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NEWSLETTER No. 72 December 1993 Dear Friend of the Library, MEETINGS: There is no meeting this month, but we shall have our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, January 26, 1994 at 7:00 p.m. in the Peter J. Peters Meeting Room. Then we shall be holding our annual wine-and-nibbles reception on Monday, February 7, 1994. More details in the January Newsletter. MEMBERSHIP 1994: Please renew your membership as early as possible for 1994. A tear-off slip is incorporated here for your use. Thank you. ARTIST'S RECEPTION: The next reception will take place downstairs on Monday, January 31, 1994 - details in the January Newsletter. EDITOR'S THANKS: Once again I want to thank five people who have given their loyal "back room" support and help in getting the Newsletter typed and xeroxed, put together, folded and "stuffed" and finally mailed to our members each month during 1993:- Lillian Chow, Betty Neilson, Betsy Lee, Sue Zeitler and Nina Pemberton. CHRISTMAS: THEME AND VARIATIONS Whether you call it Christmas, Hanukkah, the holidays or winter solstice, the bleak mid-winter is a time to abandon cares and enjoy the season. This is when our ancestors threw a tree on the fire to keep wolves at bay and set the pot to boil. Today we light fires and candles to draw family and friends to the table, marking the most important festival of the year [not forgetting those less fortunate than ourselves, the poor, the lonely, the sick and the elderly, all who are hurting for any reason]. Building a fire is a ritual as old as time. Get a glow going as you chop the wood, pile it high and burn it low. And the ash is good for your garden. Resin-filled pine logs burst into flame like torches, as if the very veins of trees contained fire (firescreen required!) ....../2