NOTE: The star party is Saturday, not Friday.
Almost Merry Christmas ... if you haven't begun to celebrate the Christmas season - panic. If you wait 'til the 26th, you can celebrate a Happy Kwanzaa, instead. No matter what, love your family and friends ... and pray for our men and women who are serving our country.
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If you have company (or even if you don't), WNC is holding an open house and star party from 6-9 p.m. Saturday at the Jack C. Davis Observatory. Hot chocolate is sponsored by Red's Old 395, and cookies by the WNC Foundation, and you are all invited. It will be a "stellar" evening ... a night sky presentation, telescope viewing, and a raffle at 8 p.m. for a commemorative coin autographed by Buzz Aldrin and the late Jack C. Davis. For additional information and raffle tickets ($20 each or six for $100), please call 445-3240.
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And now, "The Christmas Pageant" (sent in by Mike Nunes off the Internet): "A young mother and father were blessed with four children in four years, three sons and a daughter. They said their proudest moment came during the annual Christmas pageant at church. Their 4-year-old daughter was Mary, the two oldest were shepherds, and the youngest boy was a wise man. The 6-year-old practiced his line, 'We found the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,' however, he was nervous and said, 'The baby was wrapped in wrinkled clothes.' His brother whispered loudly, 'That's not wrinkled clothes, silly, it's dirty, rotten clothes.' A wrestling match broke out between the shepherds, but was broken up by an angel who bent her halo and broke her left wing. Mary then dropped the Baby Jesus, who rolled down the aisle crying, 'Mama, Mama.' Just then the 'wise men' arrived, and the youngest boy of the family stepped forward wearing a bathrobe and a paper crown, knelt before the retrieved Baby Jesus, and announced, 'We are the three wise men and we bring you gifts of gold, common sense and fur.' The congregation dissolved in laughter, and the pastor, wiping tears from his eyes, said for the rest of his life he would never hear the Christmas story again without thinking of 'gold, common sense, and fur.'" Amen.
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On a serious note, the international news tells us that the government of Uganda was considering a bill to criminalize homosexuality and execute all citizens who tested positive for HIV. Seems the legacy of the late Idi Amin is not dead. While they say, because of worldwide criticism, the execution provision was removed, the bill will be introduced next month. In your Christmas prayers, say one for the people of Uganda ... Lord knows they need it.
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Happy Birthday's to Julie Harris, Marty Tate and Jonni Moon ... let's hope you get separate presents for your B-days and Christmas, and not just one for both. Also, hearty congratulations to Everett Albert Jesse, Jr. on his graduation from UNLV this week ... hooray (guess who's proud?).
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Michael Nunes also got this off the Internet, but he swears it applies to Carolyn (Maizie didn't argue): "An 'elderly' woman was caught speeding down Carson Street. The Sheriff's deputy asked her why she was going so fast. 'Officer,' she looked at him imploringly, 'I have to go fast to buy Christmas presents, otherwise I'll forget where I'm going.'" Ohhhh, that hits close...
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We both wish you all the joys of the season, a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy Kwanzaa.
• Carolyn Tate and Maizie Harris Jesse are longtime Carson City residents. They can be reached at editor@nevadaappeal.com.