Christmas

The greatest story ever told (12/25/11)
On this Christmas Morning, I want to share the true Christmas story with you from the Gospels of Luke, Matthew and John. This of course is the greatest story ever told. Luke 2:4-20: 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David),* 5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. ...

Lupita: A Christmas story of faith (12/25/11)
EDITOR'S NOTE: Julio Francesconi of Flat Creek is kind enough to share his short fiction with us on holidays and special occasions, and we're delighted to pass along his Christmas effort. Tapalco, Mexico, c. 1900 Leonora, a handsome young Indian woman, watched with sadness in her eyes as Lupita, her 6-year-old daughter, carried a large bucket of water in one hand and, with the aid of a homemade crutch in the other, tried to keep her balance. ...

'Scared of Santa' winners announced (12/25/11)
Corbin Riley, son of Kacy and Nathan Riley, is not as distressed as he was in the winning "Scared Santa" contest photo when he and Tanna Warren, who submitted the winning photo, picked up the prize of matching chocolate pearl necklace and earrings. Warren, who runs Corbin's daycare, said Corbin is 14-15 months old. The "Scared of Santa" contest was sponsored by the Times-Gazette and Lowery Jewelers. Voters chose the winner of the contest through the Times-Gazette web site. (T-G Photo by Kent Flanagan)

Santa spreads gifts...and love (12/23/11)
NORTH POLE -- In November of this year, physicists had an argument over whether an experiment in a particle accelerator had shown that neutrinos could travel faster than light. According to Einstein's theories, nothing can travel faster than light, and eventually scientists said their original result had been a mistake...

Sparkling Christmas: Unionville display wins Chamber contest (12/22/11)
For the past 14 years in Unionville, Sonny Ballard has been carrying on a Christmas tradition started by his father. Each October he begins the process of preparing more than 11,000 lights for a holiday display at the home he shares with his wife Tammy. It's four weekends of work before the lights come on just after Thanksgiving -- but the light display has become an anticipated event for their friends and neighbors near Copeland Cove...

More to see... (12/22/11)
If your Christmas Eve tradition includes a night-time drive to view local lights, we've included a list of nominated displays that may take you off the beaten path, but are sure to delight. We've also mapped the locations online. Visit www.t-g.com/christmasdecor2011...

County agencies off for Christmas (12/22/11)
A variety of local businesses, agencies and institutions will close in observance of the Christmas holiday. Here are some closings of broad interest: l Bedford County Courthouse, Courthouse Annex and Business Complex offices will be closed today, Friday and Monday (and Saturday, for those offices normally open on Saturday)...

Buzz grows about 'Scared of Santa' (12/21/11)
You're not still scared of Santa ... are you? We hope not, but if you are, a chance to win some big holiday goodies this year in the "Scared of Santa" photo contest might ease your fears. The T-G's first 'online only' photo contest is sponsored by Lowery Jewelers and the newspaper...

Hope shines brightly on a winter night (12/20/11)
Donna Orr takes her spot above the living Nativity Scene offered by Edgemont Baptist Church over the weekend. (T-G Photo by Tracy Simmons)

Religious music OK'd for schools (12/20/11)
In a community where faith-based values are treasured, educators attempt to maintain a careful balance during a time of year traditionally set aside by Christians to honor the birth of Jesus. When the student council of Shelbyville's Central High School set out to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by playing student-requested holiday songs in the cafeteria, they were reminded to keep the music strictly secular...

Sparkling holiday love (12/16/11)
Friends and families of the residents at Christian Care Center of Bedford County celebrated Christmas early this year with the help of the Bedford County Medical Association Alliance (BCMAA). BCMAA's annual Lights of Love program decorates a Christmas tree in the lobby of the nursing center with ornaments and lights donated by people in the community...

