By Ralphine Major

Do you have a favorite Christmas memory? Perhaps, it is your loved ones sitting around the dining room table on Christmas Day or family members gathered around the Christmas tree opening gifts. By the time Focus readers see this column, Christmas Day will have come to a close. But, our favorite memories will remain in our hearts and minds for years to come.

A favorite Christmas memory is captured in a photograph of our young family in the late 1950s when we lived on the dairy farm. As is the case with many families, animals have to be cared for even on the weekends and during the holidays. Somehow, our mother managed to have our family dressed up and downtown for a studio picture in time for it to be included with the Christmas cards she mailed that year. That was long before smart phones and instant photography. Obviously, this writer was not sure whether or not to smile!

I hope everyone reading this column is enjoying time with your loved ones during this holy season of our Lord’s birthday. Thank you for being faithful Focus readers. May you be blessed in many ways during the new year. There is something magical about the Christmas season. I hope you captured those special moments in a photo so you can look back on your favorite Christmas memories for years to come. Happy New Year!