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Our Gift: Reflections I Fifteen local writers contributed holiday U pieces to make possible this gift to you. In alphabetical order: Think Christmas year-round, by fre- H quent contributor Clare Campbell of Court House, page 8. Did a cat purr into the Babe's ear? And a I suspenseful story of a woman challenged ■ to risk the tension of another "Opening I night" on Christmas Eve. Both by "Golden I Edge" columnist Dorothea Cooper of H North Wildwood, page 37. Christmas celebrates birth and rebirth, I by Luretta Dramis of Court House, page II 14. "Christmas Soldiers," a poem to delight young and old, by reporter E.J. Duffy of Court House, page 17. Many of our Christmas traditions were I borrowed from all over the world, by county Librarian Kathy Duffy of Goshen, page I 54. Were all those excursions with the kids I in vain? Joyride by Libby Demp Forrest of H Cape May, page 55. A historical overview by "Lookin' and H Listenin' " columnist Dorothy Freas of I Villas, page 55. Look around and notice one another, by "From the Principal" columnist Stanley II Kotzen of Cape May Beach, page 26. Among other things, a 14th Century ■ recipe for mince pie by historical colum- H nist John Merrill of North Cape May, page ■ 16. "Spirit of the Star," a Christmas poem II by "Planetarily Speaking" author Harry [■ Emerson Otto of Stone Harbor, page 27. Christmas in an Italian household in a [H farm community by "Outdoors" columnist ■ Lou Rodia of Court House, page 34. The reason for celebrating: We are sav- I ed again, by "Antiques" columnist Arthur H Schwerdt of Swainton, page 27. A Christmas reminiscence of the '30s, ■ when the stereotypes concealed the priva- H tions of the Depression, by reporter Jack ■ Smyth of Erma, page 4. The get-in-line-to-teli-Santa-what-you-want-for-Christmas ritual by Ruth |H Wanberg of Avalon, page 5. A gift everyone can afford, by Editor Joe Zelnik, page 54.

I Three Displays Share ^5 I Holiday Decorations :a (ED. NOTE: One light — a star in the east — heralded the first - — | — ^ ■ Christmas Nowaways, many people drape hundreds, even thousands, T7T ■ of lights and compete in house decorating contests. But three of this coun- — ill I ty's largest displays are labors of love meant to bring joy to family, — +_ 4 I friends, and the public. Gregg Lawson's account of the Lambert, Meer- I |t ■ wald and Stokes creation follows. ) jm I

Lambert's '1,000 Summers' "This is my Christmas card to the I public," Lou Lambert said as he surveyed I his property. I Lambert referred to the Christmas fan- ■ tasyland he creates each year on his five- ■ acre "1,000 Summers" estate on Tabernacle I Road in Erma. He expects 10,000 visitors will come to his I property this holiday season to view over I 200,000 lights, dozens of animated dolls, a I 20-piece nativity scene, Santa, his sleigh and I eight reindeer and a multitude of figures inI eluding Frosty the Snowman, General I George Washington toy soldiers and I Indians. Lambert has opened his display to the I public for the past five years. He moved to I the property eight years ago and began a I Christmas display just for his family. I The first year, he lit his gazebo and the I fountains in his 1 Mi -acre lake. Since then, I more and more figures and lights have apI pea red at the property. PUBLIC INTEREST caused him to admit I visitors five years ago, and it has been an I annual attraction since then. Lambert, who will be 70 in February, | begins planning his display in August and I assembling it in early October with the help I of his two older sons Mark, 16, and ChrisI tian, 15. He and his wife, Marion, have one I other son, Jason, 5. I He said his children are a big reason he I goes all-out at Christmas. "I came from a poor family that had I nothing for Christmas," Lambert said I "Now that I have children, I want to give I them something." (Phge 53 Please) I Happy Holidays I COURT HOUSE — This newspaper's ofI fice will be closed Dir. 24 and 25 for I Christmas and Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 for New I Year's. I The Jan. 1 issue will be distributed MonI day, Dec. 30 and the news and advertising I deadline for that issue went by as you read I this item. Happy holidays.

^®g=)NEWS I tl Jfessg/ DIGEST -M 777/ Sag I fg Better Not Pout Mr NORTH POLE — Reliable sources told — I If this newspaper elf are making final — LH± preparation and Santa Claus is giving a 1 ti last check to his list of good boys and 1 girls. His annual arrival in Cape May —ZLzt: z County is estimated for shortly after mid- ~ ' 4 night Dec. 24. J, Sugar Plums? COURT HOUSE - County freeholders have hung stockings with room for a 5 — j— percent pay hike in '86, raising members .1 ~f— " to $16,538 a year and the freeholder- — director to $17,640. The public, not Santa, +- can comment at a public hearing in the ( I freeholder meeting room in the county 4library building 7:30 p.m. Dec. 30. ill' Gil for Phil ? ~~ji: CAPE MAY — Councilman Harry A. . Gilbert will replace his old friend Philip R. Matalucci as county GOP chairman if he's appointed to the governor's cabinet, according to political observers. Mataluc- j- . — ci of Burleigh, who also serves as county l, - - treasurer and state Civil Service commis- _.r — sioner, has applied for the cabinet where —J — - resignations have created several i -rvacancies. JCrystal Ball? tjjt ' COURT HOUSE — Most people probably haven't even made their 1906 New — T*fr Year's resolutions yet, but county Plann- • -gV » ing Director Elwood Jarmer is worrying t-t t 1 about 2020 (the year, not the TV show). -j-ff (Page 53 Please) ijinit : !