Christmas Past Christmas is a holiday with a long history of traditions and coming together as a family. Every year it seems that we move further and further away from the true meaning of Christmas. Sometimes it even feels that no one truly has Christmas cheer anymore. As Buddy the Elf says, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.” Instead of singing loud, I thought a good way to spread Christmas cheer was to interview members of The Center to talk about past traditions and fond memories they have of Christmases past and present. Because who doesn’t love a good Christmas story? The first table I sat down at had Norman, Ethel, and Bruce sitting at it. When I asked for a Christmas memory or tradition they wanted to share, Bruce jumped right in with his story. Bruce was raised in Minneapolis and moved here after his childhood. He has noticed that Christmas traditions between farm life and being raised in the city vary greatly. For example, as a kid he remembers taking the street car to downtown Minneapolis on Christmas Eve to look at the lights as a child. The shops downtown would decorate for Christmas and it was truly spectacular. e ig Style irls CC Hats & Scarvoens efosrinthmliattnle y B lors styles & co for Little G s, and ladie don’t forget to pick some up for ! yourselves Rita’s Yankton Mall 260-8362 20vHERVOICEvNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 Purse–o–Nalities Ethel then told me about how she grew up on a farm in Nebraska where she spent Christmas at home with family. A Christmas memory that she shared was remembering her Christmas tree. It was just sticks that had green crepe-like paper for leaves. When Christmas was over the tree was closed up and stored away in a chest for the next Christmas. Norman told me how he remembers going to his grandma’s house for Christmas Eve dinner every year. His grandma would wake up at 4am to make pies and the rest of the meal. There would be so many people eating and enjoying each other’s company that they had to take turns eating. Men ate first followed by the children and then finally the women ate. The second table I joined contained a couple of people but the only one who had a story to tell was Bev Larsen. She remembers that her dad had always talked about how he wanted a pony for Christmas as a kid. Every year he would ask Santa for one but never received one. After she was married, one Christmas Day, a baby horse walked into his barn. Unfortunately he couldn’t keep it and they had to track down the owner but he did get a horse for Christmas…at least for a few hours. I joined a third table and met Jim Hussman and Kenny Hanson. Jim Hussman remembers going to church as a family every Christmas Eve growing up. They would get ready and would be getting into the car when his dad would suddenly remember he had forgotten something. This happened every year. And every year when they got home they would find that Santa had already been there. As he got older he realized this was why his dad had always forgotten something. And another fond memory Jim had was one Christmas Eve, it snowed while they were in church. It was a full moon that Christmas Eve and even though it had snowed, there as absolutely no wind. It was a serene and WHEN MY CLIENTS SPEAK, I LISTEN. It’s a simple but effective way of helping people reach their financial goals - and it’s a way of doing business that Raymond James has pioneered for more than 50 years. Make your voice count. Partner with me and get guidance that’s in tune with your life. LIFE WELL PLANNED. Kathy Greeneway Certified Financial PlannerTM 225 Cedar Street, Yankton (605)665-4940 First Dakota Brokerage Services, Inc. A subsidiary of First Dakota National Bank. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC an independent broker/dealer. Securities are offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, and are not deposits; not insured by FDIC or any other governmental agency; not guaranteed by the financial institution; subject to risk & may lose value. First Dakota National Bank and First Dakota Brokerage Services are independent of RJFS.