This past Sunday, Dec. 14, we made it a point to watch the House & Garden TV network show on the White House at Christmas. It takes hundreds of people to create the fabulous spectacle as they decorate the rooms with a myriad of Christmas trees and thousands of lights and shining bulbs. One volunteer said he was participating in his 38th holiday decorating stint.

First Lady Laura Bush chose children's books as her decorating theme and added a "candy" theme as an added treat. She borrowed storybook decorations created for her mother-in-law Barbara Bush during her stay as first lady. The staff at the White House created new figures to illustrate books including a Harry Potter display. In Laura Bush's office her personal tree was decorated with small books. A great idea they used was to festoon the bottom of a tree with regular sized children's books.

The White House chef created a Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory with a chocolate making machine that was just fantastic.

Using books as a theme for Christmas was perfect. That is because our favorite Christmas memory is of sitting, hidden behind our Christmas tree in a special chair under the window, reading books by the light of the bulbs. There was always a Nancy Drew mystery or a Mary Poppins book to enjoy.

Making the White House program even more special was seeing Oyster Bay artist Barbara Ernst Prey talking with Barbara Bush. They showed Ms. Prey in her studio at work and showed her lovely Victorian home. If you read the story on page three you will see the Christmas card Ms. Prey did for the Bush family. They sent out 1.5 million of them!

So there are now 1.5 million people who know about Oyster Bay artist Barbara Prey. A few million more saw her house and her studio. Now that is fame earned! What a delight!

It is interesting to consider that while groups are trying to make Oyster Bay better known, there are a great many wonderful people who live here and are making Oyster Bay known as a great place to live - by living here.

We are a very lucky community.

Speaking about being a lucky community: Joan Mahon, Main Street Association executive director called to say they canceled the free sleigh rides on Sunday, Dec. 14. "We are hoping to bring the rides back the week between Christmas and New Year's when the children are home. When we canceled, I called all the families and everyone was very appreciative of the decision, considering safety and the roads in the heavy snow and rain." She will be calling those families again to reschedule.