Quote for the Week
"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."
- Dr. Seuss
Around 3000 people attended the annual Rotary Club of Pittwater’s Christmas Carols in the Park at Mona Vale on Saturday night. MC Bruce Lakin did an outstanding job while the Pittwater Uniting Church of Mona Vale provided fantastic music that had all the little ones up and dancing. Santa arrived on a big red fire truck and his ‘helpers’, the ladies of Rotary, handed out small bags of sweets which quickly disappeared.
Hon. Rob Stokes addressed the crowd and wished everyone a 
very Merry Christmas, as did Hon. Bronwyn Bishop who also asked us to extend our hands in friendship during the new year to help all those not as fortunate as we. Mayor Harvey Rose received a rousing cheer from the crowd as he announced that the Maternity Ward in Mona Vale Hospital will return in full in April 2012, the expectant mums and dads in the crowd possibly happiest about this. Councillor Rose also shared a wonderful Christmas poem with us:
Everywhere, Everywhere Christmas To-night
Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas to-night!
Christmas in lands of the fir tree and pine,
Christmas in lands of the palm tree and vine;
Christmas where snow-peaks stand solemn and white,
Christmas where corn-fields lie sunny and bright;
Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas to-night.
Christmas where children are hopeful and gay,
Christmas where old men are patient and gray,
Christmas where peace, like a dove in its flight,
Broods o'er brave men in the thick of the fight;
Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas to-night.
For the Christ-child who comes is the Master of all,
No place too great and no cottage too small;
The Angels who welcome Him sing from the height,
"In the city of David, a King in His might."
Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas to-night.
Then let every heart keep its Christmas within
Christ's pity for sorrow, Christ's hatred for sin.
Christ's care for the weakest, Christ's courage for right,
Christ's dread of the darkness, Christ's love of the light.
Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas to-night.
So the stars of the midnight which compass us round
Shall see a strange glory, and hear a sweet sound,
And cry, "Look! the earth is aflame with delight,
O sons of the morning, rejoice at the sight."
Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas to-night.
Bishop Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)
More Pictures by Michael Mannington of Volunteer Photography and Pittwater Online News.