Christmas is near! It seems like it got here too fast this year. I guess we just move too fast in this Hurry up and Go World! I hope all of you have a great Christmas season. Don’t forget the real reason for the season. Think of others more than yourself. You will be so blessed. It is more blessed it is to give than to receive.

Today, Dec. 15, we had a wonderful time at the Center. We had 66 Head Start children, along with Ms. Sarah, and 8 staff members. They did a great presentation. Santa attended and gifts were presented to staff and children. Hats off to Ms. Sarah and to Santa.

The annual Garland Senior Center Tea was held Dec.14. The guest speaker was Mrs. Minnie Spearman. Pouring into each other’s cups of life was the topic. The program was enjoyed by 40 clients. Special recognition was given to several elderly folks in the group. Mr. J.W. Hill was the oldest male and Ms. Fannie Johnson was the oldest female. All volunteers were recognized. The man of the month for December is William Washington and the Lady of the month is Josephine McKoy. Thursday, Dec.17, we will have our annual Christmas dinner. The next day, we will say our Merry Christmases before we begin the holiday break, which will last until Jan. 4, 2010.

A lot of things are already in the works for 2010. On Jan. 7, Jerry Cashwell, fire marshal, will be here with a special program on safety in the home. He will bring clients free fire extinguishers. Everyone is invited to come out and enjoy this program. Carolina Foot Care was also back with us today for follow-up visits with our clients. A special thanks for such a wonderful program. So many people have been served by this wonderful program. The program will be with us again in January. Watch for the date.

Thanks to Ms. Cornell Smith for sending me the pecan pie recipe. I will try this for Christmas. Now I need some pecans! I forgot to tell y’all about the chitterlings we had for Thanksgiving here at the Garland Senior Center. Matter of fact they were brought in for Josephine McKoy. Eloise Brewington cleaned and cooked them. Oh how I hate that smell! On the bright side, as we ate, we shared stories about butchering hogs, making cracklings and fresh sausage, and cleaning chitterlings and turning them on a reed so you could wash them inside and out. Those were hard times, but as the older folks say, they were good times!

Remedies of the week: Have you ever had a fungus on your toenails? If so, soak your feet in vinegar water. Epsom salt is also good. Mr. Vern Locklear also swears by Vicks Vapor rub. Put a little on your toes everyday. You will soon see a difference.

For a great Christmas aroma, put a little cinnamon and cloves in a pot and boil for a while. This will make your house feel and smell so inviting. Want to save money? Cut your kitchen sponges, scouring pads and fabric softener sheets in half. This will give you twice as much product for your money.

I also read in Woman’s Day magazine that you can check sites like restaurant.com to find restaurant gift cards for less than the price you can buy them in the restaurant and you can print out the gift cards at home. Once you get on the site’s e-mail list, you’ll also receive notices of current and future promotions.

Ever wondered what you could do with aluminum foil other than cover up food? Put a sheet of foil underneath the ironing board cover. Foil conducts heat and will help you to iron faster. You can also use foil to scrub pots and pans. Want to avoid fingerprints on your sink handles? Wrap a small piece of foil over the tops of the handles. This time of year brings back so many good memories. At our Christmas Tea, people shared Christmas memories. Beverly Hill shared a story about a Christmas past when she and her siblings, Jimmy, Carlotta and Betty set our their shoe boxes for Santa so that he could leave their goodies. Then they saved their boxes for the next year. Do you have a favorite Christmas story or memory? If so, share your story with me. It just might get printed in this newsletter. You can also share them in writing with friends and family members. These are great gifts! Try it and see what happens. We can learn so much from others just sitting and sharing under the old shade tree.

As we celebrate this holiday season, “remember to let go of the past. Find strength. Live to give. Choose to be happy.” These are quotes form the Rev. Joel Osteen. I find these quotes to be good lessons to live by. Until next time, have a great Christmas! Wrap a big bow on a hunk of love and share with somebody.