Life in the Neck Christmas
Life in the Neck Christmas
By Diane Davies
Winter came early turning the long narrow strip of land called the Neck into a frosty wonderland of snow and ice. The pine trees along the drive hung heavy with the untimely snow in the fall of Minnesota this year.
Eli and his new pals from the squirrel family, Chatter, Whistle and Squeak had come to an agreement for sharing the fort for the time being, at least until spring. The peanuts and peanut butter treats were delivered daily when Eli came home from school. Mr. & Mrs. Red Squirrel and family had it made for what looked like a long snowy winter ahead.
Delaney, Rocket, Cardinal Red and even Old Coyote had to button down early with the arrival of the first snowfall. Winter settled in and survival of the long cold stretch moved high on the list for all of the animals who made their home in the Neck.
Elsie, Eli’s big sister, and Eli had school every day until the long awaited Christmas Vacation. Sledding down the driveway and over the mound of snow piled up at the end became the after school activity for the two of them. Wet jackets, mittens, scarves, snow pants and boot liners were daily added to the clothes dryer to make ready for use the next day.
As Elsie and Eli made the trek up the hill and through the forest to Eli’s Fort to deliver the daily peanut treats to the squirrel family, Elsie had an idea. “Eli, let’s celebrate Advent this year at your fort.”
“Sure! What’s advent?” questioned Eli.
“Well Advent is celebrated in our Church. Remember? It is the four weeks leading up to Christmas when we are getting ready for Jesus’ birthday on Christmas Day,” explained Elsie.
“Oh, is that when we light a special candle each Sunday and read from the
Bible?”, asked Eli.
Being the older sister and twelve, Elsie went on to explain to her brother about the traditions surrounding the Advent Wreath in the Christian Church. She explained that evergreen branches are placed in a circle to remind us of life and God’s never ending love for all of us.
“Even the birds and the animals? Does God love them too?”, quizzed Eli.
“Even the birds and the animals,” responded Elsie. “God loves all of His creation.”
Using Google, the two siblings researched this thing called Advent. Combining what they learned online with their lessons from Sunday School, they began collecting the items they would use for their Advent celebration at the fort. First they found evergreen branches in the forest and fashioned a wreath. A wreath is a circle that has no beginning and no end just like God’s love for his creation.
“We clearly can’t use real candles. Mom and Dad would be so mad. We don’t need another fire in the Neck,” questioned Eli.
“I saw some battery operated lanterns in Papa’s shop. Let’s ask Papa if we can use them for our Advent Wreath. Surely he won’t mind when he knows what we are planning,” answered Elsie.
The animals of the Neck watched in curiosity as the pair of children set to work building the wreath on the porch of Eli’s Fort. On the first Sunday of Advent, all was ready. After getting home from church, they gathered on the porch and Eli turned on the first lantern while Elsie read from her Bible in the book of Isaiah Chapter 9: “For a child has been born for us.” The first lantern represented the Prophets that told long ago of a Savior’s coming. “What is a Savior?”, Eli wanted to know. “Someone who saves us from our sins. We believe that Jesus is our Savior,” explained Elsie. Delany and Rocket looked on in astonishment.
The scene repeated itself on Advent’s second Sunday. This time Elsie turned on two lanterns and Eli read from his Bible in Matthew Chapter 1: “She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus.” This second lantern represented the angels who played a part in the Christmas story by talking with both Mary and Joseph and later the shepherds regarding Jesus’ birth. Delany and Rocket were joined by Cardinal Red and Old Coyote as they marveled at the coming of the light into the forest.
Elsie and Eli were amazed at the number of animals joining them on the third Sunday of Advent for the lighting of three lanterns. Eli turned on the lanterns and Elsie read from Luke Chapter 2 in her Bible: “You will find the babe wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” This light represented the Shepherds who had been told by the Angels where to find the Baby in a manger. The manger was used long ago for feeding farm animals. The kids found an old wooden manger upstairs in Papa’s shop and drug it out to the fort and placed it front of the Advent Wreath. The animals no longer feared the growing light but began to look forward to its coming and wondered about what the manger would be used for.
At last the fourth Sunday in Advent arrived right before Christmas Day. Elsie and Eli were now on Christmas Vacation. Arriving home from Church, they once again visited the fort to turn on the fourth lantern. It was Eli’s turn to read from the Bible in Matthew 2: “They followed the star until it stopped over where the child was.” This fourth light was for the Wisemen who came bringing the first Christmas Gifts to the Baby – gold, frankincense and myrrh – all three precious substances found in the natural world. The animals were anxious to join in with the children to do their part in the celebration of what was to come on Christmas morning. Very carefully straw was added to the manger making it a warm nest for the new child to come. Eli crawled to the roof of the fort and added his star fashioned of wood and painted gold.
Christmas Day dawned with bright sunshine and unseasonable warmth. As the kids made their way to the fort, they were followed by others from the Neck including both the two legged and four legged variety. Mom and Dad, and Papa and Grandma joined with the animals to experience the love and joy present in this Christmas morning. Elsie had carefully wrapped her old baby doll in a soft blanket while Eli carried the last of the lanterns to the fort. The baby doll was placed in the manger, the last lantern was turned on and Elsie read from John Chapter 1 in her Bible: “And the word became flesh and lived among us and we have seen his glory, the glory of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” The final lantern bringing the light into the world represented Jesus the Christ coming to save us from our sins.
Delaney looked over to her special friend Rocket and asked, “Do you know who that child in the straw is there in the manger?”
As the animals placed their treasures from the natural world around the manger where the child in the straw lay sleeping, Rocket answered Delaney question, “Yes! He is light, hope, joy and love! He is Jesus! Come to bring light, hope, joy and love to our world.”
And right there in the middle of the Neck in front of Fort Eli, the peace and love of Christmas Day settled on all present and the light came into the world once again for one and all indeed!
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Merry Christmas to one and all! May 2020 be filled with friendship, peace and love!