To all the Scrooges out there — stop being cranky!
To all the Grinches out there — take five from your grumpiness!
To all those smarty old snooties with their beaks in the air (and you know who you are, you who are too high and mighty to enjoy a little goodwill and peace) smile some, you’ll feel better.
It’s time folks just lighten up. With my very own fair-to-middlin?-sized ears, I’ve heard way too many folks complain:
‘They’re playing Christmas music already . . .?
‘I can’t stand it. As soon as Halloween is over they’re putting up Christmas decorations in the stores.?
‘I hate Christmas commercials!?
I am here to testify, brothers and sisters, I like all the hustle and bustle. The earlier the better. Can I get an amen? Hallelujah, praise the Lord and pass the eggnog (which has been for sale now since October.)
I’ve been reborn in this sense. I used to get up on my soapbox, moan and groan about the capitalistic evil of it all. But, I have seen the light. Call me kooky, but I like the idea of Christmas.
The celebrated day of Jesus? birth — whether you believe or not — has the potential to bring out the best in all. I’ve put aside the commercialism of Christmas.
Now, I view television commercials selling their products with a smile just before I change the station. It is a nice sentiment to see somebody giving a gift to another, even if they are all actors getting paid for the gig.
I’m one of those saps who couldn’t wait for the all Christmas, all the time radio stations to start up again. For most of the year I listen exclusively to WJR, 97.1 and NPR on my car radio presets.
All year, I also have a preset for the Christmas music station. In my office, I hook up to one of the internet Christmas music providers. Soon, I’ll dust off my own collection of Christmas compact discs and start playing them.
The gift of Christmas is it spreads sunshine even in our darkest hours. Elvis once sang a song, ‘wishing every day was like Christmas.? I think it would be a nicer world, were it so.
So, open up your heart and warm up to the season (if you don’t it’ll just be as cold inside as it is out).
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Speaking of Christmas at the end of this column there’s an early gift for somebody — actually several somebodies.
This past weekend I went to the Michigan Lottery website to see if some slips of paper I had purchased were worth anything.
I don’t gamble much, money is too hard to come by. But once in a while I’ll throw in a dollar or two, because, well, it’s for the children. Right? And, if it’s for the children, even gambling on our children’s education is okay. Isn’t it?
At any rate I went to the archived section of past winning lottery numbers. My three tickets from the last three months earned me no extra income.
But I was able to find out that in the past year four winning lottery tickets were purchased locally — and not redeemed. That means there’s over $300,000 in prize money just collecting dust.
I don’t know about you, but a few extra big ones in the old bank account right about now would be nice .
Here’s the info:
? On Nov. 28, 2014, a Fantasy 5 ticket bought at the Five Star Liquor Store in Dearborn was bought. The winning ticket numbers are 10-21-23-26-28. That ticket is worth $50,000;
? On May 7, 2015 somebody bought a Luck for Life Ticket at Motor City Liquor in Detroit. That ticket is worth $25,000 a year for life! Those numbers, 4-14-19-26-40, Lucky Ball 6;
? And on June 18, somebody bought a Fantasy 5 ticket from the Tyrone Party Store in Fenton, with the winning numbers 10-18-23-26-34. That ticket is worth a paultry $243,497.
You only have a year from the drawing date to claim your prize. If you have a winning ticket, call the Lottery Public Relations office at 517-373-1237. And, then give us a call. It’d be a good story.
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Readers may recall a column asking you to be nice on Dec. 4, in memory of Zach Finn. The Good Deeds for Zach movement was a success. This note from Zach’s parents, Dan and Teena (gleaned from Facebook.):
‘Zach left behind a legacy of light, and happiness. He’s thought of with smiles. Though his time here was much too short, it was packed with so much positivity and joy, that he will live on forever in the hearts of all of us. We are never promised a tomorrow. Make every moment count, and leave behind a legacy of love.
‘To everyone who participated . . . I just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU! Y’all are the best friends anyone could ask for. Your kindness, generosity, compassion, and love helped turn a sad day into a beautiful one that I will remember forever. I wish I could hug every single person who took the time to honor Zach, and show you just how much it means. Thank you isn’t nearly enough. I love you all.?