Away in A Manger  by Sue Orsen. The manger at the historic St. Victoria Catholic Church was built by Ray Schmieg in the prime of his life as a Victoria carpenter, back in 1953.  Click on Feature.
"I'm a Present" by Pastor Maureen Bonner, Waterbrooke Fellowship.  "Then in a burst of inspiration, the little girl picked up a red bow that had fallen off one present and held it on top of her head …"
Play it Again, Sam!  By Tom Stumpf, Cowboy Correspondent.  "'Tis a month before Christmas and all through my head, Nothing is stirring, nothing fit to be read …"
It's Half the Story by Pastor Frank Jones, Lake Auburn Moravian Church.  "God's love for us was not earned or requested, but given without reservation.  All we have to do is accept it …"
With the Eyes of a Child by Pastor Ken Kotzer, Mount Olivet Church West.  "Is it harder to see the miracle of God becoming a human being in the birth of Jesus Christ? …"
The Sheriff's Shingle by Bud Olson, Carver County Sheriff.  "The Sheriff's Office is announcing the presentation of a four-hour adult snowmobile safety class on Sunday, December 7th …"
Victoria Christmas Candies by Mike Wartman, former resident of Victoria.  "For some odd reason, I remember the simply titled Holiday Mix collection of hard candies with jellied centers …"
From the Lions Den by Steve Reus, president, Victoria Lions.  "Another major Lion fundraiser is the upcoming Lions Pancake and Sausage Breakfast on Sunday, December 8th, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. …"
Sneak a Peek by Pastor Arnold Lemke, Faith Lutheran Church.  "There's a bit of suspense and mystery wrapped up in each package that will soon be appearing under our Christmas trees …"
A Christmas Thump by Thom Derr, Rough Rider.  "What do we get for that person who has everything?  A new mop probably won't work …"
Building Bridges by Kyra Schindler, student friend of the Gazette.  "I think we should try to extend ourselves out to each other, not only times of holiday spirit or grief like 9/11, but all year round …"
Little Women by Carol Vadnais, resident friend of the Gazette.  "My sisters and I spent our years riding horses, helping our mother in the garden, and singing around the piano at night …"
The Private Point by Tom Abts, Deer Run Golf Pro.  "I'm sorry, but grownups don't have to invite everybody to their birthday party …"
Roamin' Catholic by Father Bob White, St. Victoria Catholic Church.  "For the last week we have wined and dined our way through Venice, Florence, Assisi, and Rome…"
Holiday Greetings by Steve and Kathy Schmieg.  "With the holidays just around the corner, we hope you all reflect on the past year and take a moment to give thanks for all your blessings …"
How Did Victoria Vote?  "On November 5th, a whopping 76% of registered Victoria voters flocked to the polls …"
My Favorite Christmas Carol by Pastor Thomas Braun, Christ Victorious Lutheran Church.  "The little boy asked for his favorite song, While Shepherds Washed Their Socks By Night …"
Caroling versus Coveting by Jim Larkin, amicus et editoris.  "Only the very wise and the very simple are capable of appreciating the mystery of God's incarnation.  They have humility …"
If Maude Had Visited Bethlehem by Father Elstan Coghill, OFM, former pastor at St. Victoria Catholic Church.  "I picture Maude, my toy dachshund, present at the events surround the most significant occurrence in the history of the universe -- the birth of Christ …"
The Dumpster Problem by Tom Gray, Victoria Building Official.  "Over the years I have been amazed at the chutzpah people have shown in secretly using construction dumpsters …"
When I Was a Child by Ethel Ausink, Senior Citizens Reporter.  "I grew up on a farm in northwestern Iowa and I lived in the years of the Great Depression.  I know my parents didn't have a lot of money …"
Ten Years Ago the Gazette featured Chuck and Pat Leonard in "On Golden Pond."  They moved to their home on Lake Zumbra in 1985 …"
Twenty Years Ago "For Auld Lang Syne," the Gazette featured Elizabeth Diethelm and her trip to Galgenen, a town in Switzerland from where her family originated …"

Hook, Line & Sinker by Sue Orsen  There's something fishy about our funny bone.  Why is it, I ask you, that we are able to laugh at the same thing over and over again?  Did someone say that repetition is the mother of all learning?  Let me say that repetition is the father of all funny business.
If we hear something funny, we want others to hear it.  If we read something funny, we want others to read it.  If we see something funny, we want others to see it.  If we smell something funny, we may or may not want others to smell it.  In any case, do you see how repetition is related to the funny business?  If it's funny, we usually want it repeated somehow, sometime, somewhere.
Mainly what brings me to this thought is a Christmas movie entitled simply, "A Christmas Story."  You don't gather from the title that the star of the show is a funny family, and especially a funny little boy who wants a B-B gun for Christmas.  His name is Ralphie.
Each year at this time I watch that show more than once, and I don't tire of it, although I know exactly what's coming next.  This year the funniest part to me is when the family has to eat its Christmas dinner at a Chinese restaurant in town because a pack of dogs ran through their house and ate the turkey.  The Chinese waiters entertain this family, their only customers, by singing, "'Tis the season to be holly, ra ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra."
Much of the time, if something we read or see or hear is serious, we think about it twice and then sort of tuck it away for so long that when it comes out, it comes out in shreds and we hardly recognize the thought, like a kleenex tucked in a back pocket that doesn't get removed before it goes into the washing machine.  You just can't piece it back together again.
So all this seems a little fishy to me -- that when our funny bones gets tickled, we want to pass it on, and when our dry bones get tickled -- dem bones, dem bones, dem DRY bones -- we don't have the same urge to pass it on. 
I also like to pass on to you each month this little challenge of finding where I hid the fishhook.  It tickles my funny bone to imagine you scouring the pages, one after the other, until you notice it.  I also enjoyed playing Hide the Thimble when I was a little girl.  Today I don't believe I have a thimble in my house!  A seamstress I am not.
The holly jolly hunter this past month, who found the fishhook,  is Dawn Hunter of ExcelsiorDawn, and Merry Christmas to you and your family … 'Tis the season to be holly, ra ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra."