When I was a child, my Mom and Dad were friends with Mr. and Mrs. Richard. They spent a lot of time together and visited back and forth a great deal. One of my most vivid memories of Mrs. Richard is of the Christmas she invited my family to her house for supper. She had many beautiful ornaments, but the one that caught my eye was her Christmas village. The houses were beautiful, each one beaming brightly through the darkness. Lights shining through stain-glass windows captivated me. With their interiors lit, I could see each detail of the little village. Through the windows, I could see the interior of the church, of restaurants and of homes. I had never, in my short life, seen anything like it. I loved Mrs. Richard's village and I decided that I would have one too when I grew up. I kept that promise to myself. The pictures show a small portion of the village I have collected over the years. Most of the pieces were gifts given to me by my family - I love each house, store, restaurant and the people who inhabit the village. Every Christmas season, one of the first things I do is to set up my beautiful village. As I plug in each house and place each character, my mind wanders back to that little girl who gazed so lovingly - and longingly - at Mrs. Richard's creation. She is long gone now, and never knew how her winter scene would stay with me and that someday I would have my own village, just as I had promised myself so many years ago. She would never guess that, after all these years, I think of her each Christmas as I set up my own village, inspired by hers. Remembering people who had an effect on your life, especially at Christmas . . . it's a good thing!
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