"In the early ’90s I took sign language classes, and during the holidays I learned to sign ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’ and ‘Silent Night,’ Gahard says.

"About 10 years later I was working at a home in Hollywood for severely emotionally disturbed children. I wanted to do something for our volunteer mentors at the children’s holiday dinner, so I asked some of the boys if they’d like to learn to sign a song for their guests. I was sure they’d choose "Rudolph," but they chose "Silent Night," which is just beautiful done in sign language.

"I was among many in attendance who had to hold back tears as these special boys did a wonderful job of performing for the staff, the other children, and their mentors."

Other "Silent Night" selections follow.

‘Silent Night’

by candlelight

"I belong to St. John Lutheran Church on Main Avenue in Clinton, Iowa," Judith Ross, Camanche, Iowa, writes.

"Every year we have a Christmas Eve service that ends at midnight. As we enter the church, we are ushered to our pew and handed a candle as we are seated. After a sermon and the collection, the ushers light their candles from Pastor Brinkman’s candle and proceed down the aisle to light the parishioner’s candles.

"When all the candles are lit, the lights are turned off and we sing ‘Silent Night’ by candle -light. It is so peaceful, joyous and moving that it sends goose bumps up and down my spine."

‘Whole heart

shining on his face’

"When we sing ‘Silent Night’ on Christmas Eve, it brings back the wonderful memory of my dad on his last Christmas with us, singing with his whole heart shining on his face in the candlelight," Judy Bonnet, Fulton, Ill., says.

"My dad couldn’t carry a tune ‘in a bushel basket,’ but this never stopped him from singing with all his heart. The song is truly very special to me for this reason and also for the pure beauty and meaning of the song."

‘A tribute to our ancestors’

Phil Steffen of Moline lists "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht" as his favorite Christmas song. "It is a custom in our family, having been sung every Christmas Eve by my great-grandparents, grandparents, parents and now my family. It is a tribute to our ancestors."

Hope for future

Finally there is John A. Bowman, Bettendorf, who cherishes “Silent Night” because the words “with the dawn of redeeming” grace let us know that children are the hope of the future.

By Alma Gaul
http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2005/12/25/features/home_garden/doc43ae07e6a0aa7260066724.txt