View from the North 40: The Christmas one about miracles and lights

With a notoriously poor memory for the events of my childhood and a brain that seems to make stronger, longer-lasting neural links with negative memories than happy ones, it’s nothing short of a Christmas miracle that I have so many fond memories of this holiday from my younger years.

Even before the annual hunt for the perfect tree came the package from my Grandma Inez with her version of an advent calendar: a wall hanging of burlap with a green felt Christmas tree. It had tiny gifts or candy tied with yarn to it like ornaments, one for me and one for my brother for each day, marking th...