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Christmas! It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…” Is. 9:6

One of my favorite authors, Michelle Griep, who describes herself 
as, “an author, blogger, and occasional super-hero when her cape 
is clean,” at one time published a daily blog, “Writer Off the Leash.” 
Here’s what she shared a while back and it’s so good I want to 
pass it along to all of you dear friends and neighbors. We’re still 
eating Thanksgiving leftovers and it feels like Christmas is just 
minutes away. Stress? Of course, stress! Some helpful advice about 
removing a little stress from your life can’t hurt a bit!

Five Ways to Slay Holiday Stress

Change Your Perspective

Sometimes all that needs to be slain is your mindset. This season, 
take a good, hard look at all you are doing and then question 
everything. You could be stressing yourself out because of 
expectations and values that aren’t really yours. Examine what 
your core beliefs are and live those out; not some totally imaginary 
Hallmark Christmas movie ideals.

 “As we struggle with shopping lists and invitations, it is 
good to be reminded that there are people in our lives who are 
worth this aggravation; 

and people to whom we are worth the same.” Donald E. Westlake

Let Go

Who says you need to do it all? Unless you’re Martha Stewart, you 
don’t have to. Besides, she has Minions to fetch and carry for her. 
You probably don’t. Choose 1 item to cut from your must-get-
done-before Christmas list and just say no. I’m not talking simply 
crossing it off your list, I’m saying cut it out and throw it away 
for good. Maybe you’ll decide not to do cards anymore or bake 
6 different kinds of cookies. Whatever. The point is to stop doing 
1 activity and give yourself that time to do something you really 
want to do…like watch one of those Hallmark Christmas movies, 
or have a mug of cocoa with mini-marshmallows, lie on the couch 
and read.

Plan Ahead

Obviously, you’re not going to cut everything from your holiday 
season. Decide on what you’ll keep. Remember, you are being 
proactive by choosing what you will keep and what you won’t then 
whip out your calendar and plan those things into your schedule. 
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Putting things off till the last 
minute causes undue anxiety. Decorating for Christmas inside and 
out seems to be one of the things that’s at the top of just about 
everybody’s list so go ahead and enjoy that. But only do as much 
as you really want to do. 

 “Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. 
Maybe Christmas…perhaps…

 means a little bit more!” Dr. Seuss “How the Grinch Stole 
Christmas”

Shop Online

Books make great gifts and are just a click away. So is just about 
everything you can imagine. You’ll avoid crowds and save time 
(and gas) driving to and from various stores and malls. Yes, you 
might end up paying for shipping (unless you’re a wise Amazon 
Prime customer) but in the long run, if it saves you time and 
energy, it’s totally worth it.

Say No

This one is the hardest of all because you want to have fun as much 
as the next guy, right? Or your heart is big and you want to help 
everyone who has a need. Or you just plain old don’t want others \

to think badly of you if you just 
don’t have the time or energy to 
serve on their committee or be 
one of Santa’s Elves for Pictures 
with Santa. Dear friend, in 
order to lessen your stress, you 
might just need to start saying 
no. And if you do, guess what? 
Everyone will still love you and 
there will be someone else who 
can do what you can’t. 

“Stressed spelled backwards is 
Desserts!”

There now, don’t you feel 
better? Take a breath, or two 
or three, drive ‘round town, 
be amazed at how beautiful 
Kersting Court is with all the 
lights and remember this precious truth: Jesus is the reason for the 
season! Go to a Christmas concert. Tell someone you love them. 
And smile. A lot! 

One final thought… today, December 7th, is Pearl Harbor Day, 
observed annually to remember and honor the 2,403 Americans 
who were killed in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii 
on December 7, 1941, which led to the United States declaring war 
on Japan the next day and thus entering World War II. President 
Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in his address to the Nation on 
December 8th that December 7th is: “A day that will live in infamy.”

I’m hoping all your Christmas memories this year are merry and 
bright, and all the gifts you receive are exactly what you wanted 
and all the gifts you give are exactly what they wanted, too.

The picture this week is a Christmas memory. Seeing The 
Nutcracker. 

“Christmas, it’s almost here! My favorite, favorite time of year!

Think mistletoe and holly, children’s faces jolly.

Carols on the radio, happy smiles each place you go..”

.

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis

Christmas is just a few short weeks away and my book:

“Sunrises and Sunflowers Speak Hope”

Would be a really nice gift for everyone you know. It’s on Amazon.
com

“Star of Wonder” a delightful Christmas Kindle story, where four 
lonely people find love following a strange new star on Christmas 
Eve, is there, too. 

