Despite the lack of snow on the ground, we are having a magical season here in Elm Springs.

Due to the unwritten guidelines for the ESN, this edition will cover the events up to and including Christmas Eve, and not Christmas Day. Most of the kind citizens were apparently at Grandmother’s House celebrating Christmas, not home to report their news. Be that as it may, there is still a heaping sackfull, what with all the Christmas Eve goings-on.

The Elm Springs School Christmas Program was fabulously performed and fabulously well attended Monday night. The upper grades presented a very involved play called “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.”

The Elm Springs School Christmas party was Tuesday, hosted by Heather Neiderwerder and Marilyn Larson. And the kids got out of school for Christmas Break on Wednesday.

The Elm Springs Church Program Friday was a smashing success, featuring a made-in-Elm Springs movie of the Christmas Story and Gary Smith playing violin. Special thanks to Kellie Linn and Cary Johnston for all of their work on the program.

Several of the kind citizens used their musical talents in praise of the Newborn Savior on Christmas Eve. Mary Kay Wilson, in particular, almost exhausted herself praising the Lord on the organ, first at the 4 pm Christmas Eve Mass at St. Margarets Catholic Church in Lakeside, and then at the 5:30 pm service at First Lutheran Church in Wall. Her husband Philip joked that “we might as well go to the Methodist Church and make it a Grand Slam.” It is unclear whether Mary Kay was able to see the humor in the joke.

And Gary Smith and Wade Wulf met Matt Trask at his house Sunday afternoon to practice two songs for St. Margaret’s Mass. With only two hours of practice, the three, Gary on violin, Wade on guitar, and Matt on bass, surprised themselves and everyone else with their performance. And they gave Mary Kay Wilson a little break as well.

Clyde Arneson joined his family at the New Underwood Arneson residence Sunday for a Christmas Eve dinner.

While his brother Lonnie joined Gladys Arneson at the Bill and Shawna Eastman residence near Belle Fourche for Christmas Eve dinner.

Brad Bookbinder, now of Madison, WI, arrived at the Larry and Peggy Gravatt residence Saturday for the holidays, accompanied by his housemate Stefano of Italy. The Gravatts are also enjoying Peggy’s new dog, Teddy the Pomeranian Poodle, who when full-grown will weigh around three pounds.

Andy and Kellie Linn and kids left Saturday morning for Pueblo, CO to spend Christmas with Jim and Jean Ross.

John and Jean Linn hosted Charlie and Carol Linn, Morris, Shirrise and Kassandra, and Charlotte Wilsey and girls at the “Big House” Christmas Eve.

Maxine Smith and Hazel Stadel of Isabel joined the Jim Smiths for Christmas Eve dinner.

Cary, Pam and Coby Tines celebrated Christmas Eve at the Amanda Humphrey residence in New Underwood, while young Clay visited the Bill Steen family near Scenic.

Al and Bridget Trask attended a holiday party at the Mousel residence in Rapid City Friday night.

The “Elk Creek Trasks” attended the Philip High School Band and Chorus Christmas Concert Monday night, where young Tomilyn accompanied the band on her flute. They celebrated Christmas Eve at the Mark and Judith Radway residence.

And the “Upland Trasks,” the kings of last-minute Christmas shopping, made numerous trips to various towns with various combinations of people to get all of their shopping done. They put a tree up Thursday night, a very gorgeous one which grew right beside last year’s tree, according to Julie. Holiday well-wishers during the week included Morris Linn, Ray Olson, Jamie Lewis of Rapid City, David Kalil of Rapid City, and John Madsen of New Underwood. Ray Olson was a Christmas Eve guest as well.

And Matt Trask did what he does best, visiting the Terry Schell and Billy Hulm residence in Wasta on Wednesday, and the Russell Burmeister residence on Saturday. He also attended the Wasta Christmas doings Saturday night.

It was not reported in last week’s ESN that Jim and Caroline Wilsey attended the Saturday graduation of Ashley Wilsey from SDSM&T in Rapid City. She received a degree in Chemical Engineering. Tom, Kelly, Ashley and Ben Wilsey visited the Jim Wilsey residence last Sunday. Ashley’s sister Janette flew into Omaha, NE on Thursday from her semester of studies in Italy. Jim and Caroline Wilsey hosted Kent and Jo Wilsey of Edmond, OK for Christmas Eve.

Melvin and Dorothy Anderson celebrated Christmas Eve with Lisa Kraft and Leslie Anderson and their kids and also were visited by Matt and Nick Trask.

The kind citizens hope ol’ Santy Claus brought you everything you wanted.