Alice Adamek

Alice Adamek was born, Alice E. Lamphere in Miles City, Montana, at high noon on December 15, 1944. Alice was the first child of her mother and the fourth of her father. Due to family businesses in many states, her home is where she hangs her hat. One businesses was a saw mill in Minnesota. She has fond memories of sliding down the mountains of saw dust piles on a slab of cardboard. Of the horse ranch in Montana, her only wish was to get big enough to get off the stinky horses, move to a big city, and ride motorcycles. As a child, she received training in various religions. Relatives practiced the Nazarene, Mormon, Methodist, Lutheran, and Catholic faiths. Attending all of these different religious services opened her eyes to a vast range of religious beliefs. She expanded her studies to include Buddhism, the Mayan culture, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Confucianism, and Shinto, the indigenous faith of Japan. All of her reading and study led to an understanding of Christmas traditions and beliefs and their development over time in different countries and cultures. The Christmas that we have all come to know and love has many influences - some from very ancient times and what you read here is a gathering of information culled from over forty years of research. Christmas is giving. God giving us His Son was the ultimate gift. Then of course, there was a whole book - the Bible - written about what Jesus, the Son of God, gave us: love, healing, even his own life. So, when I hear people scoff, ＂Oh Christmas is just so commercial,＂ I’m convinced they know nothing of what Christmas is really all about. In giving gifts out of love, we are trying to be godly. We are supposed to, and should feel good in remembering what Jesus willingly gave up for us. I enjoy shopping for those I love, seeing kids all excited, lights, colors, and the smells. Every time I bump into someone with my shopping cart, or they into mine, I just look at them sheepishly and say, ＂I drive my car like this, too. That usually rotates any negative attitude someone might have about shopping. Why do we have mistletoe? What does the Yule log mean, favorite Christmas carols, plus some recipes, where did it all start? I didn’t give the world a son that would die for them, but I hope this little ＂stapled-together booklet＂ that has grown and grown will make everyone think of the true meaning of Christmas, the real Son of God, and His teachings. So, Merry Christmas, everyone!