Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2010
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 5A
Whole lot of stirring going on
“’TWAS THE night before Christmas,
and all through the house not a creature
was stirring, not even a mouse.”
Clement Clarke Moore was kidding,
right?
Wrong! How so?
Well, Mr. Moore didn't write that
yesterday or last week. Had he written
it yesterday or last week, he would have
been kidding us. No doubt about that.
However, since before Thanksgiving,
every creature in the house - especially
the two-legged kind - has been stirring
up a storm. And just two days before the blessed
event, they are still stirring up a storm. They
aren’t ready yet. So they’ll be stirring up a storm
Christmas day, into the New Year - and beyond.
It’ll take weeks to take down the tree, store the
decorations, put up the toys, exchange clothes that
don't fit, write thank-you notes, and get ready for
the next holiday.
Mr. Moore wrote his famous Christmas poem
in 1822. That was 188 years ago. There wasn’t
a whole lot of stirring of any kind going on back
then. So the first line of his poem was absolutely
accurate. Back then.
He and his family didn’t have many gifts to wrap.
Christmas dinner was simple and easy to prepare.
They weren't expecting a lot of company.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and Mr. Moore
was reading Luke 2:1-14 and leading the family in
a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of baby Jesus
and the joy, peace and good will that he came to
bring.
Then it was off to bed for a good night's sleep.
They were ready for Christmas. They were pre
pared. Rested and relaxed. They weren't hung over
from Black Friday, and they didn't have to run to
Wal-Mart to pick up a gift for Aunt Jeannie who
was flying in unexpectedly on Delta.
❖ ❖ ❖
How you celebrate Christmas is up to you. You
choose. You can stir up a storm. Or you can cop out
and do nothing. Just sit around and watch every
body else run around like chickens with their heads
cut off. It that's what you want to do, I suggest you
go to the mall and find a bench.
Most of you, I suspect, will find a happy medi
um: somewhere between storm and calm.
Fortunately, we don’t have to get caught up in the
‘Merry Christmas-Happy Holidays” controversy
this year. Cooler heads prevailed. We don’t have
to “take back Christmas.” Christmas hasn’t gone
anywhere. It's been around since that baby was
bom in that manger.
Christmas is what it is. What we think about it
isn't going to change it one iota. What we think
about it might change us.
❖ ❖ ❖
Did my Christmas shopping two weeks ago.
Took about three minutes. Went by the bank.
Cashed a check. Got a little money for the kids and
grandkids.
No that's not very creative. But based on past
experience, the recipients will like the color. And
they haven’t complained about the size. Neither
have they wanted to exchange it for something
else.
I'm ready for Christmas. Have time on my
hands. What shall I do?
❖ ❖ ❖
I am familiar with “The Night before Christmas.”
Must have read it a hundred times when
the kids were little. But I know nothing
about the man who wrote it. I think I'll
research Clement Clarke Moore. That’s
what I will do.
The Santa Claus of his poem is com
pletely American. “Not until St. Nicholas
passed through the crucible of Dr. Clement
Clarke Moore’s mind did the patron saint
of childhood ever ride in a sleigh or
have eight tiny reindeer or dress in furs,”
according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
Mr. Moore wrote “A Visit from St.
Nicholas,” a.k.a. “The Night before Christmas,” as
a prank for his children. A handsome, talented and
well-educated man, he was not particularly proud
of the poem. He must have thought it was below
his dignity.
Tradition has it that a family friend, Miss Harriet
Butler, sent a copy to The Troy (N.Y.) Sentinel in
1823, a year after it was written. This caused Mr.
Moore much embarrassment and regret; so much
so that he didn’t admit writing the poem until 22
years later.
Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863) was the
only child of Benjamin Moore. Benjamin was the
Episcopal Bishop of New York. He assisted in the
inauguration of George Washington, and read the
last rites of Alexander Hamilton. He also served
as president of King's College, later to become
Columbia University.