Toys For Tots holds distribution (12/16/11)
Hundreds of parents lined up Thursday afternoon at the old Kroger building to pick up gifts during the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toy for Tots drive. This photo only shows part of the line, which stretched nearly all the way to Madison Street. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

'Santa's helpers' deliver kids a brighter Christmas (12/15/11)
The old Kroger building on Madison Street has stood empty for years, but there has been a lot of activity brewing inside this week -- all of it related to making sure that every child has a Merry Christmas. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program has been busy getting ready for today when parents will come to pick up the goodies for their young ones...

Carrier IQ revelations may be just a tempest in a tea cup (12/07/11)
Last week's big technology story was that of Carrier IQ, a company whose software was revealed to be on many cell phones. That software records a large variety of specific information about how those phones are used, including capturing keystrokes. There are differing reports over whether the software records keystrokes in text messaging mode or only in dialing mode...

Lisa's gift to Shelbyville (12/07/11)
In 1948, when Morton Renegar brought his bride Lisa back to Tennessee from her native Germany, he wondered how she would be received -- after all, World War II had ended just three years earlier. He needn't have worried; Lisa won people over, and within a few years was modeling clothes for two department stores owned by Jewish families...

Lights of Love shine at Christian Care Center (12/06/11)
Take a break from holiday shopping, and join the residents of Christian Care Center for their annual open house and Lights for Love this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Lights for Love is an annual tradition, sponsored this year by the Bedford County Medical Association Alliance. BCMAA is a non-profit volunteer organization of physician spouses dedicated to promoting good health to all Tennesseans and supporting the family of medicine. It's led locally by Barbara Blanton...

Holiday decor nominations needed quickly (12/06/11)
If "Griswold" is in your Christmas lexicon, this one's for you. The Shelbyville-Bedford County Beautification Committee launched a new effort for December -- they seek to recognize and award local homes or businesses who decorate for the holidays. The contest replaces the December beatification awards which the Chamber awards monthly to homes and businesses around town...

Christmas on parade (12/06/11)
Locals flooded the Shelbyville square and parts of North Main and Madison streets on Saturday to watch the annual Christmas parade, which is sponsored by the Shelbyville Jaycees. A new time (it started at 4 p.m.) along with beautiful weather were likely factors in the great attendance of this year's parade...

A Christmas mood (12/04/11)
Anyone looking to get into the Christmas spirit had plenty of activities to choose from Saturday morning. From breakfasts with Santa to bazaars and Christmas parades, locals jingled across the county all day long. Look for more coverage of the Christmas parade in Tuesday and Wednesday's Times-Gazette...

Christmas Parade ready to roll Saturday (12/02/11)
The 38th annual Shelbyville Christmas Parade, sponsored by Shelbyville Jaycees and Shelbyville & Bedford County Chamber of Commerce, will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday with a rain date of 2 p.m. Sunday. The theme will be "Old Fashion Christmas," and State Sen. Jim Tracy will serve as grand marshal...

Christmas bursts into view (11/29/11)
About three dozen local residents and merchants were on hand Saturday evening for a holiday favorite -- Bedford County's Tree Lighting on the Courthouse lawn. The tradition began four years ago, at the close of a year-long celebration of the county's bicentennial...

Get ready to feast (11/27/11)
If we eat with our eyes, then guests of Sherry Richardson's recent holiday party got full at first glance. From pumpkin pie squares to classic shortbread cookies, Richardson beautifully arranged her goodies on a serving platter for guests to enjoy. The presentation proved to be as popular as the flavor -- and the purses...

A lot of Joye: Local woman decks the halls one last time (11/27/11)
Professional decorators beware: Joye Womack has gone all out this year as she has for decades, but sadly, this year will be her last. A most modest woman, Joye has never fulfilled our request to feature her lovely home during the holidays, until this year, much to the nudging of her family and friends who've found pure joy from Joye's work for decades...

