Santa’s God: A Children’s Fable About the Biggest Question Ever

By Neale Donald Walsch. Illustrations: by Em Claire.

(OR: EnNin Books, October 2009. 32 pp. $19.95, ISBN 978-1-57174-596-5)

Children’s Picture Book/Christmas

If you could ask Santa one questions what would it be?

In “Santa’s God” little Melinda is just certain that this is her night to meet Santa and she has her question ready.

Well – like any child she has many questions at the tip of her tongue, but when she finally asks all of the questions you might imagine a child would want to know (How do you get to every house in one night? How do you get down the chimney and what do you do when there is no chimney?) she asks the big one.

Little Melinda wants to know, “Who is the real God?”

Santa is so surprised he drops his cookie!

In addition to asking surprising questions, our young heroine also has a startling knowledge of Santa in many cultures.

She knows the names of Santa around the world. Many will be familiar to you, like the Dutch Sinterklaas or the English Father Christmas but you may learn some new names for Santa like Kurohsu in Japan or Joulupkki in Finland! Em Claire’s illustrations of these Santas are also charming.

People looking only for the biblical Christmas story may be disappointed, but if you are looking for a Santa story that teaches about God’s love and the sacred worth of all people, this may be the Christmas book you’ve been looking for.

Geri Williams is a local book fancier.

The annual Middletown Renaissance Pageant begins performances Friday. Photo by Michelle Stein.

MIDDLETOWN – It is a family affair for the 16th annual Middletown Renaissance Pageant as five sets of families are participating.

Dr. Kimberly Fordham, Lady Greystone, is joined by her daughter Emily and father Gregg; Jon Haber, Lord Greystone and his wife Stephanie Haber, Lady Montvale; Dennis Fay, Lord Berkshire, and Jo Anne Fay, Lady Fairfax; twins Jasmine and Jaime Rainey are tumblers, Barbara Clark, Lady Alexandra Fairfax is joined by her son Robert Clark who plays Cedric.

An additional 14 persons round out the cast for the two hour event which features a three-course meal, 17 songs, dancing, games and audience participation.

If four or more tickets are purchased a $5 discount is available from the $35 price. No tickets are sold at the door.

Join them at Greystone Castle – aka the Historic Middletown Community United Methodist Stone Church – on Friday, Dec. 4, through Sunday, Dec. 6, and Friday, Dec. 11, through Sunday, Dec. 13, for this year’s Renaissance Pageant and Feast.

Tickets are at the Arts Council Gallery on Main Street in Lakeport, Neft & Neft Realtors on Calistoga Street in Middletown and by phone at 707 987-2653.

Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Guests are asked to arrive between 15 and 20 minutes early as there is no late seating. Special seating is provided for groups of four or more.

The pageant is produced by the Middletown Community United Methodist Church and community players.

"Greystone Castle” is located at 15843 Armstrong Street, at Washington, one block east of Highway 29.

For tickets call 707-987-2653. For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or check www.middletownmethodist.org .

The reception will be held from 5:30 p.m to 7 p.m. at the gallery, located at 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport.

New in the December show are Phil Mathewson, with his bold and provocative acrylic abstracts; Jo Bergeson presents an eclectic show in oils with subject matter ranging from nudes to abstracts; Julie Cole's more traditional works in oil will be on display; and, under the tutelage of Richard Seisser, Shelby Posada is presenting a collection softly painted pastels.

Continuing in the December show are Bruce Vandariss, exhibiting his vivid paintings done in colored pencil, and Toni Stewart's one-of-a-kind handcrafted hats.

The popular artist Ray Farrow is showing a new side of his talent with his abstracts while Elaine Lewis displays her flair with acrylics.

Keith Nelson's 8-foot metal giraffe gains immediate attention as you walk into the gallery, but take time to examine his other work as well. Each of Bill Blum's miniature wooden gnome homes hold a surprise. To accompany them, Chris Schreier has fashioned wee folk art gnomes.

