Kelcey Chandler-Yates and Jim Yates present...

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Redding Record Searchlight Monthly Article!!

January 5, 2003

                       Jamie                             Kelcey                            Theresa (T)

Finally, the holidays are over.  Stimulation beyond belief.  Getting together with friends and family is wonderful and all but is all the stuff necessary?

It has been three years since we spent a Christmas filled with joy, cheer and ----presents.  Our first year was spent in the U.S. Virgin islands and although we decorated, gifts were pared down to a bare minimum.  What does one need with a lot of stuff when living on a 24x40 foot boat?  I believe watches were the item of choice for the boys that year.  The next year was spent in the San Blas islands where cruisers gathered on an uninhabited island for a potluck of splendid proportions. Crystal clear waters and swaying palms mixed with over sixty people with similar dreams made for an exciting gathering as most of us were preparing for the long journey of the next year---the Panama canal followed by the Pacific crossing to the famed French Polynesian Islands.  This would be thee last resting we would see before the work began to prepare both boat and sole for the journey.  Gifts of personal treasures were the items exchanged that fine year.  Simplicity at it’s best.

After a long year out on the big blue ocean and in secluded anchorages with few people and virtually no ‘stuff’ we came home in late November to the craziest time of year.  Billboard, bright lights, television commercials and s-t-r-e-s-s to the max.  What is this cultures problem!!

The big question---what do you want for Christmas?! We hadn’t begun to think about this—who cares.  After a couple of years with out, is it surprising that the boys answers were –nothing and socks???  Then as we were sucked into the trend, it struck us—what are we going to give!!  Store bought items seem so impersonal now and time cannot be an excuse.  Black pearls and fused glass were transformed into jewelry.  Books and carvings were given to the guys.

Eventually, when left to think about it, and in true American form, money was the item chosen by the boys.  After all, by then stuff was looking a bit better!  The most meaningful gifts however, were the company of our friends and family.  Memories were made with beautiful Christmas parties filled with friends at the Rix’s and another at the Lott’s, and a quaint kids included New Years slumber party at the Parkers highlighted by Nick’s now infamous chapinno as well as an especially meaningful Christmas filled with family, at Uncle John and Aunt Karen’s home in Mt. Shasta.  — With warm hearts, deep fresh snow to play in, an enormous tree we were able to help decorate, gourmet food Emril would salivate over and a big wood stove to keep us thin blooded warm we felt especially blessed.  And in the end, Uncle John scored very big with the remote control sailboat!!

Next year alone in the Line Islands, we will treasure these moments.  Although “stuff” seems to be the predominant factor creating the stress related to the holidays I think Americans still carry a sincere spirit of giving and if “stuff” helps to spread around a bit of joy I am all for it---but I for one am thankful to know it is not necessary!