By By Janet Little Cooper
The holiday season is in full swing with the completion of Atmore's city streets being decked with Christmas lights.
You are missing a treat if you have not seen the downtown lights shimmering in the moonlight.
Residents have been busy themselves decorating their front porches and yards with Christmas lights transforming the area into a winter wonderland.
The annual Twilight Christmas Parade will be the perfect opportunity for everyone to come out and see the city lights and the spectacular light displays on the more than 25 floats that will appear in the parade.
And of course Santa will make his first appearance in town as he does each year in the annual Christmas parade.
Fortunately,we live in a quaint little town that has not succumbed to the pressures of the world and forgotten the true meaning of Christmas.
While Christmas is certainly besieged with a secular side, most everyone knows the true meaning of the day. I grew up believing in Santa and always left something extra for his reindeer, but I also grew up being told and believing the story of Christmas – the immaculate birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As a child, my family made banners wishing Jesus a Happy Birthday and we always had a birthday cake to celebrate His birth as well. Many churches host a birthday party for Jesus each December in honor of his birth and many will have floats in this years parade.
I agree that too much emphasis is being placed on the secular side and that people tend to lose sight of the true meaning, but I do not see any harm in sprucing things up with Christmas lights and trees.
My Christmas trees are a constant reminder to me of the Christ's birth. As I sit alone at night gazing at the white lights sparkling against the ornaments and the needles of the Christmas tree, it gives me time for quite thought, devotion and reflection.
My heart ponders on times past, present and future. I certainly am not thinking of Santa or his reindeer at that point and time, my eyes are looking heavenward.
Last year Christmas was under attack, one can only imagine what will happen this year.
To those who may be offended by the word Christmas tree or Merry Christmas – I am sorry. You don't know what you are missing. It may be that you have never been acquainted with the real meaning of the day and instead only know of the secular side. Christmas will always be Christmas regardless of any one-organizations efforts to squash it. Christmas will prevail!
Show your Christmas spirit by attending the parade this Saturday at 5 p.m.
Merry Christmas!