You’ll notice we have an expanded news section in this week’s Shelby County Reporter, as well as our annual Letters to Santa edition, which is much anticipated by parents, students and any county citizen who likes a laugh. We wanted to take the time and space necessary to bring you, our readers, an edition that would honor the holiday season.

Our reporters worked tirelessly to gather strong stories and photos, and we hope as county citizens enjoy the holidays this week, you’ll also enjoy our snapshot of life in Shelby County during this blessed season.

We’re excited to share with you a little bit of history about Vincent’s Christmas tree, which is the state’s largest natural Christmas tree; an account of Santa trading his sleigh for a Zamboni to ring in Christmas in Pelham; a tale of a Wilsonville citizen serving in the military who will get a surprise welcome home; and beautiful photo pages of the Alabaster Christmas parade and the production of the Nutcracker in Pelham. We also have a list of Christmas Eve and Christmas day church services, along with some wisdom about Santa Claus and Christmas from our county’s youngest citizens, and a lot more.

We hope you are all able to rejoice in your blessings through time with loved ones. We thank you for sharing your lives with us, whether it’s by sending us announcements and photos of your most cherished moments, letting us know about potential story ideas or just opening the pages of our paper or going to our website. Happy holidays!

The We Say is the opinion of the Shelby County Reporter editorial board.