Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas to all! We hope everyone who attended our annual Christmas gathering last Sunday enjoyed the afternoon. If you have not had the opportunity to go past the museum during the evening, you’ll want to do so before the end of the year. We have beautiful lights throughout the village and in front of the museum. Thank you to all the volunteers that helped put the outside decorations up or donated lights or other items to be used. Be sure to check out the nativity scene near the village church that was just donated last week. We also have many lovely decorations in the museum, so if you weren’t able to make it to the Christmas gathering, stop in and see us during our regular hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday between now and Dec. 23. Hope to see you soon!

The museum library will be closed from Thursday, Dec. 17, through Monday, Jan. 4. The museum will be closed from Thursday, Dec. 24, through Monday, Jan. 4 so staff and volunteers can spend time with their families and loved ones. The museum and library will re-open on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

We will be hosting a four-hour AARP defensive driving class on Saturday, Jan. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost is $19 and you must pre-register. You may call the museum or stop by during open hours. I will check the messages during the time the museum is closed, so if you decide to take the class during the holidays, leave a message and I will return your call.

It is now time to renew your annual FCHS membership. We depend on memberships and donations to plan our budget for the coming year. Since we will not be receiving a grant from the city this year we will need your memberships as early as possible to ensure our plans for next year. Our insurance and many other annual payments are due in January. We appreciate all memberships, large and small. Consider giving a membership as a gift to someone on your Christmas list.

This will be my third Christmas since my mom died, and I think I miss her more everyday. This fall has been a tough time for our family. A grandson had an accident and was in intensive care, a son had a serious accident with complications and another son lost his job.

I know if my mom were here she’d say, “Be thankful for what you have. There are many people with bigger or worse troubles than you.” She was always able to see the bright side or at least you never thought otherwise, she was so strong and always had faith that things would work out for the best.

I remember Thanksgiving of 1961, when my Dad went hunting after he put the turkey on. When he was on his way home he had an accident and was seriously injured. It was way into the evening before my mom received the call that my dad was in the hospital. My mom had to get a ride from a neighbor to go to the hospital (that was about 35 miles away) and then Grandma, my dad’s mother, who lived with us, had to go in to a nursing home because my mom couldn’t take care of both Dad and Grandma. My grandma died Dec. 11 that year. That was a tough fall, too.

In the world we live in today there are not many things we can be sure of, but if you have family you can be thankful that you have them to count on through thick and thin times. You can be thankful for the many friends that keep you in their thoughts and prayers and offer to help whenever and wherever they can. You can thank God for giving you the strength to see you through the hard times and the faith to see the good in all things. This is the season to be thankful and to make and preserve memories for future generations. I wish each and every one of you a safe and happy holiday season.

Pat Mulso is the executive director of the Freeborn County Historical Museum in Albert Lea.