Who hasn’t done it? Who hasn’t shaken a Christmas present? I did more than that when I was a girl.
It was the Christmas when I was nine years old. I noticed an odd shaped present under my grandparents’ Christmas tree. Most presents are square or rectangular shaped. The shape of this gift reminded me of a pyramid that had the top part of it cut off. It had a wide base with sloping sides that lead to a flat top.
With my curiosity peaked, I looked at the name tag. It was for me, from my Mamaw Gridle/Myrtle. I squealed with delight. What wonderous odd-shaped gift awaited me?

Have you ever wondered what our ancestors would say about the change in the world if they could return to earth for a visit right now?
I will use my father as an example. Dad was born in 1914 and passed away in 1982. Dad could never have conceived of such a thing as internet, certainly not email.

Rice goes well with any savory dish. However, it really shines when you sweeten it up. Here is a quick and easy way to make it shine. I hope you have a box of Minute Rice in your pantry. Did you know that a little bit of salt makes a dish sweeter? Try it.

Saturday evening, stir this dish together. Then Sunday, after church, it is ready to pop in the oven and bake. This casserole needs to smooze for a while to blend the flavors. That could be as long as overnight. It's up to you. Horseradish adds a little bite to the dish. Don't tell the family. Let them guess.

While we in the U.S. are well entrenched with Christmas traditions, it is of interest to see how others on the planet celebrate this wonderful season.

The 2020 Union County Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Union County Rescue Squad, will be held on December 13 and will start at 2:30 p.m. The parade will line up at the Union County High School parking lot and judging for the trophies will start at 1:30 p.m.

Robbie Corum and Betty Bullen will serve as ambassadors for Union County Business & Professional Association after being named Man and Woman of 2020. Both are outstanding representatives of the UCB&PA's motto of “Growth Through Giving.” Both also have a history of servant leadership and connecting various organizations to help Union County and surrounding counties of East Tennessee prosper.

Union County churches and community groups stepped up amidst a season of cancellations and closures and packed 2,979 shoebox gifts for needy children around the world. Shoebox gifts prepared by generous donors were filled with toys, hygiene items and school supplies and were collected during National Collection Week, Nov. 16 – 23, at Milan Baptist Church.
Each shoebox collected will reach the hands of a child who may be receiving his or her very first gift. Every child who receives a shoebox gift will also have the opportunity to hear the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

Union County Commission closed out its final meeting for 2020 by supporting a couple of changes with huge local impact.
It seems that local cattle producers are enduring a waitlist of 18 to 24 months to get their beef processed.
Commissioner Jeff Brantley brought the issue to Commission's attention and introduced James Acuff, a Grainger County Commissioner and President of Grainger County Cattle Association to explain the issue.

At the November 2020 Budget & Finance Meeting, Chairman Larry Lay and the other members of the Union County Budget and Finance Committee along with Mayor Jason Bailey noted that all Union County Government Commission and Committee meetings scheduled for December are being postponed to January due to concerns over the pandemic and no urgent business to conduct.