Fall and winter meetings are nothing new for farmers and ranchers. Many cattlemen sneak away to attend their state’s respective association meetings.
Kansas is no different. I enjoy attending the Kansas Livestock Association convention because organizers always have such a great lineup of speakers in their schedule, and it also gives me an opportunity to get away from the office and have a couple days to myself.
Last year I managed to get some Christmas shopping done for my family while I was in Manhattan, as the location helps with my K-State fans in the house. This year, I wasn’t nearly as lucky. I didn’t buy a single Christmas present while I was in town. I even tried. But I just couldn’t bring myself to buy anything.
By the fourth store, I was getting discouraged. My boys are older, 14 and 11, and are at an age where they want everything their little heart desires. Mostly expensive, mostly stuff they don’t need, or I don’t want them to have. As I walked by the toy aisles, I thought to myself how much fun it was back then to find all the toys you just knew would turn into their favorites. Then I remembered I basically have two teenagers and shopping for them is much different—and no longer fun—in my opinion.
Seeing the writing on the wall, a couple years ago I proposed we skip Christmas shopping all together and just go somewhere and do something as a family. The youngest completely struck me down and protested. He’s all about Santa, always has been. The older one wasn’t really sure about no pile of presents, but likes an adventure. My husband doesn’t like to be gone for very long when he’s got cattle and horses to take care of in the wintertime. So, we have yet to take a Christmas trip.
The more I think about it, my kids get Christmas, a.k.a. everything they want or need throughout the year. The youngest has a February birthday, then it’s spring break and the oldest’s birthday is in May. By then 4-H animals have been acquired for the year, stock shows have been entered and when summer rolls around its county fair time, then state fair and the Kansas Junior Livestock Show. School starts in August and pretty soon it’s Thanksgiving and then Christmas all over again.
It feels good to be able to provide my kids with what they desire throughout the year and not just at certain times of the year. I remember some pretty lean times growing up, and being able to give them what they want has become important to me the older they get. However, there are times when they try to step over that line and have to be reminded of what’s really important during the holiday season.
For me, spending time with one another during the holidays is right where I want to be. Seeing the excited looks on my nieces and nephews’ faces when they see my pickup pull into their driveway makes all the hurried prep worth it. Because, let’s be honest, I don’t do anything ahead of time, it’s always procrastination station for me. We decide where we’re going and what we’re doing only a couple weeks in advance, and I shop until the bitter end.
My grandma Wetzel loved the holidays and was always prepared. She would try to take each grandchild on a shopping trip in the months prior to the holidays and let us pick out what we wanted. Then she’d wrap it up, and it’d be under the tree on Christmas day. In reality, this was smart. Each kid got what he or she wanted, and nothing was wasted. Plus, when you got one-on-one time with her, you felt like you’d won the lottery.
My husband’s grandma Pauline was the ultimate host for any holiday. At Christmas time she’d bake for days and have all the sweet treats tucked in the freezer. Pecan tarts, cookies, divinity, and whatever else would satisfy the sweet tooth of her grandkids. Plus, she would bring out all the Christmas plates, special glasses, and her collection of decorations. Normally her celebration fell on Christmas eve and we’d spend hours eating, chatting and opening gifts before heading to church.
For me, growing up meant attending the local Lutheran church with my parents. Christmas eve service usually included a children’s pageant with speaking parts. All participating kids had either lines or verses they had to memorize. More than once my twin sister and I were angels with gold tinsel garland bobby pinned to our heads and wings on our back.
A sack of candy, peanuts and fruit was our reward for the evening. When I started dating my now husband, I went with him to a Christmas eve service at the tiny Presbyterian church in Kingsdown and was in awe of their candlelight service where the entire congregation circled the church and sang Silent Night while holding a wax dripping candle.
In the years since my dad died, my immediate family and I try to attend Christmas eve service with my mom at the Lutheran church. As much as the congregation has changed and the things they do are different than I remember as a child, it’s important to remember where you came from and the real meaning of the Christmas holiday.
Merry Christmas!
Field Editor Kylene Scott has her favorite things to do during the holiday season. Looking at Christmas lights in Dodge City, Kansas, following Christmas Eve service is one of them. (Journal photo by Kylene Scott.)
