 |
| Custer National Forest - Tree Hunting |
Merry Christmas!
 |
| cutting down our Christmas Tree from Custard National Forest |
This holiday season has been incredibly unique for me. For
the first time ever I am not going to be going home for Christmas. Although I
have already shed some tears over not being able to be home with my family I
have developed a unique family here in Ashland at St.Labre. I have been blessed
to be able to experience the holidays with other JV’s, people in the community,
and the sixty students who live in the dormitory where I work. The feast of St.
Nicholas has always been a big deal in my house. I remember putting out the
biggest shoe I could find the night before and never being disappointed the
next day as it was always filled with goodies. Even when I went to college my
mother would come up with a master plan that often involved contacting some
roommates or hiding things at the top of closets. This year my mom sent all the
people in my house an amazing stocking full of treats. What was really great
this year was that I was able to share the tradition not only with my housemates,
but also with all the students in the dormitory. I told my supervisor about how
special St. Nick day was for me and she bought eighty dollars worth of candy
for me to fill the students shoes with. I even put a little note about the feat
of St. Nicholas in with their candy bags. I loved seeing all the students come
back from school and finding their shoes filled with candy. I have become the
head of all Christmas activities at the dorm: planning gingerbread house
decorating, ornament making, and making each student a personalized stocking
(some people have been joking I need to take a break from the conference room
which I have transformed into “Elaina’s Christmas craft room”). Despite the
fact that I won’t be able to be with my family and be part of all our
traditions I have been a part of some unique Ashland traditions. Who needs a
tree farm when you can cut down a Christmas tree from Custard National Forest?
Me and some of the other Jesuit Volunteers were commissioned to cut down a tree
from the National Forest for the dormitory. The permit to cut down a tree in
Custard National Forest is only five dollars and the only stipulations are that
you can’t cut one down over fifteen feet and you have to cut it at its base. So
three of my housemates and I drove off into the forest and found our fifteen-foot
tree in the beautiful snowy forest. It was such a neat experience, and I’m sure
the biggest and cheapest tree I’ll ever get in my life. Being at a Catholic
Indian school Christmas now includes nativity sets with a teepee and Christmas
paper with moccasins covered jingle bells. This past month has given me many
struggles and many times made me long to be home, but I have been blessed to
have people here who care about me. When I cut my finger open and had to get
four stiches there were people who brought me my favorite milk shake to cheer
me up, and my amazing supervisor Molly even make a St. Nick surprise for my
house. It has made it a little bit easier (although it still isn’t easy) to be
always from home for the holidays. I hope that everyone has a blessed Christmas
full of blessings with people that care as much about you as the people I have
found that care about me in Ashland.
 |
| Trying to make the tree fit on the car |
 |
| decorating our 15 ft. tree |