Benjamin's son was more than a frivolous person
who wrote poems for a prank. He played the violin
and piano, and was proficient in French, Italian,
Latin, Greek and Hebrew.
The author of “The Night before Christmas,”
graduated from Columbia University at the age of
19, first in his class. He studied for the ministry and
drew the plans for the church he helped establish.
He was a scholar of oriental and classical lit
erature (he obviously didn't consider his Christmas
poem very classical), and this led to his appoint
ment as a professor at the General Theological
Seminary. He later donated Chelsea Square, a city
block in the heart of New York, to the Seminary
he loved.
Clement Clarke Moore married late in life to a
woman much younger than himself. She defended
her marriage to the old bookworm with her own
poem, but after bearing him nine children, she died
at the age of 36. (I'm surprised that she lived that
long.)
On the downside (according to some), Mr.
Moore believed in slavery and had many to care
for the comforts of his family.
Also, he refused to join the prohibition move
ment and kept an outstanding wine cellar.
I hope that doesn’t detract from the joy of reading
“The Night before Christmas” to your kids tomor
row night. Before you read the Christmas story in
Luke, of course. Read the Christmas story in Luke
the last thing before you go to bed.
❖ ❖ ❖
If my ramblings about stirring up a storm and my
research on Mr. Moore contribute to your pleasure
and edification this holiday season, I am pleased.
In any event, I wish you and yours a very Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year.
And oh, thanks for reading.
Virgil Adams is a former owner/editor of The
Jackson Herald.
11-year-old encourages good cheer
Dear Editor:
Presents, presents, presents! Is that all you think
about during Christmastime? Too many people
just want presents and ignore the true meaning of
Christmas.
Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus, who
is God’s son. I once went to a nursing home and
I gave flowers to some elderly women. It made
me feel so good inside. As Jesus said, it is more
blessed to give than receive.
Be a blessing to someone this Christmas.
Sincerely,
Marshall Fabricant, 11
Hoschton
Letters
Send letters to: The Jackson
Herald, P.O. Box 908, Jefferson,
GA 30549; FAX: 706-367-8056;
or E-mail: editor@mainstreet-
news.com.
County furlough day ahead
THE JACKSON County Administration Building and
Courthouse will be closed Wednesday, December 22, due to
a mandatory furlough day, and December 23, 24, and 31 in
observance of seasonal holidays.
Community
(Christmas Eve
Service
Candle lighting
Communion
& Carols
Jefferson Civic
Center @ 6 pm
For information: 706-658-0243
www.check-out-church.com
Chamber reports promising financial numbers
RECOGNIZED FOR SERVICE
The board of directors of the Jackson County Area
Chamber of Commerce recognized retiring county
school board chairman Kathy Wilbanks with a plaque
last Friday recognizing her service. President Shane
Short, left, made the presentation.
BY MARK BEARDSLEY
GIVEN THE state of the
economy, the unbudgeted
expense of replacing the heat
ing and air condition units in
its office and the delay of a
major revenue producing publi
cation, the Jackson County Area
Chamber of Commerce will
likely end 2010 in pretty sound
financial condition.
Through November, the
chamber’s net income for the
year is a minus $31,511, accord
ing to information presented at
the board of directors meeting
last Wednesday.
President Shane Short
explained what happened.
The chamber had to spend
about $12,000 to replace its
HVAC system, and a Jackson
County Community Guide that
was supposed to be printed this
year has been pushed to early
2011 because Short spent so
much time promoting passage
of the special purpose local
option sales tax referendum.
“If that (the delay in publish
ing) hadn't happened, we'd be
sitting pretty good, despite the
HVAC,” Short told his board.
By the end of December,
Short said he expects the cham
ber to be near even for the year,
the revenue gap closing as
December membership renew
als come in.
As of the end of November,
the chamber had more than
$64,000 in cash on hand.
