Page 68 - Clearwater Christian College 2005

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HE SMELL of pine trees. An icy wind blowing snow at your face. A

warm, crackling fire beneath a hearth with stockings. The stillness of a

cold winters night. Friends and family gatheredaround the dinner

table. These images, smells, and sounds can all be associated with

Christmas. Christmas is a time of year when families come together to cel­

ebrate; children wait anxiously for their gifts; and most importantly, a time

when people celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus ( 'hrist.

Families have different traditions for

Christmas. Some stay at home while others go

to a relatives house. Others open gifts on

Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day.

Many attend a Candlelight service on Christ­

mas Eve while some go to church on (Christ­

mas Day. Every family has its own unique

way of celebrating Christmas.

Every family has its own favorite memo­

ries or aspects of Christmas. “My favorite part of (Christmas is decorating

the tree. I usually get to help Mom do it, and we put lots of different orna­

ments on—ones we’ve made in school, ones Mom and Dad have had since

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c they were little, and ones given to us throughout the years. Nearly every or­

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nament has a special memory behind it,” Melissa Rettinhouse said.
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o Many variety of ( Christmas trees can be found. For Adam Chambers’

>

r e family, a live tree is found in his home. He said, “Every year around (Christ­
ts mas time my family will go together and cut down a Christmas tree. 1 love

3
o

•-t the aroma the Christmas tree gives off through our house during the (Christ­
co 08
o mas season. My family puts up lights throughout the house. In December,

c

P r e every morning when 1 wake up 1 know it is Christmas because of the glitter­
CO E

> ing lights and piney smell of our house.”

n a Christmas is also a time to make new friends. David Johnson said,
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“Two years ago my family had the opportunity to host two exchange stu­

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n> dents from Ecuador. That was a really good Christmas. It was great to be

n
CO r e
able to share Christmas with them and to introduce them to some of
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Maine’s Christmas traditions. It was neat to find out some of the different

things their families in Ecuador did for Christmas, (cont. on p. 66)

"There's nothing *

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their families all

»

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of Christmas. It

*
makes me realize how thankful I

am to have Christ as one of my i
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Mr. Ben Puckett Chris Seely Sabine Rheau Shawn Akey family members during the sea­ i i

Mr. Joe Valentine Rachelle Willauer Jaclyn Pueyo Stephanie Willet son but also throughout the i

Mr. Dan Wareing Katrina Phillips whole year!' -Ryan Withee

Mr. John Keifer Jenny Breck

TJ Parker

i