Holiday spirit in the air (11/24/11)
"A perfect day" greeted the 18th annual Festival of Trees and Holiday Bazaar at The Fly Art Center, said Janice Cole. "We had great weather," she said. The festival has become a Shelbyville tradition and Cole could not be happier about this year's edition of Festival of Trees with 26 trees decorated for the theme of "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas."...

'Old Fashion Christmas' Parade set for Dec. 3 (11/08/11)
The 38th annual Shelbyville Christmas Parade, sponsored by Shelbyville Jaycees and Shelbyville & Bedford County Chamber of Commerce, will be held 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, with a rain date of 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. The theme will be "Old Fashion Christmas."...

Seasonal sensation: The gift of food (11/06/11)
Homemade gifts warm the heart and fill the belly, which is a good thing, because you'll likely be hearing about them more than ever this year as locals look for meaningful ways to celebrate the holiday season without putting a big dent in the wallet...

Church is local HQ for gift drive (11/03/11)
A Shelbyville church will serve as a drop-off location for a nationwide effort to bring gifts to hurting kids around the world. New Beginnings Baptist Church, 2027 Madison St., will be participating in Operation Christmas Child, which is described as the world's largest Christmas project of its kind, from Nov. 14-21...

Duck, duck, swan (12/28/10)

Holiday outreach to nursing home patients (12/23/10)
There is something about the holidays Caine Warren, 10, looks forward to more than gifts under the Christmas tree. Each year, Caine and his grandmother Christy Warren visit area nursing homes, presenting residents with cuddlies and toiletries. "Christies Cuddlies for Clera" has been going on for five years now...

Sleigh and reindeer ready, Santa's raring to take off (12/23/10)
POINTS NORTH -- The chair at Santa's desk looks sturdily made, but even so it creaks a little as he leans back in thought. "I honestly can't remember," he says, having been asked about the very first toy he ever delivered. Then, suddenly, he leans forward...

A year passes, and I want to share the best of it with family (12/22/10)
I actually got a phone call from my oldest son last week -- and he didn't want anything. He didn't want money or tax forms or insurance cards or phone numbers or advice or anything. In fact, he didn't even want to call me. The first unsolicited phone call I've had from him in years, and it was a butt-dial...

Not-so-jolly holiday moments (12/22/10)
For many, the holiday season can be a wonderful time of year. People gather around dinner tables with family and friends to enjoy the festivities, food and fun. But for some families the holiday togetherness leads to friction and even a few family feuds. Here are four suggestions to help you minimize family friction during the holidays...

Celebrate Christmas with The Fly on your tree (12/21/10)
You may think you've finished up your Christmas shopping, but there's one last stocking stuffer you ought to get. The United Way's annual Bedford County-related Christmas ornament is finally here, and this year it features The Fly Arts Center. "We send pictures off to the company and they create artwork out of it," said Dawn Holley, director of the Bedford County United Way. "The ornaments are 24-karat plated."...

An Outreach of love, giving (12/19/10)
"If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have a Christmas this year," said Margaret Doss. She sat in the back of the City Outreach Ministries building Saturday morning with her daughters, Sarabeth Prince, 4, and Emily Prince, who turned 6 that very day, and waited for their names to be called. Other children streamed past them, leaving the building with large black sacks bulging with toys, riding bicycles, or even driving in tiny battery-operated cars...

Time? What time? Wait, where did it go??!!?? (12/19/10)
We got the Christmas decorations down last Sunday and I looked at the box with a bizarre sense of deja vu. "Didn't we just pack these up last month?" I asked. Normally, that would be a valid question -- I tend to leave the Christmas decorations up until they get in the way of the Easter egg hunt. But last year, Terry put his foot down and we actually had everything put away by Valentine's...

Toys for Tots (12/17/10)

Christmas spirit (12/16/10)
The Webb School Choir and String Ensemble performed to a packed house on Thursday, Dec. 9, at the annual celebration of Lessons and Carols. In addition to music and song, the service of Lessons and Carols included the reading of nine Bible passages by select members of the Webb faculty and student body. The same Bible verses are read each year; they tell the story of the fall of mankind, God's redemptive grace and His ultimate gift of Jesus Christ...

