody so much better.
Everyone knows that four-year-olds like to do little chores for you.
The first job I’m going to give her is to decorate my little four foot Christmas tree. I’m sure she be great at that….to be continued.