It seems like every month I start out by saying something like ìI canít believe itísî … fill in the blanks for the month of the year. But I really canít believe itís almost Christmas and another year coming to a close.The holidays have always been special, but I really cherish them now because my empty nest is once again filled with the ìlittle birds.î My daughters will be home ñ two from college and the oldest from her teaching job in northern Colorado. Our teacher/daughter is getting married in June, and weíve been busy planning a wedding. Weíll have a lot to celebrate this Christmas.Speaking of celebrations, a few of the NFH writers sent in a paragraph or two about their favorite or worst Christmas present. Not that Christmas is all about presents, of course. As youíll read, the favorite Christmas presents are those that invoke memories or emotional ties.Be sure to read Jason Grayís humorous but interesting take on the Mayan prediction that life will end in mid-December. It appears that many people are preparing for it. Iím planning on publishing a January edition!Holidays are lost in the newspaper business, and the NFH deadlines just happen to fall during the weeks of both Thanksgiving and Christmas ñ every year. It can be quite hectic getting everything ready for publication and balancing the holiday activities, but somehow we get it done ñ thanks, everyone!I just read a magazine article about how to say ìnoî around the holidays. Scheduling too much in one day or one week can be draining. Packing too much in can affect your health and your family. According to what I read, setting priorities and sticking to them will help your sanity. If you have trouble saying ìnoî to someone upfront, tell them you must check with your spouse, children or calendar before committing to something. It gives you time to decide if itís something you can do or want to do.With that, I wish everyone a wonderful holiday. I hope you can find time to do something special for yourself. I think Iíll be doing one of my favorite activities ñ shopping with my daughters!Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah!– Michelle
