A Christmas Card from Goldendale
Editor’s Note - Mike Salsbury has gathered lovely images and thoughts on Christmas in Goldendale as the season of giving has stirred the pot of reflection in this community of 3,500 in this fertile plateau. Here are some of the seeds Mike found growing in this tight community and the fruits of the Christmas spirit in only the way that Mike could capture them. This is Mike’s Christmas Card to you all - Tom Peterson
Photos and Story by Mike Salsbury
Dan Christopher, Klickitat County Commissioner:
Christmas as it was a lesson for us. I grew up very poor. We didn’t have much but what that taught us was the love for each other was more precious than material things. On Christmas, we sometimes got presents from perfect strangers. Again instilling in me the love perfect strangers had for me. And although we didn’t have much we would use what we had be it snow shovels or just knocking on doors to say Merry Christmas to show other strangers the love we had for them. To this day I try and repay those presents to other family’s children and pass on the lesson of the power of love every day by trying to touch the lives of everyone I meet and show them someone out there really cares about them. So yeah, Christmas, as the lessons learned on Christmas can be used every day to make the world a better place for a child in our community.
Danielle Blain, Goldendale School Teacher:
My favorite holiday memory is cutting down a Christmas tree as a family. You see, I didn’t have the most patient/calm Dad. He loved going to get the tree in the most “wintery” condition he could find. Mom would pack us up in snow gear, make a brown paper bag of air-popped popcorn with butter stains on the outside in case we got stuck and head to the mountains. My sister and I would pick out many trees along the way, but my Dad always pushed for the one at the top of the mountain, the one with the most snow to navigate through, then stop. “Ok kids, get out” Hiking in deep snow, we never could get the tree close to the road, snow up to our thigh, we would finally find it. Many curse words from Dad while sawing it down and of course dragging it to the pickup. On our way back down the hill, always a little squirrelly 4x4 driving to show off how “cool” his Dodge was. Many times resulting in getting stuck, followed by more curse words and all of us digging out the tires.
This memory is important to me because we seldom spent much time together, busy parents working hard to make a living most of the time. But this day was special to be together, talk with each other and witness hard work ethic combined with the holiday season of unconditional love.
Alisha Patterson, “Jill of all Trades”:
2015 was the last Christmas I got with my daughter before she passed away. I remember her opening her presents. Out of everything she got, her face lit up when she opened her present that had orange nail polish! She was so excited because it was her favorite color. She was 5 years old. Made me so proud knowing that my 5-year-old could care less about toys and electronics, that she was thankful for the smallest thing and that was a bottle of nail polish simply because it was her favorite color.
Mike Canon, Goldendale Mayor:
The parade was fantastic. I really liked the car covered in lights. I drove one like it way back in the younger days. It wasn't mine; I was driving a colleague who had surgery while working in South Texas. He could not drive and I was asked to help drive him back to Virginia. What a great experience!
As for Christmases, they blend into many with wife and children when they were younger. For Christmas in Goldendale, we enjoy having our children visit with spouses and grandchildren. Family and Christmas together is always memorable. Thank you for helping me remember them all.
William Larsen, Recovery Coach at the Recovery Café:
I had to think about this because I really don't have many. They weren't necessarily bad just not very memorable because of people missing in my life or me not participating because of my addiction.
I do have special memories of my first year here in Goldendale in 2015 when my fiance (my now wife Regina) volunteered at Dr. Ogden’s Thanksgiving feast at Father's House.
We lived in a RV trailer on our five acres of raw land.
We are both disabled and had very little but that was a way for us to give back to our new community of Goldendale.
It was also the first year that I celebrated Hanukkah after accepting Christ into my life as a messianic.
Anonymous - Domestic Violence Survivor
My whole life my prayer has always been to be used by God. Five and half years ago with a heavy heart, I had to ask God to not use me anymore. That I needed a break. It was the hardest prayer in my life. I was near homelessness, no place to go, had suffered horrible abuse just before that. God answered my prayer. Soon I was married, owned a home, no longer had to struggle. And although I was exceedingly grateful, I started feeling empty inside. I realized I am nothing if God isn't using me. That is the greatest reward.
I don't celebrate Christmas anymore. No tree. But, I still give presents to lots of people. I suppose I don't celebrate it anymore because there is no one to celebrate it with. When you remove toxic people from your life it becomes serene but it is also less "filled" with others. I keep to myself other than volunteering.
I wasn't going to let abuse stop being the person God made me to be. He wants us to reach out, help others, etc. hands-on but also as anonymously as possible. He wants the light He puts in us to shine. Doesn't mean to stop helping toxic people, keep loving them, but put up boundaries and help them in a way that doesn't enable them to push their toxicity on to you.
Ellen Perconti, Superintendent Goldendale Public Schools:
Mike Salsbury: What is a favorite holiday memory of yours?
Ellen: Christmas Morning 2021 I was awakened by my granddaughter early in the morning. Her big smile and bright eyes shone in excitement.
MS: Why is this a special memory?
Ellen: Hood River's natural gas was shut down the week of Christmas 2021 causing my son and family to spend Christmas Eve with us. My son carted the family and all the presents from under their tree to Goldendale. While the cause wasn't ideal for anyone, having our grandchildren in the house for Christmas morning was wonderful. I've always enjoyed the anticipation and excitement of children during the Holidays - even in the early morning! It was an unexpected gift that created a wonderful memory.
Veronica and Danielle Clevidence:
Every December, Dad would take Mom, me, and my sister out to the woods where he would select and cut down the very best tree. We'd come home and put it up, my sister and I adding all the homemade ornaments, along with the heirloom ornaments from when both parents were children. They would always have spiked eggnog and would would let us each have a tiny sip from our little, silver, chalices. We felt so grown up and special. The weekend before Christmas, Dad would make beautiful yule logs, using pretty logs decorated with bows and wrapping paper, and with a little bit of magical powder sprinkled on the top to make the fire burn with a multitude of colors and sparkles. He would then take us around to friends and neighbors, dropping off the holiday cheer, accepting their thanks in a glass of cheer for himself.
On Christmas Eve, we would bundle up to go ooh and aah at all the pretty Christmas lights in town. Once we were all in the car and ready to go, Mom always had to run back in to use the bathroom. My sister and I would make fun of her, wondering why she never thought to go before we were all ready. We'd go everywhere... Up the hills, down the hills, to the rich parts of town, and through the poorer parts of town, all decorated with the spirit of Christmas. Afterward, we'd head to Midnight Mass, the church full of happy children and loving parents, all awaiting the birth of our Savior. Somehow, when we'd get home, Santa would always have come. They told us he came to our house first, which is why we got to open our presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas morning.
Many of these traditions, along with new ones gleaned from new family members, we carry on today .. and remember the feeling of being so loved and happy and excited being with our mom and dad each Christmas. We're so grateful for the memories that we have of them, now that they're both gone. We know they smile down at us when we spend time together... Whether happily decorating Christmas cookies or arguing about silly things.
