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Christmas

Three candy canes stolen from Christmas dectorations

By Howard B. Owens

Somebody is getting a lump of coal in his stocking this year. Santa is not happy.

Three candy canes have been stolen from the yard of a Monclair Avenue home in Batavia.

A police officer is on his way to take a larceny report, but we're sure Santa already knows.

Conversations with Calliope- Peace on Earth

By Joseph Langen

 

Sliding Otter News

December 19, 2009

Volume 1, Issue 24

 

    Peace on Earth and In Our Hearts

 

 

Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer,
but I’m not the only one.
I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one. ~ John Lennon.

 

At Christmas time we hope and pray for peace. But is it only a dream? In pursuing inspiration for this topic, I found that others have preceded me and spoken more eloquently than I can. Let me share some of their words with you.

What Peace Is Not

        Indira Gandhi said, You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist. How can we reach out to others if we harden our hearts? Mother Theresa added, If we have no peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. Instead of living as a world community we have divided into factions set against each other.

Jimi Hendrix seemed to quote William Gladstone, When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will have peace. Power once grasped is hard to release but power over others sets us against each other. Albert Einstein elaborated, Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding. Not knowing and understanding our brothers and sisters leads us to fear them.

Francisco Petrarch wrote, Five enemies of peace inhabit us- avarice, ambition, envy, anger and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perfect peace. It is easy to blame others for conflict. How often do we look for our own roadblocks? The Dalai Lama said, This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. Waiting to be shown the way to peace keeps us from starting on a peaceful path.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it. Others can hear us talking about peace but won’t take us seriously until they see our peaceful acts. Henri Nouwen added, Much violence is based on the illusion that life is a property to be defended and not to be shared. Once we try to grab peace for ourselves rather than share it with others, it shatters.

What Peace Is

         Dorothy Thompson moves us toward a positive understanding of peace. Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict. We can’t expect to agree on everything but must find ways to connect with each other. Albert Camus agreed. Peace is the only battle worth waging. What if we spent as much energy and money enhancing each others’ lives as we do trying to destroy each other?

Elsewhere Mother Theresa said, All works of love are works of peace. Somehow we must find a way to move from fearing and hating each other to mutual love and respect. Joan Chittister shares a key to peace, Awareness of the sacred in life is what holds our world together and the lack of awareness and sacred care is what is tearing it apart. She reminds us that peace involves a shared spiritual understanding of our world community.

Malcolm X said, You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has freedom. Our challenge is to find a way to make us all free. Pope John XXIII took this to an international level. The true and solid peace of nations consists not in equality of arms, but in mutual trust alone. The arms race made for a very nervous world. Opening our arms invites others to our embrace.

How We Can Find Peace

          John Kennedy said, But peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. Finding peace is not the job of just a few statesmen but the quest of our world community. Cicero wrote, Laws are silent in times of war. We are born to unite with our fellow men and to join in community with the human race. We can’t beat peace into each other. We must join hands and search for it together.

Henry David Thoreau wrote, As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness. Being alone and needy gives us a chance to meet each other’s needs. Francis De Sales said, Do not lose your inward peace for anything whatsoever, even if the whole world seems upset. Approaching each other with our own peace helps us to work together for world peace.

Thomas Paine wrote, He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself. None of us is at peace unless we all are. Yehudi Menuhin challenges us, Peace may sound simple- one beautiful word- but it requires everything we have, every quality, every strength, every dream, every high ideal. Are we ready for the challenge?

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. ~ Matthew, V:9

Life Lab Lessons

  • How can you find peace within yourself?

  • What can you bring to the peace table?

  • What fears and hatreds keep you in turmoil?

  • Dare to risk opening yourself to those you don’t understand.

  • Work together to find a common path toward peace.

 

Don Carroll's Toys for Kids wrapping up

By Howard B. Owens

Santa's helpers were at the YMCA this afternoon to help Don Carroll and Santa get ready to distribute gifts tomorrow to local children.  Carroll said more than $6,000 in toys will be distributed and that he had enough candy for every child in Batavia.

Jaycees announce Holiday Lights Contest winners

By Howard B. Owens

The Batavia Area Jaycees announced the winners of their annual Holiday Lights Contest. Above is the overall winner, 3 South Main St., Batavia.

Most traditional, 10 Highland St., Batavia

Simple & Elegant, 120 Elm St., Batavia

Most Colorful, 206 N. Spruce St., Batavia

Friends of the Lighting Company, 133 Union Ave., Batavia

Most Commercial, 3927 W. Main St. Road., Batavia

Q&A with Santa Claus

By Daniel Crofts

As a follow-up to The Batavian’s Dec. 13 article on Santa’s weekend in Batavia, the Man in the Red Suit has agreed to take time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions.

Q: Santa, it seems like you’re all over the place during the holiday season. How do you do it?

A: Well you know, it’s not always me. I have a lot of helpers who carry my "persona" to different places and spread my Christmas cheer.