NORAD tracks Santa again (12/15/10)
Each year, I like to call attention to the NORAD Tracks Santa web site (noradsanta.org), and this year is certainly no exception. In 1955, the Sears, Roebuck & Co. store in Colorado Springs, Colo., set up a telephone line that kids could call to get a message from Santa. ...

UPDATED: In search of the star of Bethlehem (12/15/10)
"Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." Since the beginnings of Christianity, the story of the Christmas star has been a favorite. From Christmas carols ("Do You Hear What I Hear?") to made for TV Christmas specials ("The Littlest Angel"), the star has been the subject of many a study and story...

Santa helps Scouts earn Yellowstone trip (12/12/10)
Young and old alike had the pleasure -- or torture, if you were the youngest member of the Suarez family -- of having breakfast with Santa last weekend at the First Church of the Nazarene in Shelbyville. The breakfast served as one of several fundraisers a local Boy Scout Troop is holding to raise money for a trip to Yellowstone next summer...

Gifts, songs and love from you (12/09/10)
Gift gathering for the county's nursing home residents is going well, but help is still needed from the public for delivery and perhaps from those who can carry a tune. The fifth annual Linda Hayes Nursing Home Gift Drive, which makes sure that the county's elderly receive gifts during the holidays, is well underway, and organizer Lindsey Sudberry said the gift part "is going great."...

Floats, runners team for a perfect parade (12/07/10)
Sweet Pea Academy Preschool's float won the Grand Marshal's award in Saturday's Shelbyville Christmas Parade. First place went to Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church with Pam Smith Painting and Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department taking second and third respectively. See more photos in Wednesday's Times-Gazette and a photo gallery and video now on www.t-g.com...

Celebrating the season (12/02/10)

Christmas lights up (11/30/10)

Marines aren't playing around about toys (11/28/10)
When the 37th annual Shelbyville & Bedford County Christmas Parade passes through town Saturday afternoon, expect to see a lot of uniforms. Police officers and firefighters will be in uniform, of course, and so will the marching bands. But one uniform to keep an eye out for is that of the United States Marine Corps...

Holiday magic for young ballerina (11/26/10)
The holidays are hectic for almost everyone, especially for a mother of three young children, ages 2, 5 and 8. This year, the holidays are going to be even more hectic for that particular mom, Tracy Neal Martin, and her husband, Michael, but they don't mind a bit...

Black Friday: Shoppers fight for deals (11/26/10)
Black Friday or black eye day? It might be both for some shoppers. "My husband was here earlier this morning," said Catina Burns as she loaded her vehicle in the Walmart parking lot. "He came out for a TV and he said it was crazy. People were fighting over laptops and the police had to come out."...

Nursing home gift drive opens (11/26/10)
Grassroots organizers are once again gearing up to make sure nursing home residents are not forgotten this Christmas and are asking for the public's help. Lindsey Sudberry and her mother, Lorrie Gunn, are spearheading the fifth annual Linda Hayes Nursing Home Gift Drive, which makes sure that the county's elderly receives gifts during the holidays...

Nursing home holiday organizer overcomes obstacles (12/24/09)
Four years into her annual Christmas project, Christy Warren didn't think she'd be able to follow through this year. Her mother-in-law, to whom she was extremely close, passed away just before she was about to start the effort, which entails giving hundreds of gifts to local nursing home residents...

Few restaurant choices available for Christmas Day diners (12/23/09)
Do you remember the final scene from "A Christmas Story," when the family, whose Christmas meal was ruined by the neighbor's marauding dogs, is sitting down to Peking duck and a serenade of "Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra" from the Chinese restaurant workers? Politically incorrect caroling aside, if you find yourself eating out this Christmas, your meal could be much the same. ...

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