Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 2009)
Page 2 The INDEPENDENT, December 17, 2009 The INDEPENDENT Published on the first and third Thursdays of each month by The Independent, LLC, 725 Bridge St., Vernonia, OR 97064. Phone/Fax: 503-429-9410. Publisher Clark McGaugh, clark@the-independent.net Editor Rebecca McGaugh, rebecca@the-independent.net Mentor Noni Andersen Printed on recycled paper with vegetable based dyes Opinion Letters to Santa shared We asked Santa if we could share some of the Let- ters to Santa he received at the Vernonia Fire Hall. Here’s a selection he sent us. Santa Miss Clause I am good How old is Santa? 7 old 360X box Bike T. Santa I am 8 Please bring us food and me a purple bike Love B. Dear Santa I have been a very good girl this year. I would like a laptop please. I would also like a real cell phone, a dress with high heels, and a pair of boots please. Oh, Polly Packets! My babydoll needs a crib! Have a merry Christmas. Love, B. Santa Please bring me hunting things boy building things like bird houses & bird feeders L. (age 11-1/2) Unfortunately, there was more than one letter asking for food. Please help put food on children’s tables, if you can. And, Merry Christmas to all and a Very Hap- py New Year. Out of My Mind… by Noni Andersen While thinking about the various elements that make the Christmas sea- son special, I found it nec- essary to go beyond slo- gans. Yes, “Jesus is the reason” works well for those who find inspired meaning in the Gospel ac- cording to Matthew. But how many Ameri- cans celebrate the birth of Christ without adding a Christmas tree or gift-giving? While growing up, I had opportunity to ob- serve and participate in the various religious communities in California’s Sacramento, San Joaquin and Imperial Valleys. Although ours was a secular household, my parents never objected to my explorations of religion and, even better, my father would discuss religion with me without being dismissive of others’ beliefs. So, while developing an understanding of the importance of faith, however it was expressed, I also developed an awareness of how rarely peo- ple fully embrace their stated faith. Faith requires a commitment that doesn’t always fit into peo- ple’s everyday lives. “Peace on Earth” is a frequently used expres- sion during the Christmas season, although rela- tively few people rely on Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to achieve that goal. True pacifism is very difficult and requires an abiding, unshakable faith. So, if the birth of Jesus is not the sole factor for Christmas, what drives some of the other ex- pressions – food drives, toys for tots and other generous actions? The season also brings bright colors during winter’s gloom, glorious music, gifts and more. Today, brightly lit Christmas trees are consid- ered to be Christian symbols, even though they derived from pagan celebrations of the winter solstice to welcome the coming of longer (and brighter) days. Hanukkah, often called the Festi- val of Light, is a multifaceted Jewish celebration of victory over conquerors, rededication of the temple, and the miracle of olive oil that lit candles for eight days when there was enough oil for only one day. The basis of gift giving is much easier to ex- plain because the Christmas story includes the three kings who brought gifts to the infant Jesus. That lovely idea has been horribly abused by ad- vertising that loudly trumpets the “perfect” gift. Santa Claus, we know, isn’t part of the Biblical Christmas story. But with centuries of tales about winter surprises and gifts, no matter what any- one says, Santa Claus is as real today as he was yesterday. Now, after spending a lot of time learning about the elements of Christmas, I find that I re- ally don’t care about their derivation. I love the lights, the colors, the music, the food and most of all, the spirit of Christmas. I hope that everyone, everywhere, will some- day enjoy a world of peace and have a very… Merry Christmas!