‘Tis the Season!
So go the lyrics of a Christmas song that dates all the way back to the 16th century — and by now, I’m sure everyone has heard it at least ten thousand times. Indeed, we are entering a truly wonderful season. The birth of Christ tops the list of reasons we celebrate and share gifts and goodwill with our families and friends this month, along with the many other “seasons” that make December so special.
Other seasons that come to mind this time of year are ones we wait all year for — and therefore, they too qualify as reasons for celebration: deer season, waterfowl season, pheasant season, and trophy trout season. Depending on where you find yourself along your personal continuum of outdoor pursuits, any or all of these are capable of making us as giddy as a kid on Christmas morning.
Speaking of giddy, I have some wonderful memories of Christmas seasons past. We were a tight-knit family who grew up in a time before the internet and social media. Back then, Christmas pageants and plays at church and school were among the most important events of the year. The world has certainly changed since then — and not always, I’m afraid, for the better.
One of my clearest memories is the traditional family gathering on Christmas morning, everyone on their best behavior as we opened gifts together. I’ll never forget that eight-year-old boy — about to burst with excitement — waiting for permission to tear the wrapping off a long, skinny box that he knew held a J.C. Higgins .22 rifle. I still have that rifle, and I’ll pass it down someday.
We lived on a small farmstead where we raised livestock and tended a big garden. I can still picture those holiday tables proudly filled with the fruits of our own labor — everything homegrown except the flour and sugar. The way we lived and worked the land instilled a deep reverence for nature and the outdoors, something I’m grateful for to this day. I sometimes feel sorry for those who never had that experience.
Christmas has always been very special to me, and I pray it is for you as well. It’s a season for loving, caring, and giving — and for enjoying the bounty of the Texas outdoors with family and friends, whether on the water, in the woods, or out in the fields.
The greatest gifts we can give are the lessons we pass on — teaching our youngsters to respect, appreciate, and cherish the blessings of the great Texas outdoors. Do your best this Christmas season to help create the next generation of Texas outdoorsmen and women.
God bless, and Merry Christmas!
