Punch with Judy - Christmas Newsletter 2012
PUNCH WITH JUDY - CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER 2012
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SEASON'S GREETINGS TO EVERYONE
Christmas is a very special time of the year - time for families to re-unite, time for celebrating, time for pondering the year which is drawing to a close, time for holidays, so please travel safely, time for little children's imagination to be swept away in the excitement of Santa Claus, time for relaxing and enjoying the company of friends and family; yet, for so many of you, I know this is not so and it is especially to you that I wish you some special cheer, some hope and best wishes for a lovely Christmas and a better 2013. Christmas is about love, so I particularly want you to read the special "love" story further down, then go and share some love to someone, anyone, just in the spirit of Christmas. Phone a rellie whom you haven't spoken to for a long time for whatever reason, this is a good opportunity of touching base. Contact your neighbours to wish them a Merry Christmas, particularly those whom you never see if you lead a busy life. Contact someone who may have lost a family member this year as Christmas will be hard for them. Be kind to a complete stranger whilst out shopping, strike up a conversation with someone at the supermarket checkout. Bring some JOY into someone's life and you know, you will be the one with the rewarding feeling - it's CHRISTMAS, go do it now. Special thoughts are with those readers throughout the world who have been affected by Mother Nature this year. We have so many subscribers in several foreign countries who are struggling getting back on their feet through no fault of their own. Christmas Wishes to all students on ALL of our Online Classes and thank you for your good wishes to us - you are certainly a special bunch! December
has been so very busy, but I'm so proud to say that the staff and I got
EVERY order out to be delivered in time for Christmas. They left
mid-week for their summer break and sent stacks of parcels out on Thursday
and Friday. We had cousins stay on overnight on their way to
Sydney, as they do each year, then we had time to unwind over the weekend
with friends staying and May I say a big thank you to all who have sent Christmas Wishes via email and for those extraordinary, beautiful e-Cards that I've received. They all made me feel very warm inside that you were so thoughtful and appreciative.
May LOVE, JOY, PEACE & GOODWILL be in your thoughts this Christmas and to everyone from John and myself, may we wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Your friend, Judy
There's still time! A reminder that if you need a special Christmas Gift, I will still be able to process Gift Vouchers today.
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attended
a Christmas Barbeque next door with local friends and neighbours. Christmas
Tree is up and all the decorations are making the house look like Christmas
- since it is our turn to have the family home for Christmas this
year. More housework today and 
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There will be no mail despatched now until 3rd January. We will be visiting our daughter on the South Coast of NSW until 31st then the Post Office is closed until 3rd January, so please remember such.
Visit my website each day during January to see what that day's special is.
Patricia Gates from Purely Gates Machine Embroidery Designs, has once again sent a beautiful Christmas Tree depicting several of her beautiful designs that she has digitized, of course, which are available on my website. Patricia has kindly given permission to share as I think it is a beautiful idea.
Here a few items for those who have the time to read my Newsletter today, though I do realize many have this sent to their work email address (which often I think is a shame because you miss out on weekend specials etc.), whilst others have already left home for their Annual Summer Holiday, or probably, most are just plain busy with last minute preparations and the computer will not even be turned on today. Read on.......
Another beautiful and ever so different email was sent to me by a friend and I do want you ALL to try this and marvel at the technology that is available to us these days via the Internet. Just
type in your address or any family address (following their instructions),
include the country too, then look through the window and you will see
snow falling on your home today. Far from the truth for us Aussies
but it is so amazing. Of course, this will only work if your address
has been picked up by GPS and some I've tried are not recent photographs
of that house. It's fun though so please
DO try it even though it does say 2011, pretend it is today.
https://www.pusher.com.au/clients/pusher-christmas-2011
Another for you to marvel at. Yes, it is all "arranged" but it is so beautiful and certainly what Christmas is all about. Imagine if it happened in your Shopping Mall when you were out shopping. What would you do? It runs for a while, but it is well worth it. Magical!
Earlier in this Newsletter, I mentioned that Christmas was all about LOVE. Here's a delightful story to illustrate this. Author is unknown. Christmas
is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for
reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly covered packages.
But, mostly Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small
elfin like pupil with wide innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me
a wondrous gift one Christmas. Matthew
was a 10 year old orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter, middle aged
woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's
son. She never failed to remind young Matthew, if it hadn't been for her
generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the
scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child. I
had not noticed Matthew particularly until he began staying after class
each day [at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger so I learned later]
to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and As
Christmas drew near however, Matthew failed to stay after school each
day. I looked forward to his coming and when the days passed and he continued
to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon
and asked him why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I
had missed him and his large brown eyes lit up eagerly as he replied,
'Did you really miss me?' I
explained how he had been my best helper, 'I was making you a surprise,'
he whispered confidentially. 'It's for Christmas.' With that, he became
embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any
more after that. Finally
came the last school day before Christmas. Matthew crept slowly into the
room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his
back. 'I have your present,' he said timidly when I looked up. 'I hope
you like it.' He held out his hands and there lying in his small palms
was a tiny wooden box.
I
gazed into the empty box. 'What is it, Matthew' I asked gently, 'that
will make me feel so good?' 'It's
love,' he whispered softly 'and mother always said it's best when you
give it away.' He turned and quietly left the room. So
now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in
my living room and only smile when inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows
when I explain to them there is love in it. Yes,
Christmas is for gaiety, mirth, song and for good and wondrous gifts.
But mostly, Christmas is for love.
Here's a cute one for the young to try, bet you have a go too! A Christmas Jig-Saw Puzzle.
As 2012 draws to a close, we would like to thank you for your business, your loyalty, your sharing but most of all, your friendship over the past year. Wishing you and yours a Very Happy Christmas! Take care, travel safely, enjoy Christmas! Till
next time,
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comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour
of the day. When we did talk, Matthew spoke mostly of his mother. Though
he was quite young when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving
woman who always spent time with him. 
'It's
beautiful, Matthew. Is there something in it?' I asked opening the top
to look inside. 'Oh you can't see what's in it,' he replied 'and you can't
touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you
feel good all the time, warm on cold nights and safe when you're all alone.'
