Christmas fun quickly follows on the heels of Thanksgiving

While strolling, I wondered whatever happened to Marshall Johns.

The weather turned frigid last week, and we had our first snowfall of the season here and in Dallas! The thermostats were turned up and the humidifiers came out hoping to achieve some semblance of humidity in our homes.

Santa Claus is coming to town. Today from noon to 2 p.m., he will be at the 19th Annual Crafts, Gifts and Collectibles Show at Notre Dame to visit with the children. Bring your cameras so you can capture those Santa Claus moments. Art students will be providing free face painting for the youngsters. There will be lots of gift ideas and food. Hours today are 9 to 3 p.m. and admission is free!

The Senior Center will hold its Thanks-for-Giving Dinner this Tuesday at noon to thank the many volunteers who donate their time and talents. The center will be closed Thanksgiving Day.

The CHS Class of 1964 will hold its Christmas Party at 11 a.m. Dec. 6 at Delmonico's in Jackson. Gifts are optional.

The Dec. 6 Chaffee Christmas Parade is fast approaching, and this year it will end in the parking lot of the CHS Activity Center. Refreshments will be served to participants.

Dec. 6 is also the deadline to get your displays set up at Circle Park in time for the parade. Please contact the Chaffee Banking Center (Bank of Advance) to reserve your spot. The number is 887-3551.

Helping Hands

Every year Helping Hands raises money through the donations of local businesses and individuals to buy Christmas gifts for children who might not otherwise have a merry Christmas. Children are asked to complete a list of what they would like for Christmas. Helping Hands goes shopping for them and the gifts are presented to the children from Santa at a Christmas party, Saturday morning, Dec. 20.

Missouri sports fans were happy last weekend with wins by the Rams, the Chiefs and Mizzou! Many football fans will settle down with full tummies to watch a day of football on Thanksgiving. The Bears at the Lions at noon, followed by the Eagles at the Cowboys and later, the Seahawks at the 49ers.

We are all hoping for a nice warmup for the long holiday weekend so the kids can play outdoors and travel will be easier. I remember back in 1993, Dallas was playing the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving Day at Texas Stadium. Dallas had been hit with a Blue Norther. The game was later referred to as Sleet Bowl, and the one in which Cowboy Leon Lett's blunder cost da Boys the critical game. It was quite pleasant in Missouri, so my sister Ruth and I didn't think much about it when we headed back to Texas several days later. When we got to Texarkana, the trees glistened with ice, and the farther we drove, the worse it got. We slid into Dallas and called our Mother, who was thankful that we had a safe although exciting trip.

Christmas music is playing and soon there will be cantatas, bazaars, open houses and special Christmas programs. There will also be those delicious homemade cookies and candies we all like to indulge in during the holidays. Despite the bad rap fruitcakes get, many people like them. When my sister Jo was single and living in Dallas, she would make one every year and would start dousing it with spirits weeks before Christmas. It was fun, and it was yummy.

Talking poinsettias

The poinsettias are showing up everywhere, and did you know that 34 million of them are bought annually? It is always interesting to note how many people on television mispronounce words -- especially poinsettia. I was first corrected many years ago by my sister-in-law and have never forgotten it. It is pronounced with four syllables, not three. You expect those in the public eye to have correct pronunciation, but, just the other day, Natalie Morales, a regular on the NBC's "Today Show," pronounced "atrial" as in atrial fibrillation as "a trial!"

Time to get the traditional turkey thawed out in time for Thursday's big feast. There are still lots of ways to cook the big bird, and opinions on whether to brine or not to brine, fry it, roast it or bag it. Then there is discussion about trying new side dishes along with the traditional, and working with those who are on special diets.

We wish everyone a Thanksgiving of fun, good food and fellowship and, if you are on the road, safe travel. We invite you to share your Thanksgiving activities and visitors who came from near or far, with us.

Remember to tell those special people in your life you love them -- those three words mean so very much.

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those who have lost loved ones, our homebound, those in hospitals and nursing homes.

And then ...

Then there was the Tofurken Thanksgiving meal for those gluten-intolerant.