Park News
Christmas and Winter Holidays in Our National Parks
This is the title of yet another of
my national parks programs. There are many holiday celebrations in the Park Service this time of year—here are two:
• The National Christmas Tree lighting took place on December 5, but only those who entered a lottery could attend in person (since the president, and often the First Lady, are there, security is tight and so attendees must be vetted in advance). CBS will broadcast the event on Saturday, December 20.
This takes place on the Ellipse, part of
President’s Park, which also includes Lafayette Park and the White House, 82 acres in all (yes, our Chief Executive lives in a park site). The tradition began in 1923 during the Coolidge administration with just a tree cut down from the Coolidges’ home state of Vermont. Over the years other things have been added—a “Pathway of Peace” of small trees representing the 50 states, 5 territories and the District of Columbia, and Santa’s workshop.
Also, a living tree is used these days, a Colorado blue spruce planted in 1978. A variety of musicians and the United States Marine Band round out the ceremony.
Since 1979, a National Menorah also is erected on the Ellipse, lit on the first night of Hanukkah and each subsequent day of the festival, this year from December 25 to January 2.
• On the other side of the country, another tree is the centerpiece of a seasonal observance. The General Grant Tree in California’s
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks not only holds the honorary title of the Nation’s Christmas Tree—as opposed to the
National Christmas Tree mentioned above—it also happens to be our country’s only living national shrine. General Grant is the second largest tree in the world as well.
On the second Sunday in December—this year, on the 8th—park rangers conducted a Trek to the Nation’s Christmas Tree, laying a wreath at the tree’s base. This is a war memorial ceremony and also includes music and a non-denominational Christmas message.
Yay, Presents!
Looking for gift ideas for a national parks fan? Cavallini & Co. puts out lovely vintage
mini and
large notebooks,
notecards, a
stationery set,
poster, mug,
gift bag, and
puzzle.
Book-loving kids might enjoy the
National Parks of the USA Series, or this
National Parks Picture Matching Magnetic Game from Melissa & Doug, suitable for ages 3 and above.
I use
Ranger Doug’s postcards to send out quick notes by snail mail. He offers a slew of other products—notecards, luggage tags, magnets, posters and window stickers, all reproducing serigraphed (silk screened) national park images done by the
Federal Art Project of the
Works Progress Administration.
This agency was part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s
New Deal, which employed people to carry out public works projects during the Depression. Our national park system was a
major recipient of many New Deal programs, the posters being just a small part.
The Christmas of the New Tree
Years ago, I wrote this account of a memorable Christmas from my husband’s childhood, and thought I’d share it with you:
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The old family Christmas tree was out! The new one was up!
And what a change it was. Artificial trees in the ‘50s were still a novelty—and they looked like it. The first imitation Christmas tree in my husband’s family came standing in a white box, and its flimsy “needles” resembled tinsel. By 1960, a newer model was definitely in order.
Now, a more modern tree stood proudly on display in the living room, a wondrous sight to behold for a six-year-old. Tony went to bed Christmas Eve anticipating all he might get the next day.
The sequence of events every December 25 was that Dad would knock on his bedroom wall, alerting Tony and his older brother and sister that they could get up, not to go into the living room, but to snuggle in bed with their parents. Then, at the word from Mom and Dad, the kids could race to look under the tree.
But this year something was drastically wrong: where were the presents? There stood the new tree in all its glory, with nothing underneath its magnificent branches! What could have happened? Perhaps Santa forgot their house this year, everyone exclaimed. Everyone, that is, except Tony. He stayed quiet, keeping his thoughts to himself, but he felt terrible. This was awful!
After the initial shock however, the rest of the household didn’t seem too upset they weren’t going to receive anything for Christmas. And Tony, stoic little boy that he was (not to mention a bit stubborn) determined he wouldn’t show his disappointment.
There was nothing else to do but get dressed, eat breakfast, and prepare for the grand feast to come. Gifts or no gifts, holiday cooking was serious business in an Italian household. Bustling about the kitchen, Mom asked Tony to fetch something from the basement refrigerator. Life went on. Tony obeyed.
The family’s 8mm camera recorded the rest of the story. Dad was downstairs to catch on film what the others already knew, that there in the corner of the newly-refinished room stood the old Christmas tree, all decorated, its pathetic boughs drooping over a heap of wrapped packages.
The scratchy movie shows the shy smile of a boy resigned to not having a real Christmas, discovering the tree, tearing open boxes to find, among other gifts, the Robot Commando and Whirlybird Helicopter he’d hoped for.
Now he knew what had happened—Santa Claus must have been confused by seeing a new tree, and mistakenly put the presents under the old one!
Years later, when he realized it was his parents who’d done the deed, was he mad, I once asked him. No, he said, and I believe him. He’s still the kind of guy who’s happy with whatever he gets, and doesn’t make much fuss when things don’t go as planned.
Just the same, he married a woman who detests fake trees, and lives in a house with no basement.
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God is Right on Time
When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive adoption as His children. Galatians 4:4-5
Christmas, Hanukkah and even Kwanzaa all are times of anticipation, especially for kids. As a child, I found it hard to sleep on Christmas Eve, thinking of the gifts I might receive. Presents also are given out at Hanukkah, this year running from December 25 through January 2, 2025, and for Kwanzaa, an African American heritage and cultural celebration starting on December 26 and lasting until New Year’s Day.
Each of these dates occur at set times. While Hanukkah’s changes on the Gregorian, or solar, calendar, the holiday always begins on the 25th day of Kislev, the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar. All we have to do is look at a calendar (or Google!) to know when they will happen.
I love the title of a book written by the great Negro Leagues baseball player Buck O’Neil,
I Was Right on Time. He became the first African American coach in Major League Baseball, but never got to play in the majors. Yet he refused to feel sorry for himself: “Waste no tears for me. I wasn’t born too early. I was born right on time.”
Centuries passed before the Messiah, whose coming was promised in the Hebrew bible, which is part of the Christian bible as well, arrived on earth. Innumerable Jewish people suffered and died in expectation of its fulfillment. The prophet Habakkuk, with questions about the future, diligently watched for God’s response. But He only answered, “[T]he vision is yet for an appointed time…wait for it, for it will surely come” (Habakkuk 2:1-3).
Jesus the Messiah wasn’t born when they thought the time was right. But He was born right on time. In God’s perfect time. Oh, come let us adore Him!
