Merry Christmas to all

There are Christmas cards and Christmas cookies, Christmas presents and Christmas decorations, Christmas movies and Christmas dinners.  So many things that we associate with this time of year.
None of them, however, tug at the heart strings quite like attending an elementary Christmas concert or program. At least in the eyes of this observer.
We’ve reached the end of those performances, with the kindergarten, first and second graders taking their turn on the stage Monday evening.  
There’s just something about that group of kids -- maybe it’s having kids of my own and having seen Christmas through their eyes at every step along the way.  It’s the sweet spot of Christmas parenting.
Dressed in their Sunday best, they walk onto the risers and peer out into the crowd in search of familiar faces. Finding them, they wave, they smile, they blow kisses. Once the music starts, they sing and dance with all their might, injecting the room with happy energy.
All the Christmas programs and concerts were great this year. We covered them all, even one that wasn’t on many people’s calendars.  That was the one about a week ago at CC’s, when the Basin Menonite Youth Group paid a visit.
This week’s issue is filled with coverage of what we’ve seen and gathered over these past couple weeks.  We hope you enjoy not only the photos, but also the Santa letters.  We asked more students to write this year, and unlike the last couple of years, we are printing them as they were submitted. No editing whatsoever.  We think part of the fun of a Dear Santa letter is figuring out what’s on their minds, just like Jolly Ol’ St. Nick is required to do.
We come to this Christmas season with gratitude for another year.  The Santa letters and kids’ art and none of the things we do would be possible without those of you who advertise, subscribe and keep us chugging along with story tips and words of encouragement.
From all of us at the newspaper, we hope that you all have a wonderful and safe Christmas.  
— Nathan Oster