Advertisements keep telling us that we need to get busy and finish up our shopping. Every store reminds us how quickly the time will pass between now and the big day. Shoppers have no chance to forget what is coming in just a few days.

Buying gifts in these last ten days doesn't worry me. Many of our younger family members prefer their gifts in an envelope and all love the color of green. Of course I try to package it in a little fun gift, but it is no problem.

What does worry me is that there are not enough days left to take part in all the activities that the season is offering in our area.

The song, "Christmas in a Small Town" is a favorite. Christmas in the city has benefits, nostalgia and many, many opportunities for special events. The big difference is that here in Vernon County it is our own neighbors and friends who are putting on these holiday events.

If members of our church are singing in a Christmas program at the Fox Theater I want to be there. If my friends in the Parks and Recreation Department of the city have created a wonderland of lights around the lake at Radio Springs, I want to go see it. If our industrious Youth Specialist with the University Extension Office has given a chance for other friends and neighbors to have their pets pictured with Santa down on the island at Radio Springs I want to go also. My problem is that our three cats would be basket cases by the time we even arrived at the lake, much less asking them to sit on a stranger's lap. But I love the idea and want to go watch others with pets that are more socialized than mine.

We've already had the chance to watch the long, long Christmas parade with all the talented young and old people sharing their wishes with the community. Part of the fun of the parade was standing in freezing weather side by side with people we know and being able to call out to those we know in the parade.

If I was in the city and a parade was scheduled on a freezing cold night, I would just stay by the fire and give the marchers my thanks by remote control. But here I couldn't let people that I know feel that no one appreciated their efforts. I wanted to show my support physically, in person.

Professional plays in the city are great opportunities for enjoyment during the season. But a play or program put on by school children we know has an appeal that can't be matched. Even the familiar nativity pageants in churches with youngsters in bath robes and Nike shoes expresses the same feelings for the season that their professional counterparts portray.

We have several opportunities to see an outdoor live nativity program. And by driving a few miles to neighboring towns there are even more opportunities.

This list doesn't even begin to mention all the class parties, club events, open houses, private parties and family gatherings that we want to take part in.

So my problem with only 10 more days until Christmas is that there just isn' t enough time to take part in, enjoy, or support all the great things that our community offers us this month.

On top of all that we middle age plus residents must leave some time for sharing memories of Christmases past. We might even get someone to listen to us in these days.