Sunny Franson's beautifully executed oils reflect wonderfully soft landscapes and wildlife of Lake County. Judy Cardinale continues in this show exhibiting watercolor landscapes and seascapes. Rounding out this fine collection of artists is the intricately fashioned jewelry by Anna Koot.

Returning to the Linda Carpenter Gallery to show their ever-growing talent and experimentation with various mediums and techniques are students from Cobb Mountain under the energetic guidance of Linda Prather. This is not just a student exhibition but a fine example of how art expands our lives by having us explore other cultures, nature and science.

For the December show, the gallery will have the work of kindergarten students who have been studying Picasso with Tappy Nelson and executing their own work in watercolor. Mrs. Ferguson's upper grades have been studying how light effects shading and color in their study of pears. How appropriate for Lake County. These students are very fortunate to have the encouragement of the very talented docent Glenda Wilson.

The Lake County Arts Council welcomes you to join them at the beginning of this holiday season for an evening of art. Meet the featured artists and sample the awardwinning wines from High Valley Vineyard.

Adding to the celebration of the evening will be the fine sounds of Linda Brown on harp.

We look forward to meeting with you and sharing our gallery and gift shop during this very special time of year.

For more information call the Main Street Gallery at 707-263-6658.

Melissa Seymour's kindergarten class at Lucerne Elementary School is looking forward to this weekend's tree decorating contest at Harbor Village Artists in Lucerne. Courtesy photo.

LUCERNE – Lucerne Elementary School teacher Melissa Seymour's kindergarten students are busy making decorations from recycled materials for the Christmas tree at the Harbor Village Artists, which will host a tree decorating contest this Saturday, Dec. 5.

Kindergarten through third grade classes from Lucerne to Upper Lake are making decorations for the tree. The most imaginative decoration will win an award and the student's class will receive a gift certificate.

Graciously accepting the task of judging the ornaments are Denise Rushing, Kelly Cox and Richard Seiser. The judging will take place at 2 p.m.

See the students' decorations at the Harbor Village Artists complex from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the complex, located at 6197 E. Highway 20 in Lucerne.

Ms. Seymour's students, along with students from kindergarten through third grade on the Northshore, are busy marking decorations for the holiday contest. Courtesy photo.

Saddle Ceratops by Larry Williams is 18 inches high by 23 inches long. Courtesy photo.

MIDDLETOWN – The Rotary Club of Middletown is pleased to sponsor the premier of Wine Country Saddle Trees of Middletown art exhibit on Saturday, Dec. 5.

The exhibit will be open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 21168 Calistoga St. (Highway 29) in downtown Middletown.

It will remain open for free viewing from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, and Monday, Dec. 7.

The premier, a benefit for the Wiloth Equine Therapy Program on Saturday, includes great art, interesting artists, acoustic music, wine and refreshments. A door charge of $10 per person will help support Wiloth’s equine therapy programs.

A saddle tree is the seat and horn form of an equestrian saddle before it is padded, leathered, tooled and becomes a working saddle.

There are nine saddle tree works in the exhibit. Artists were asked to provide sculptural reinterpretations of the form.

The exhibit explores themes and concepts that are closely linked to the artist’s experiences. The viewer will be struck by the widely varied interpretations in these pieces.

Beauty, history, fantasy and personal struggle are some of the themes captured within the formal concerns of color, shape and texture. The effect is an intriguing synergy of expression and purpose.

Featured artists are Glinda Addington, Reeba Barrows, Christalene Loren, David McMillen, Julia Regina, Jeanne Marble Tennison, Karen Turcotte and Larry Williams.

The exhibit is a project of EcoArts of Lake County and has been over a year in the making. Wine Country Saddle Trees of Middletown premiers in Middletown before traveling to the Gualala and Mendocino Arts Centers.

EcoArts of Lake County, 501©3 nonprofit arts organization, is dedicated to bringing visual arts opportunities and ecologic stewardship to the resident and visitors of Lake County.

For more information visit www.EcoArtsofLakeCounty.org .

The Last Scythian by Christalene Loren, approximately 4 feet high by 3 feet wide. Courtesy photo.