After almost two days of continuous snowfall, white, fluffy ice crystals still silently descend on the farms and countryside around the little town of Elsie, Nebraska on this morning in 1958.

At 5:30 am an alarm clock rings to life, signaling another day, and John rises slowly from the bed, being especially quiet so as not to wake his wife, Virginia. He looks at her as if to assure himself that she is really there. She seems so soft and quiet as she nestles deeper into the pillow while he dresses soundlessly.

Within minutes of getting dressed, he notices that Virginia is also getting up, sending a quick glance and a gentle greeting of "Good morning" his way.

Both adults quietly continue their readiness for the day, with John gathering up what he needs for the morning work ahead and Virginia beginning the daily ritual of preparing breakfast.

John walks slowly past the doors of their three sleeping progeny, knocking on each door to announce that it is time to get up and get going. Within ten minutes the soumds of life can be heard coming from the bedroom area. The first voice is 13-year-old Karen's, "Willis, get out of the bathroom. You know I need to wash my hair." Followed by a quick ribbing from 21-year-old Willis, home from college for the holidays, "C'mon Karen, you need more than time."

The last voice is Tommy's, "You both need more time than me. I'm good as-is."

Soon, the smell of freshly frying bacon and eggs fills the single-story sod house and shortly, the rustle of chairs around the table as the family sits down for breakfast.

Virginia begins the meal with a blessing, "God, we thank you for this day and this food. Bless it and bless us today. Amen." The last word is immediately followed by clinking forks as each great-smelling breakfast morsel is delivered to waiting mouths.

"What are you working on today, John?" asks Virginia, interrupting the quiet.

"Well, Willis and me are going to move some steers, and we need to put out hay for the horses and the cattle. Tommy needs to get those cows milked and slop the hogs. I guess that's probably all we can do today since it's Christmas morning."

"Karen and I'll be getting the Christmas dinner ready while you men are working. I'm guessing you all will probably be hungry again by then."

"I expect we will," replied John, already in short conversation mode, thinking ahead to what needed to get done before Christmas dinner.

John's voice might be quiet and his words few, but his mind is always working, thinking through timing and tasks and preparation. To city dwellers, life seems simple on the farm but it is a life not without complications. Good farmers respond to whatever happens. The best farmers try to anticipate what might happen so they can be ready for it. John is a constant student of farming, reading and sharing ideas with others, demonstrating to his family the disciplines necessary for being successful in life, whether they choose to farm or pursue another profession. In John Hastings' mind, doing things better every year is a goal worth spending time on. It is a solid and balanced philosophy of life.

"Remember, we have company coming," calls Virginia as the men walk out of the house.

The sod house is set comfortably back from the road, connected to the road by a long dirt drive. In the middle of the yard is a windmill, water trough and well pump, with the yard bordered on three sides by a shed, barn and the house. The two-foot-thick walls of the house take advantage of nature's perfect insulation, keeping its inhabitants warm in winter and cool in summer. Despite there being no running water in the house, meaning no flush toilet or flowing hot water, the well pump isn't too far out in the yard and the necessity of bringing water into the house is simply one more task to handle, out of the dozens each day. No big deal. Except on a freezing cold morning in winter.

A Christmas tree in the corner of the front room reminds all who see it that this is no ordinary day. Festooned with paper chains and popcorn and glass balls and lights and a bright star at the top, the tree enjoys a prominent place in the family's home. The large picture window with its equally large window seat afforded a panoramic view of the winter landscape outside. A massive Christmas cactus presented a seasonal gift to all with its overflowing beautiful red flowers.

Throughout the morning snow continues to fall while chores are completed. As John, Willis and Tommy come back in the house, stomping boots, shaking gloves and wiping snow from jackets, their easy banter infiltrates the quiet work of food preparation going on inside.

"It looks like it's going to snow all day."

"Yeah, we'll probably have to get the John Deere out and clear some of the drifts from the drive."

"Can I do it, dad?" asks 10-year-old Tommy.

"Okay, but watch that ditch. It'll reach out and grab you and drag you and the tractor into it if you give it half a chance."

Virginia and Karen continue their busy preparation of Christmas dinner. Pans clank, pots clunk, missing ingredients are soon found and put to use, and both women think that the fridge door should be revolving for the many times it gets opened and closed. Slowly, wonderful aromas begin to fill the kitchen and permeate every part of the house.

The casual conversation between mother and daughter is the result of a relationship of trust and love. Karen has her mother's sense of the importance of hearth and home. Innate skills of food preparation, making and maintaining clothes, and the work of keeping up a home in an often-dusty farm environment come from years of watching her mother and learning by her example. Virginia is gracious, generous, loving and kind, qualities that Karen admires and embraces. As a mother, Virginia is all-American, carrying on the proud tradition of her own mother.

Around 2 pm the family dog starts barking in the front yard, which is generally the sign that company is arriving. The scrunch of tires is heard as new snow is crushed under the weight of the arriving car. John, Willis and Tommy put on coats and walk outside to greet Grandpa and Grandma Wilbur, Walt, Eva, Amelia and Walda, as they disembark from Walt's car.

"Well, you better get on in the house and get warm," calls John to the guests, with Willis adding, "I think we have some hot cider and hot chocolate to warm you up."

"Were the roads bad, Walt?," asks John.

"Yeah, I guess they probably are if you're from South America," Walt replies. "But you know, I could drive in snow on a glacier in Antarctica," followed by laughter as everyone stomps snow from their shoes and walks into the house.