Meanwhile, Linda Foster,
the chamber’s vice president of
member services, reported that
the chamber gained eight new
members and lost three during
November. Through November,
she said, the chamber had added
126 new members.
That latter figure impressed
chairman Sam McDuffie.
“In the worst economy I've
ever been in, you had 104 mem
bers drop out, but 126 new mem
bers join,” he said. “That’s a sign
our staff is really hustling.”
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the board:
•certified the election of direc
tors including Matt Benson,
Cindy Patterson, Ronnie
Hopkins, Jim Shaw, Roxanne
Rose, Shawn Watson and Kathy
Wilbanks. The slate of direc
tors had 100-percent approval in
ballots cast by voting delegates,
according to Short.
•heard from Courtney
Bemardi, director of economic
development, that the county
had two new industrial prospects
during November. That gives the
county 33 ongoing prospects.
For the year, the county had five
companies to locate. “We'll see
even bigger numbers next year,”
Bemardi predicted.
•heard Howard Ledford report
that the county's certified Work
Ready road signs are in, that the
county received its Work Ready
plaque from the state and that
the county has been approved
for a $10,000 grant to use for the
recertification project.
•presented a plaque to director
Kathy Wilbanks, who is retiring
from the Jackson County Board
of Education after 11 years of
service as chairman and vice
chairman. “The county is going
to miss your leadership,” Short
told her.
•approved a proposal from
Short to close the chamber office
Thursday, Dec. 23, in addition to
Friday, Dec. 24, so staff mem
bers who were unable to utilize
their one “floating holiday” allo
cated during the year could have
the day off.
Holiday closings continued from page JA
Wednesday, Dec. 22, for a fur
lough day and Thursday and
Friday, Dec. 23 and 24, in obser
vance of the Christmas holiday.
For the New Year's holiday,
the county government offices
will be closed all day on Friday,
Dec. 31.
Jackson County Solid Waste
will be open as normal on
Wednesday and Thursday, Dec.
22 and 23. Solid waste will close
at noon on Friday, Dec. 24, in
observance of the Christmas
holiday.
JEFFERSON
In Jefferson, the Jefferson City
offices will be closed from 11:15
a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Friday, Dec.
17, for the annual employee lun
cheon.
The Jefferson city offices will
be closed all day on Thursday,
Dec. 23, and Friday, Dec. 24,
in observance of the Christmas
holiday.
For the New Year’s holiday,
the Jefferson City offices will
be closed all day on Monday,
Jan. 3.
MAYSVILLE
The Maysville City Hall will
be closed all day on Friday,
Dec. 24, in observance of the
Christmas holiday.
For the New Year’s holiday,
the Maysville City Hall will be
closed all day on Friday, Dec.
31.
NICHOLSON
In Nicholson, the Nicholson
City Hall will be closed all day
on Friday, Dec. 24, and Monday,
Dec. 27, in observance of the
Christmas holiday.
For the New Year's holiday,
the Nicholson City Hall will be
closed on Friday, Dec. 31.
PENDERGRASS
In Pendergrass, the Pendergrass
City Hall will close at noon on
Thursday, Dec. 23, and will be
closed all day on Friday, Dec. 24,
in observance of the Christmas
holiday.
For the New Year's holiday,
the Pendergrass City Hall will
close at noon on Friday, Dec. 31.
TALMO
In Talmo, the Talmo City Hall
will be closed all day on Friday,
Dec. 24, in observance of the
Christmas holiday.
For the New Year's holiday, the
Talmo City Hall will be closed
all day on Friday, Dec. 31.
COUNTRY MALL
OPEN FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Over 500 Shops • Climate Controlled
Special Christmas prices throughout the mall!
Drawing for a FREE Ham
every hour, December 24
Everything you need for Christmas,
you can find at The Country Mall
OPEN DEC. 25 -11 A.M. - 5 P.M.
DEC. 26 - 9 A.M. - 6 P.M.
Highway 129 N. at Exit 137 off 1-85
Jefferson, GA