HIGH POINTS FROM EL CAMINO REAL
CHRIS DAVIS
Folks along El Camino Real were lost this past weekend with no football game to attend. For many it was time to jump out of the football suit and into the Santa suit in order to do Christmas shopping that had been put off. I was trying to get my bearings and figure out what I had to do next, when they called from the newspaper office and told me that they needed my article four days sooner because of the holidays. I haven't even had time to read last week's paper and I'm already hammering out another four bits' worth.

We have had some really great stuff going on around the county this Christmas and I for one have really enjoyed it. I rode in the Rusk, Jacksonville and Alto Christmas parades and every single one of them was bigger than they have ever been before. Lots of hard work went into making this Christmas holiday a very special one. The Christmas cantatas performed throughout the county have been prettier than ever, according to the folks who visited various churches and heard them. People have been working so hard to make this a very special Christmas. The ladies at the courthouse have been doing lots of extra cooking, and I don't know when I've seen so much Christmas candy and cookies. I love sausage balls better than any of the sweets, and they have been pouring in. At the rate things are going right now I will have grown out of all my clothes before New Year's Day - so waiting on a New Year's resolution to kick in is not an option. A big dose of the Christmas spirit always makes our holidays warmer and brighter. It also makes for some longer lasting Christmas memories for our children.

When Jay Anna and I were first married, each year we put up a real Christmas tree. I always said that the smell of the tree was an important Christmas memory, and I wouldn't sacrifice that with an artificial tree. The needles fell all over the floor, and they never sat up just right - but I was going to have a real tree. When we had the boys we made a tradition of loading up on the weekend after Thanksgiving and going to cut a Christmas tree. The boys were always sick with runny noses and colds during Christmas and we usually wound up in a doctor's office sometime during the holidays. We finally figured out that we were all allergic to live Christmas trees. We've had an artificial tree every since and the kids have been well on Christmas. I love old family traditions, but sometimes we have to adapt to new ones and make them special. I thought this needed telling for all the young parents who might have sniffling children this Christmas.

Everyone is still talking about the Alto Yellowjackets winning another state championship. I must admit that I've done more than my share of bragging. My hat is off to Terrie Gonzalez and her staff on the excellent job they did in the paper last week covering the Alto Yellowjacket's journey to the state championship. They really used a lot of great pictures and artwork. The Alto Booster Club met and ordered championship shirts and caps to commemorate the big win. A few of them should be trickling in before Christmas, but many more will follow after the holidays. I thought when football season was over we would be able to save a little money by not having to travel and eat out every weekend. I was sure wrong about that. Now I have another state championship ring and all sorts of caps and shirts to buy. The Alto Yellowjackets may win me into the poorhouse, but I'll be loving every minute of it. If you run into some of our players or coaches in town, be sure and thank them for representing our little town so well.

Deer season is just about over and we haven't had enough freezing weather or rain to kill the browse or sour the acorns. The deer haven't been spending much time at corn feeders or oat patches because they have plenty to eat way back in the woods. We haven't had nearly as many does killed this year as the biologists usually want killed, but the weather has just been too warm. I went hunting last Wednesday evening and was having to slap at mosquitoes. I just hope all the poor folks who didn't get a fat deer or a wild hog to fill the freezer this winter will find the fishing good in the spring. There have been a few really nice bucks killed this year, but it has been a very few. The deer will continue to eat oats I planted long after hunting season is over and that sure won't do me much good. I'd start back squirrel hunting, but the slow ones that I can hit are old and tough.

I guess I better wind this up so you folks can get on with all of your Christmas holiday activities. You can't sit around reading the newspaper with company in for the holidays. If something really special happened around your place this holiday season be sure and let me know so I can spread it around. I hope everyone will have their loved ones near this Christmas. Keep our men and women of the armed services and their families in your prayers this Christmas. I'll see ya next year! And remember, Merry Christmas from my family to yours! elcaminoreal@consolidated.net