So, what do you think?  Is there Christmas magic?  The very issue of Santa Claus brings magic to the forefront as kids around the world are told of the magical way the jolly man in the red suit can make the rounds and deliver all those toys.  Christmas time, it seems, has a way of bringing a brighter outlook to the spirits of most people.  It seems to me that even in the harried confines of a shopping mall or a big box store, folks seem to be a little more polite, in most instances, once the Black Friday selfishness and foolishness is over.  People pass the red kettle with the ringing bell and most folks will drop something in that kettle, be it only pocket  change, but it all adds up.

Let us return now, to a long, long time ago, when the Christmas magic came in the form of four "ghosts" to a bitter old man named Ebenezer Scrooge.  Remember in the early part of Charles Dickens' classic when asked to contribute to the poor, Scrooge harshly asked "are there no workhouses?  Are there no prisons?”  When he got home that evening,  his old business partner, Jacob Marley, deceased that very day (Christmas Eve) years before, appeared to Scrooge dragging heavy chains which he explained to Scrooge he had forged link by link during his life.  Marley went on to tell Scrooge that the chain he was forging was already longer and heavier than Marley's.

That evening, Scrooge was visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, each providing a look into the life of the miserable old miser.  The final scene on the ghostly trip was the darkly veiled ghost pointing to the tombstone of Ebenezer Scrooge.  It was implied, if not plainly stated, that Scrooge had died alone and miserable.

When Scrooge awoke Christmas morning, he ran to the window and yelled to a boy on the street asking" what day is this?"  The boy responded that it was Christmas Day, of course.  Ebenezer's joy knew no bounds as he laughingly told the boy to run to the local merchant and buy the prize turkey with the intention of delivering it to Bob Cratchet's family.  Bob was Ebenezer’s faithful, though abused, employee.  The Christmas Day Ebenezer went about making amends for all the stingy ways he had shown throughout his adult life.  The ending to the story was, although not quoted exactly here, that Scrooge honored Christmas and kept it in his heart from that day on.  Christmas Magic?  You be the judge.  Sure this was a story from the imagination of Charles Dickens, but was for sure based upon so many individuals of Dickens' Day and even today.  Most people associate Scrooge with selfishness only, forgetting that at the end of the story Scrooge was a completely changed man.  Christmas magic.   Heck, even in "The Grinch" story, the ending line is that the "Grinch’s' heart grew three sizes that day" after some of the Christmas Magic touched the heart of the evil green whatever he was.

Thinking about this, the real "magic of Christmas", was not magic at all, but a gift from God, born in a manger in a little town called Bethlehem all those 2,000 plus years ago.  What was found in that stable under the bright star of Christmas, was a little child who would grow up to become the one person upon whom all history depends.  History, as we know it, began that day.  When that Babe touches the hearts of men and women, the change that can be accomplished is even more than stingy Scrooge becoming the kind man upon which his story ends.

The Angels announced the birth to the Shepherds "abiding in the fields and keeping watch over their flocks by night" and the shepherds immediately said to one another "let us go and see this miracle that has been made known to us".  Three Kings, also known as "wise men" followed a star to the Christ child and brought gifts.  We all know the story of those three kings, Caspar, Melchor and Balthazar.  Have you ever heard of the fourth wise man who sought the Christ?

The fourth wise man got a later start than the first three and as he was making the journey, he came upon an injured man and stopped to help and care for him until he was able to care for himself.  When he arrived in Bethlehem, he found that Mary and Joseph had taken the Babe to Egypt so he set out for Egypt.  On the way he again encountered an injured man and stopped to help and nurse him back to health.  When he arrived in Egypt, he found Jesus had left there.  Once more he set out upon the journey to find the Christ.  Once more, he stopped to help someone.  So on and on it went.  It seemed as though this wise man was always a step behind where Jesus was because he was always stopping to help someone in need.  Finally, finally, at long last, this wise man entered Jerusalem on a Friday to find Jesus was there.  As the wise man went up the Hill known as Golgotha, where three crosses were outlined against the sky, he saw the face of Jesus.  The wise man realized that he had actually encountered Jesus in the faces of each of the individuals he had stopped to help along his journey to the find the Babe from the manager.

So, is there really magic at Christmas?   I guess for each of us that question must be answered within ourselves.  I know that all of my Christmases have been magic in one way or another.  Maybe this Christmas even more so.  For the first time in five years, Ann and I have all six of our grandchildren together.  Andrew, Payton, Sam, Sydney, Sammi, and Michael (in order of age) are all here.  It is truly magic to watch the excitement of each of them as they interact with each other.  The confusion and noise only add to the mystique of the wonder of the magic of Christmas and the magic of family.  We are making another Christmas memory to add to all those of the past.  Don't ask me what my favorite Christmas memory is because I have the feeling that won't happen until this Thursday, but I do have many memories of many wonderful Christmases.  The common denominator? Family of course.

Now, let's take a moment to go around the table, and the Skype, and let each one of the show participants tell a short story of their best Christmas Memory.  If I happen to say "I told you so" when Jeff mentions Eli, or Bopper mentions his grandchild, forgive me, but I know I'm right.   From here in The Lair, Ann and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas with many, many blessings and happiness.  And, since we won't be here next week, a Happy New Year as well.   Remember to keep Christmas in your heart the year round.

Okay everyone, give us your Christmas memories!