The Most Special Time of Year

Christmas should be a time for merriment and blessings. Unfortunately, we’re now seeing the look of concern on many manufacturer’s faces. The reason? The outlook for 2009.

Just listening to the news lately — falling stock prices, credit crunch, politicians promoting “pay for play,” $50 billion dollar Ponzi schemes, failing automobile manufacturers — it’s almost too much to fathom. Top that off with concerns about falling grain prices and unavailability of credit for planting and the outlook for 2009 starts to look murky. Indeed, Christmas itself is beginning to look more “bah humbug” than good cheer to everyone.

Christmas, however, is a time when some of our adult sensibilities should be parked at the side of the road. Yes — the religious backdrop of the birth of Christ is a very adult subject, one which must be taken seriously by all.

On the other hand, the icons of Christmas – Santa Clause, stockings over the fireplace, Christmas carols, Rudolph, Jingle Bells, sleighs, families gathered around the fire and Frosty the snowman – they’re all part of that magical, fantasy world called childhood. “Economy” and “bah humbug” are not part of the lexicon.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we so-called adults could just for a little while become more childlike? Maybe we could start thinking about the good things that have beset us. Things like the reason we celebrate this holiday. Think of family, togetherness, the aroma of turkey cooking in the oven and warm pumpkin pie ready to eat.

Can’t that one day of Christmas be a time to forget all of our adult “realities?”

Christmas is a spirit, one filled with the joys of hope and anticipation. Yes, maybe the cynical may point to “Christmas presents” as the anticipation of retailers. But who among us can’t recall that one Christmas present that you remember to this day? When that “big gift” was received, did we worry about the economy? We’re we thinking that next year might not be as good as this?

The reason for bringing all of this up — Are we becoming so cynical that we are no longer able to enjoy the real beauty of the world? Can we no longer believe what our neighbor says? Do we continue to look at our leaders, our world, through sarcastic lenses?

Or do we have the childlike ability to see things through, what some might call, rose-colored glasses? And as we look out the window at the beautiful snow falling this morning (for those in the warm South, don’t pay attention to these ramblings), our thoughts about our current economic woes are in the deepest recesses of our minds.

Be thankful that you are serving one of the most vital industries in the world — agriculture. And give special thanks for the remarkable work of all our service men and women overseas who are striving their best to make this a peaceful world to all who are here.

At this very special time of year, the FEMA staff:

Bob Schnell
Executive Vice President

Vernon Schmidt
Vice President

Sarah Stevener
Convention Manager

Hannah Hamontree
Director of Membership Services

Tricia Kidd
Administrative Assistant

would like to wish you and yours the Merriest Christmas and the Happiest New Year. ❖