The Shadow
Welcome back, Shadowers! It’s Christmas Eve in the Highlands, prefaced with twinkling lights on Main Street, carols floating through the chilly air, and holiday parades where half the town shows up and the other half is in the parade. Small communities like ours thrive on the magic of Christmas, a season where even the town curmudgeon can’t hold back a smile or two. It’s the season of togetherness.
One Christmas, a long time ago, my mother was shopping for presents and found a very attractive-looking, conservative tie in Leggetts department store. It was perfect. Not only was it nicely presented in a sealed box with a clear plastic front, but it also just happened to have the relative’s initials, “D.O.M.,” beautifully monogrammed near the bottom. She gleefully wrapped it up and presented it to him during the main family gathering of 20+ cousins, grandparents, and relatives on Christmas Day.
When it was his turn to open presents in front of everyone, he took it out of the box and happily admired the tie. All was going well until he flipped it over, and printed on the inside was a full-color picture of that year’s Playboy Bunny in her birthday suit!
That’s when my innocent mother, bless her heart, found out “D.O.M.” meant “Dirty Old Man!”
In the Shadow Facebook group, I asked Shadowers to give me their favorite Christmas stories. Shadower Cathy Leitch said, “Celebrating with my brothers and sisters and my sons and their families as we give thanks for the birth of Jesus and thank God; our savior; creator of heaven and earth.”
Shadower Chris Cook added, “My favorite thing about Christmas is the memorable moments! Let me share the story of the sh*tiest Christmas ever. This was quite some years ago, and our first in our house in Alleghany County. It was Christmas Eve and time to put up the star, so I went to get the ladder from the basement. My foot comes down the last stair and *splash*! The septic backed up and man oh man, the very un-Christmas like words that spilled from my mouth. An awesome neighbor helped us on Christmas Day, because that’s just how awesome people here are. We laugh our butts off about that story every year. Memories, community, perseverance.
Shadowers Melissa Davis, Becky Grimes Simpson, Christal Martin Beirnes, Carla Bowles, Candace Meadows and Sonya Kimberlin Romanello all shared the most extraordinarily beautiful photos of their Christmas trees. Simply stunning.
And of course, where would we be without Shadower Milton Mays’ annual yard ornaments up on Falcon Ridge Road? His 20’ high Frosty and reindeer friend are all lit up, giving a warm welcome to all the passersby! Definitely take a drive, and if you do, give Milton a 3-honk secret handshake to let him know you’re a fellow supporting Shadower!
Another tradition in our family is to watch classic Christmas movies. Among them is Frank Capra’s 1946 film “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
It’s a Wonderful Life might look like a feel-good holiday classic, but let’s not forget the first hour of the movie—a spiral of despair, financial ruin, and a cold dose of reality. The main character George Bailey’s struggles remind us that even during the most wonderful time of the year, life has a way of throwing snowballs in our faces.
And yet, just like George’s Guardian Angel, small communities have a way of showing up when it matters most. Our Guardian Angels include the Christmas Mother Ingrid Barber, The 5th Annual First Responder Children’s Foundation Toy Express hosted by the Clifton Forge Police Dept, The Salvation Army, The Boys Home, the C.O.P.E Food pantry, the folks and volunteers at the suicide and crisis hotline (#988), and many other volunteers (special thank you to Tiffany Bowser!) and organizations who help lighten the load of worry and despair. And, of course, to bring it all home, you can celebrate the birth of Jesus with Christmas services in just about every Church around the Highlands.
Christmas reminds us that our lives, no matter how ordinary they may seem, touch others in ways we often don’t realize. It’s a lesson we could all stand to remember—sometimes it’s the little acts of kindness, the simple friendly smile to a stranger walking down Main St, the neighbor who shovels your sidewalk, or the friend who invites you to Christmas dinner, that remind us what we’re really celebrating.
I’m out of time and out of eggnog, but I want to leave you with the words of George Bailey’s daughter, Zuzu; “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” If you know of someone suffering this Christmas, think of a little act that could make a big difference in their lives. A bell will be heard loud and clear throughout the Highlands. Merry Christmas, everyone.
