Well, the Christmas shopping is almost finished. Will everyone get what they really want? The kids know that they have been good and hope Santa remembers to bring the right gift this year. They also hope that there are not too many snow storms and Santa can find the right house. Teens just hope that that video game or iPad will be under the Christmas tree.
For newlywed couples the choice of a perfect Christmas gift will be the toughest. However, no matter what they buy each other, the gift will be cherished and remembered forever.
Mom will worry about how Christmassy the house looks to everyone that comes by. Mom worries about how well the turkey is cooked and will the stuffing be too dry? Will the sauce for the Christmas pudding be smooth enough and will it have enough rum in it for dad? She worries about all the family getting home safe for Christmas.
Dad worries about what to get Mom for Christmas when there’s only three days left to shop. Grandma and Grandpa hope it isn’t too stormy for all the family to get together for the holidays.
All the snow fighters who keep our roads plowed and sanded hope that they don’t have to go out on Christmas day, but if they do, they pray that the plows and sanders all start and don’t break down.
The fuel oil delivery man hopes that no one runs out of oil on Christmas or that no one’s furnace breaks down.
The hydro workers hope that there are no power outages on Christmas.
All the service industry workers (service stations, restaurants, etc.) hope that everyone makes their shift and everyone can spend some time at home.
Our firemen, policemen, ambulance drivers, nurses and doctors will all be taking their shifts to ensure our safety but hope that they will have a boring, uneventful shift.
The veterinarian hopes that all the thousands of animal patients will be well for the holidays and that they will not be called out for an emergency.
Our farmers have a long list of Christmas wishes. They hope that the water pump doesn’t quit, nothing freezes on the farm, all the feeding equipment runs flawlessly, the barn cleaner doesn’t break, the milking equipment and bulk milk tank start and work for all the milkings. The farmer, like the vet, hopes for no sick animals or emergencies.
There is nothing as sad as having to drag a dead animal out of the barn on Christmas day. An easy birth of a baby calf to a healthy mama cow is a very special gift on the farm on Christmas day and both the farmer and his family enjoys spending a little time ensuring that the new calf gets its first drink and all its shots to ensure a long healthy life. The warmth of a barn, the smell of fresh bedding, fresh feed and the contented lowing of animals are true gifts to our farmer families on Christmas!
Santa prays that Christmas eve will not be too stormy, that he’ll get all the right presents to the right houses, that the milk will be cold, the cookies freshly homemade and that someone will leave out some second cut hay for the reindeer.
Our isolated relations and neighbours hope that they get some special holiday visits.
An impromptu phone call, wishing Merry Christmas can be the highlight of the day for too many of our neighbours!
All the people in the world, regardless of their religion, pray for world peace. Let’s hope that everyone gets some very important Christmas gift!
Chris Judd is a farmer in Clarendon on land that has been in his family for generations. gladcrest@gmail.com
