{"id":805,"date":"2013-12-25T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-12-25T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.townehouse.net\/phoenix\/?p=805"},"modified":"2013-12-25T08:00:00","modified_gmt":"2013-12-25T13:00:00","slug":"christmas-day-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?p=805","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Day, 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/download.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"806\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?attachment_id=806\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/download.jpg?fit=224%2C225&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"224,225\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"download\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/download.jpg?fit=224%2C225&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-806\" style=\"margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;\" alt=\"Christmas, 2013\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/download-150x150.jpg?resize=150%2C150\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/download.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/download.jpg?w=224&amp;ssl=1 224w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>I have had the good fortune to have been on this planet now for many a Christmas and I am happy to report I am still here for yet another Christmas. Christmas is, without a doubt, a magical time of the year. We all seem to become a little more tolerant, a little more loving, and a little friendlier during this time of the year. Sadly, it all will soon end and it will be back to how it was. Would it not be nice if the Christmas Spirit stayed with us all year around?<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>This is a very short blog article. I want to take the opportunity to say Merry Christmas to everyone and in particular to all those who are so kind and gracious to read my blog articles. I value all of you. But I feel the need to extend my thank you to all those people who are willing to give up so much to allow all the rest of us the opportunity to be home with our family on this joyful day. I want to extend my gratitude to all those who make this possible by their willingness to serve on this day so the rest of us do not have to. So, thank you to all those in Military Service around the world. Thank you to all the Police Officers, Firefighters, Nurses, Doctors, and service workers who are not home with their families today, but make it possible for all the rest of us to be with our families. Thank you, thank you, and thank you.<\/p>\n<p>One more thought. Imagine what it must be like to wake up on Christmas Morning as a homeless person. Imagine what it must be like to not have family or friends, a warm home, and a hot meal. Imagine for a moment how desperate a situation this must be. If you can do anything to help these people, please do so. Everybody pleases say a prayer for them this Christmas Day.<\/p>\n<p>Merry Christmas to Everyone!!<\/p>\n<p>Those are my Christmas thoughts, what are yours?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have had the good fortune to have been on this planet now for many a Christmas and I am happy to report I am still here for yet another Christmas. Christmas is, without a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12911,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_daextrevo_audio_file_creation_date":"","_daextrevo_text_to_speech":"","_daextrevo_document_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[13,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","category-miscellaneous"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/THFI.png?fit=214%2C200&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":71,"url":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?p=71","url_meta":{"origin":805,"position":0},"title":"Merry Christmas, that&#8217;s right I said it, Merry Christmas","author":"Tom Lind","date":"December 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Merry Christmas! Merry, Merry Christmas! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! See how easy it is to say the words. I did not feel compelled, not even once to say Happy Holidays. Why? Because this time of the year is when we celebrate Christmas. On December 25th, all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Opinion&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Opinion","link":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?cat=21"},"img":{"alt_text":"2F_Button_background copy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/merry-christmas-jesus-he-came-for-you-ornament-on-tree-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14403,"url":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?p=14403","url_meta":{"origin":805,"position":1},"title":"Christmas 2024.\u00a0","author":"Tom Lind","date":"December 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"As I write these words on Christmas Eve, I\u2019m transported back to cherished memories of past Christmases. These moments, like the ghosts of Christmas Past, haunt me, making it difficult to reflect forward. I wonder, \u00a0is it possible to reflect forward, Perhaps I\u2019ll give it a try someday. The most\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nostalgia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Nostalgia","link":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?cat=20"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/th122524.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11941,"url":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?p=11941","url_meta":{"origin":805,"position":2},"title":"Ghosts of Christmas Past","author":"Tom Lind","date":"December 20, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I am sure that everyone has seen some rendition of \u201cA Christmas Carol\u201d. I have seen many versions over many years. So when I speak of Ghosts from Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future you will have a notion of what I am talking about. My Ghosts of Christmas\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nostalgia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Nostalgia","link":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?cat=20"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/painting-repro-font-b-Christmas-b-font-font-b-Village-b-font-Guaranteed-100-Free-shipping.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/painting-repro-font-b-Christmas-b-font-font-b-Village-b-font-Guaranteed-100-Free-shipping.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/painting-repro-font-b-Christmas-b-font-font-b-Village-b-font-Guaranteed-100-Free-shipping.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/painting-repro-font-b-Christmas-b-font-font-b-Village-b-font-Guaranteed-100-Free-shipping.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":291,"url":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?p=291","url_meta":{"origin":805,"position":3},"title":"What Are You Giving For Christmas?","author":"Tom Lind","date":"December 15, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This time of the year is all about giving and getting. Many merchants are finally operating in the black and they get the gift of staying open for another year. Frequently you ask, or will be asked, \"what are you getting for Christmas this year?\" Depending on who you ask,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Commentary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?cat=13"},"img":{"alt_text":"What Are You Giving For Christmas?","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/sadchristmas-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":300,"url":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?p=300","url_meta":{"origin":805,"position":4},"title":"Merry Christmas!","author":"Tom Lind","date":"December 25, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I want to take this opportunity and to use this venue to wish all who read this a very Merry Christmas. Just in case you are wondering, I am not sitting in front of my computer writing this article on Christmas morning. What type of a grinch do you think\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Commentary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?cat=13"},"img":{"alt_text":"Peace On Earth","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/nativity-siloutte080-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12885,"url":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?p=12885","url_meta":{"origin":805,"position":5},"title":"Christmas \u2013 2019","author":"Tom Lind","date":"December 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"To my family and friends and all other readers of the Townehouse, here are a few thoughts I have had about Christmas over the past few days.\u00a0 I would like to share them with all of you.\u00a0 Sharing this article with you is my Christmas present to you all.\u00a0 I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Commentary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/?cat=13"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/townehouse.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/merry-christmas-2019-text-with-elegant-vector-22962599.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p38YRh-cZ","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/805","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=805"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/805\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townehouse.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}