The holiday season is a time of great expectations, which often are not fulfilled. When one experiences a special Christmas, it is a gift of great value. I have had three such Christmases.

Christmas near Oswego, N.Y., 65 years ago: In 1958, I lived in a very rural area and decided to go out into the woods to cut down a Christmas tree. I was 14 and very confident. As the afternoon drew on, I kept walking to find the right tree, not realizing how long I had been out in the cold. After awhile, it began to get dark, but I couldn’t go back empty-handed. I wandered around but still hadn’t found that “perfect” tree. It got darker and darker, and I was clearly lost and still had no tree. As things got bleaker, I saw my grandfather coming through the woods. He had tracked my route. He helped me find a tree, but more importantly, he got me home........

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