Virginia and Karen extend warm greetings all around, placing cups of hot chocolate in the hands of each newcomer.

Coats are shed, hot chocolate is sipped, fresh fudge and chocolate-covered cherries cry out to every sweet tooth, the smells of dinner entice, the rich fragrance of fresh cinnamon rolls fills the air, and warm smiles are exchanged. It's Christmas day and the joy of family is being savored in this sod house on the plains outside of Elsie, Nebraska.

Conversations quickly divide, with males discussing sports and farming and females chattering about food, fashion, school and Christmas.

"Those Cornhuskers sure haven't played worth anything again this year," says John, referring to the University of Nebraska football team.

Grandpa jumps in, "I don't know why they keep that coach, Jennings. He's coached 'em to five losing seasons."

To which Willis quickly agrees, "Yeah, they could probably do better with no coach."

Tommy adds, "It's been a long time since we had a good year. I hope when I go to college there that we have a football team that can hold their heads high."

John, ever the optimist, weighs in, "They'll fix it. It's time for things to get better. I'll bet this next year they turn things around."

Walt offers,"I don't know about that, John. It's been almost 20 years since we had a competitive team in Lincoln. D'you think an old lame mare can grow racehorse legs?"

Grandpa quickly shares, "Well, you can sure make a plow horse pull harder if you encourage it the right way."

"Dinner's ready!" comes the cry from the kitchen as Virginia, Karen and Eva begin carrying dish after steaming dish to the table, with 7-year-old Walda and 9-year-old Amelia helping.

On the table, a large roasted goose sits alongside a golden pheasant. The tablecloth is barely visible as every square inch in the table's center is covered with food in festive dishes. A lovely Christmas centerpiece reminds everyone of the significance of the day. The comfortably warm home is now filled with so many different aromas of dinner - the two platters of freshly baked fowl, colorful vegetable dishes, heaping clouds of mashed potatoes, silky brown gravy, tart cranberry sauce, and sweet buttermilk rolls with fresh churned butter. It is a holiday repast that brings credit to the attention and meticulous perfection of Virginia and daughter Karen in its preparation.

After grace is said, the entire assemblage is momentarily quiet as each person attends to the important task of filling their plate, interrupted only with the occasional, "Excuse me," or "Could you please pass the..."

The meal time fills with happy conversation of times past, family not present and events to come. True to form, the males at the table seem absorbed by football, farming and weather, all of which will blend together in various combinations during the coming year. The tone of their mealtime banter is always hopeful, largely punctuated by the farming perspective that if you aren't satisfied with this year, if the weather or conditions or outcomes weren't perfect, just wait until next year. Grandpa offers his sage observations, John his pragmatic philosophy, Willis reflects a youthful confidence, and Tommy, well Tommy always shares thoughts and opinions but it generally seems from his wry smile that he is cooking up an idea behind the scenes. The females similarly continue their ongoing conversation about food preparation, recipes, the latest ideas in canning, sewing, Christmas decorations, friends, neighbors, relatives, and any of a number of other topics.

Being the youngest, Amelia and Walda get the task of churning the ice cream in the hand-crank ice cream maker. This is the final touch to the Christmas meal, the traditional family dessert of home-made vanilla ice cream with Grape Nuts. This year Karen is adding a different touch and she drizzles homemade berry jam down the mound of ice cream in each bowl before it is served, providing a perfectly delectable end to a hearty Christmas dinner.

No Christmas gathering is complete, however, without an excursion outside. "C'mon, grab your coats. Let's go take a look at Christmas from outside," calls John. And, as daylight begins to dim, each member of the family layers up with warm winter jackets and mittens and heads for the door.

Outside, in the soft light of dusk, the family silhouetted against the wintry scene looks like a Norman Rockwell painting. Windblown snow in the yard is contoured with crystalline highlights that sparkle on rare moments when a last ray from the sun shines through winter clouds. This tranquil scene is only interrupted by long tire tracks from Walt's car and tracks from the John Deere, people's feet and the family dog's paws, while each passing hour blunts the sharp edges of each with fresh snow. On the other side of the house, the white landscape stretches untouched as far as you can see, fences obscured by drifts and the occasional tree drooped with layers of snow.

As the sound of boots crunch through snow on the walk to the road, the snowfall stops, clouds slowly blow out and the soon darkening sky gradually becomes littered as millions of stars splash across the sky like diamonds on velvet. The huddled and bundled group reaches the road and turns back to look at the sod house set against the backdrop of the gently contoured plains, the snow muffling every sound into eerie silence.

Suddenly, there against the brilliant night sky is a bright star.

Virginia is the first to notice it. "Look at that. It's the Christmas star."

All eyes turn heavenward to locate this one bright star in the vast array of the universe. Right in the middle of the Milky Way, amidst dust clouds and stars in every unbelievable combination, is indeed one star, shining brighter than all others.

"I see it," says Walda breathlessly, which precipitates a fresh chorus from the others of "Where is it?" "Look, over there, almost straight up." "Oh. That must be it." "By golly, that's a bright one."

Just as every eye finds the star in question, it pulses brightly and skips across the sky from right to left trailing a long, sparkling tail.

"Did you see that?" "What was that?" "Was that a meteor or something?"

"No," explains Virginia patiently, "it's the Christmas star. I see it almost every year that the weather is clear."

"Christmas star? It looks like just a plain old star," offers Grandpa.

"Not if you believe in Christmas stars," replies Virginia with a quiet smile.