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Highland - December 8

Paula Campbell - Community Correspondent
Posted 12/7/20

Since we are still cooped up in the house, I for one have started my Christmas decorations so much earlier this year, but not before Thanksgiving-heavens no!

So, the first Saturday in December I …

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Highland - December 8

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Since we are still cooped up in the house, I for one have started my Christmas decorations so much earlier this year, but not before Thanksgiving-heavens no!

So, the first Saturday in December I drove up to the Highland Lake Fire Department to check out their Christmas tree and wreath sale. Little did I know that because of Covid-19 and not being able to hold any fundraising events, the Christmas Tree Sales started a week earlier on November 28th.

As usual, they have a great selection of different varieties of trees. Back in the day at the small old firehouse they would just lean the trees against the building and sort of guess how tall they were.

More than once my “six foot” tree was a lot closer to eight feet once it was in my living room, but it's fun that the tree would take over the house for a while and a few chairs would have to be moved into the guest room during the holidays.

Now, the Fire Department has this huge measuring stick, and the tree price is $10.00 a foot. As usual they trim and fresh cut the trunk and tie it up to your car. My friend John told me that they have started out with eighty trees and the sale has gone so well they have gotten another shipment of trees that are ready to go.

The custom wreaths are all hand decorated by the family members of the Fire Department, and they sell out quickly every year.

The Highland Lake Fire Department will be holding the Christmas tree and wreath Sale every weekend until December 20th from 8:00a.m. until 5:00p.m. at their Fire House, which is located at 144 Highland Lake Road, Highland Lake. For more information check out the Department's Facebook page.

2020 has been some terrible hot mess year but even though it is providing us a fortunate stroke of serendipity.

Before the year comes to a close, on the exact date of the winter solstice December 21st the two largest and brightest planets in our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn will come within .01 degrees of each other forming the first visible “ double planet” great conjunction as it is called in over 800 years.

Their orbits do align every 20 years and get extremely close to each other, but this year's conjunction is very rare and Jupiter and Saturn have not been observable this close together since medieval times in the predawn hours on March 4, 1226 ( When King Henry III ruled England.)

What does this all mean? It means that this month the so-called Christmas Star or the Star of Bethlehem that led the three Wise Men will be visible to us in the heavens! The Christmas Star will be shining brightly shortly after sunset low in the southwestern sky and should be easily visible for the next three weeks so you can look up each night and see them moving closer together.

According to EarthSky.org the extra close Jupiter-Saturn conjunction will not be matched again until March 15, 2080. So, look up right after sunset and see the Christmas Star! Hopefully, this special celestial display is a wonderful omen for better times ahead for all of us under its glorious light!

The Barryville Farmer's Market's online Christmas shop is now open for pre-orders. The pick-up date from the vendors at the Market's site on Route 97 is on Saturday, December 19th. I will have more information in next week's column.

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