Merry Christmas to all our Christian friends and neighbors.

Happy Kwanzaa to all our African American friends and neighbors.

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Kwanzaa will be celebrated, Tuesday, Dec. 26, at 5:30 p.m. at the Bangs Center. The event is sponsored by the Amherst Recreation Department, the town Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and 80 Acres. It is free and open to the public.

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It is now officially winter. You should visit the UMass Sunwheel at sunrise and sunset to see the rays hitting the stones. While the official program was held Thursday, you can still get the effect one or two days after the solstice.

Of course, it doesn’t work if it is raining.

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Sarah Crary of Amherst sent me an email about the Christmas Candlelight Service that will be held Dec. 22 at 6 p.m. at Hope Community Church16 Gaylord St.

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Congratulations to Nancy Eddy of Amherst who won first prize in the postcard contest with her card from Samarkand, Uzbekistan and received a selection of homemade cookies. Robin Wood of Amherst came in second with a card and note explaining the journey to follow the route of a lost ship and concluded with Alaska. Robin received fewer cookies.

Cookies: chocolate chip, peanut butter, molasses, peanut butter blossoms, chocolate glazed roll, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodles.

The new contest begins. Cards can be mailed from a trip or hand delivered to me here. Email photos and messages count. I know it’s difficult to find stamps and mail boxes in some locations. The summer postcard winners receive vegetables from the garden. I hope the crop is better this summer.

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I now know why people flock to Messiah sings. Hearing hundreds of voices in four- part harmony does raise the roof. I went to the concert at Grace Church last week and it was splendid. The pews were filled as well as the chairs in the back. The even raised fund for the Gazette’s Sidney Smith Toy Fund. Thanks to those who contributed to the cause.

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