Weather Wise


WALKING SIERRA MADRE -

The Social Side by Deanne Davis

6-Day Forecast Sierra Madre, Ca.

 Sun Sunny Hi 60s Lows 50s 

 Mon: Sunny Hi 60s Lows 50s 

 Tues: Sunny Hi 60s Lows 50s 

 Wed: Sunny Hi 60s Lows 50s

 Thur: Sunny Hi 70s Lows 50s 

 Fri: Sunny Hi 70s Lows 50s

Forecasts courtesy of the National Weather Service

SIERRA MADRE CITY MEETINGS

SIERRA MADRE CITY 

COUNCIL MEETING

December 10, 2024 5:30pm

THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD 
IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS!

As part of the City of Sierra Madre’s 

COVID-19 transparency efforts and The 
Brown Act provides the public with an opportunity 
to make public comments at any 
public meeting. Public comment may also be 
made by e-mail to PublicComment@CityofSierraMadre.
com by 3:00 p.m. on the day of 
the meeting. 

Emails will be acknowledged at the Council 
meeting and filed into public record. The 
public may also comment in person at the 
meeting.

The meetings will be streamed live on Foothills 
Media website at foothillsmedia.org/sierramadre 
and broadcast on Government 

Access Channel 3 (Spectrum)..

BEST USED BOOK SALE

 The Friends of the Sierra Madre Library announce 
that the December Best Used Book Sale will take place on Friday, 
December 6 (3:00-7:00) and Saturday, December 7 (10:00-
2:00). It will be held on the parking lot behind the temporary 
library, 350 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.

 Look for our special GIFT table; we’re featuring NEW 
and UNUSED books, puzzles, games, DVDs and activity kits, 
perfect for gifts. In addition, we’ll have a number of Nearly 
New thrillers, mysteries and fiction books, some signed, which 
have recently been on the Best Seller List. Check out our “Table 
Books” with many beautiful Art, Contemporary Culture and 
History selections. And for the collector, a complete set of The 
Works of Charles Dickens and a lovely Nancy Drew mystery 
set. For teachers, you might be interested in class sets of 

A Christmas Carol and Roll of Thunder, Hear Me Cry.

 Did you miss a best-seller a year or two ago? You can 
probably find it in our Bargain Books for only $1.00 each. Small 
paperbacks are $.25 each or 5/$1.00 and Children’s and Young 
Adult books range from $.50 to $5.00, including holiday titles. 
DVDs and CDs are also available for only $1.00 and Audio 
Books for $3.00 each.

 Remember our BAG SALE on Saturday, Dec. 7th! Fill 
a large grocery bag with Bargain Books and/or Media for only 
$5.00 and save even more! All proceeds from this sale will go to 
acquisitions, services and programs at our library. Talk books 
and authors with our jolly, helpful volunteers at the Best Used 
Book Sale!

1630 AM EMERGENCY RADIO & 

Free on-air publicity for local events

 Sierra Madre’s EMERGENCY radio station is now accepting scripts for 
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) about community events. PSAs 
will be broadcast on the air at no charge. The station operates 24/7 and can 
be heard at 1630 on the AM dial.

 Any local non-profit or non-commercial organization can have their 
event information broadcast to the public on Sierra Madre Community 
Information Radio. The station covers the city of Sierra Madre, plus 
surrounding areas of Pasadena, Arcadia, and Monrovia. 

Your event must:

•Benefit a non-commercial or non-profit entity
•Be open to the public
•Be of general interest to local citizens


Just 
write a Public Service Announcement that describes your event and
e-mail it to radio@cityofsierramadre.com.

 
GFWC 
Sierra Madre 
Woman’s Club 
550 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 22002244:: 111177 YYeeaarrss 
Since February 23, 1907 – “Living the Volunteer Life” in Friendship 
Member of General Federation of Women’s Clubs cfwc.org & gfwc.org 
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RRoossee PPrriinncceesssseess 
WWeedd..,, 1122//1188;; 1111 aamm 
HHoolliiddaayy LLuunncchheeoonn 1122 nnoooonn -- $$1177 
RRSSVVPP** bbyy SSuunn..,, 1122//1155 
626-427-1240*A Reservation Made is a Reservation Paid . 
Join us for Member - Only Yoga w/ Paul Tuesdays, 10 am 
SierraMadreWomansClub.org 
SierraMadreWomansClub 
Rent the 1914 Historic Essick House 626-355-4379 
Wistaria Thrift Shop M, Th, F 10-3; Sat. 10-1 355-7739 
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com