The Hickman County Lady Falcons had just won the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Tournament. Coach Gerald Vaughan credited it to "team effort and enthusiastic crowd support." Not to be outdone, the boys' team coached by Coach Todd Johnson won their St. Mary's Thanksgiving Tournament too. And now it was Christmas in Clinton and Hickman County, 1987.

The area's first snow of the season fell on Saturday, December 5th accumulating between four and five inches. But a day later it was gone with temperatures in the fifties. The city's Christmas tree sat atop the stoplights at the intersection of Highways 51 and 58.

Tom and Cherry Pyron of Cherry Hill Farm in Springhill sold fresh cut trees and wreaths ready for Christmas decorating. The annual Crossroads Homemakers' Tour of Homes showcased the homes of Joe and Mary Jo Duke on Hwy. 51, Robert and Dot Claude on Hwy. 58, Don and Esther Hubbard on South Washington St., and Jackie Wilson on East Clay St. Tickets for the tour were on sale at the Spinning Wheel and the House of Jewell.

Christmas bells rang out at the Woman's Club that month. The Masterbells choir of the First Baptist Church consisting of Betty Caldwell, Dolores Harper, Janie Templeton, Phyllis Swindler, Ruth Edwards, Judy Humphreys, and Thelma Harper did the ringing. Following the program, refreshments were served to more than 30 members and guests by the club's hostesses Mrs. Earl Warren, Mrs. John Ed McKendree, and Mrs. Ferrell Piper. Mrs. R. B. Jewell, Jr. served as club president.

Nicky's Bar-B-Q catered annual Christmas banquets around the county. And around town, shoppers sought out gifts for family and friends at Paddy's Corner, Harpole Family Center, and The Greenhouse, some stopping to eat at Ken Mar Restaurant on the square.

The Christian Women's Fellowship of the First Christian Church met that month at the home of Jackie Caraway. Following a program on "Gifts" and the addressing of Christmas cards to shut-ins, the hostess served refreshments to attendees Judy Rogers, Gertrude Berry, Julia Kerley, and Imogene Alexander.

Over at the Hickman County Library, Carol Porter, catalog and acquisitions librarian, in her "Lookin' Round Your Library" article sent out holiday greetings from Mrs. Nadine Walker, Director, and volunteers Aline Walker, Gladys Rolan, LaVerne Schwartz, Cherry Pyron, and Barbara Rumley.

"'Christmas Gift' we use to holler to each other. Each trying to be first as we greeted each other in the full Christmas spirit of love!" Edna Lynn Radford remembered that holiday season.

The Hickman County Historical Society met at the Senior Citizens' Center that year to foster remembrance of such local history. And out in the county, Mrs. Paul Carter wrote the St. Denis News, Mrs. Earnest Stephens reported from Jackson Chapel, and Mrs. Cecil Burgess kept up with happenings in Beulah. All remembered the "Reason for the season."

May we do the same this year, 2017, thirty years later.