Q: What does Santa like to eat?

A: I love pizza. Mrs. Claus makes great pizza with homemade sauce.

Q: What does Santa like to do when he has free time?

A: Well I’ll tell you, Santa likes to rest for a couple weeks after Christmas! For fun, I enjoy spending time with Mrs. Claus and watching movies.

Q: What are some of your favorite movies?

A: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman."

Q: It must be pretty tough flying all around the world. How do you keep your reindeer fit?

A: Wel, we give them hay, obviously; in the North Pole we have a greenhouse where we grow hay, oats and other kinds of reindeer food. Plus, there’s the food that kids leave for them on Christmas Eve. They get their fill on Christmas Eve, let me tell you.

Q: Obviously, things are pretty busy now at the North Pole. With Christmas coming up quickly, I’m sure the elves are working hard. When you’re away on trips like this, how do you keep in touch with the folks back home to make sure everything is going okay?

A: Cell phones. This modern generation makes it much easier for me to travel and still stay in touch with my elves. I call them on the cell phone, and then they call me back if anything comes up.

The Batavian thanks Santa for sharing these details about his professional and public life, and wishes him, Mrs. Claus, and all the folks at the North Pole a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Christmas lights on Redfield

By Howard B. Owens

When I drove down Redfield Parkway this evening, I saw several homes with nice Christmas lights, but I took only one picture tonight because it was just so darn cold for wandering around with a tripod.

What does your Christmas tree look like? Send me a picture!

By Ethan Thompson

Here's a timely request from our correspondent and video producer Ethan Thompson:

Hello everyone! I'd like to put together a video slideshow featuring pictures of peoples' Christmas trees. So take out your digital camera, snap a picture of your Christmas tree, then email the picture to ethan at jptmedia dot com.

Please include your first and last name and what town you live in. I'll be taking submissions until Dec. 20. The video will be posted on The Batavian Dec. 24.

Christmas lights in Jackson Street neighborhood

By Howard B. Owens

Tonight I went to Jackson Street and a couple of the side streets to the west and snapped pictures of a few of the homes with Christmas lights.

More pictures after the jump:

First Presbyterian Church of Elba presents "A Christmas Revue"

By Lauren Picarro-Hoerbelt

Start the Christmas season off right with an afternoon of your Christmas favorites! Selections will include White Christmas, Carol of the Bells, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and many more. Performed by several of the area’s finest musicians and the Choir of the First Presbyterian Church of Elba. The concert will be followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall.

Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM

First Presbyterian Church of Elba, 23 North Main St., Elba NY

 

Event Date and Time
-

Capturing the DiSalvo's holiday spirit

By Amy Weidner

The DiSalvo's Christmas light display is always a showstopper. Cars line up and down the length of their property on Fargo Road in Batavia, slowly driving along the shoulder.  People come from all around the county to make sure they get a glimpse of the lights at least once before the end of the season.

Here are some photos to enjoy the decorations at home.  But, if you're looking to fully capture that Christmas spirit and holiday atmosphere, the trip is worth the drive.

Downtown Christmas Lights

By Howard B. Owens

This evening I wandered around downtown a bit and took some pictures of some of the businesses that have decorated for the holidays.

Christmas lights 12-24-08

By Brian Hillabush

 

In our final installment of the Christmas lights series, I'm posting a home that doesn't have bulbs all over the place like most houses in the series did. But this one on Edgewood Dr. was one of my favorites. The red and green lighting was subtle but really made the house stand out.

I hope you enjoyed the photos I've been posting the last few weeks, I sure know I've had a lot of fun going around looking for well decorated homes to share on The Batavian.

Conversations with Calliope- Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah

By Joseph Langen

 

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(Back Yard in Leroy)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine. I just got back in the house with Carol from our fourth day in a row cross country skiing.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like fun.
JOE: It is, especially when we can do it in the local streets.
CALLIOPE: Anything particular on your agenda today?
JOE: Just preparing for Christmas. I created a few Christmas cards with Printmaker and also a few gift certificates for Navigating Life.
CALLIOPE: Is the book ready yet?
JOE: Not quite. I am waiting for the final proof which I expect to arrive any day. That's why I'm giving out gift certificates. I thought I would have the book in hand but not quite.
CALLIOPE: You sound remarkably patient.
JOE: I'm working on it. I think it goes hand in hand with maintaining a sense of peace which is my goal lately.
CALLIOPE: Do you feel at peace today?
JOE: I do and hope to stay that way. Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to you and all readers who wander by.

Christmas lights 12-23-08

By Brian Hillabush

 

Today's example of Chrismas lights comes from Kibbe Ave. The house has plenty of white light, with the side yard having a nice mix of colors and well decorated trees.

Christmas lights 12-22-08

By Brian Hillabush

 

I personally love this house on Highland Pk. The lights all around are cool, but check out the hockey player. I has a Sabres logo on his chest, but the blue lights make it look like a Batavia High player.

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