This year, the City of LaGrange decided to start a new tradition by installing wishing trees in front of LaGrange City Hall.

The trees are meant to be a place where citizens can make wishes for the upcoming year, and shortly after the installation of LaGrange’s trees, a handful of wishes were tied to them. More and more wishes are slowly adding up on the trees, and it is interesting to look at the wishes listed there.

Some people wished for good health. Others wished for joy and fun in the upcoming year. We’d like to encourage all our readers to take a moment, say a prayer and decide what it is they wish for in the upcoming year, and then work to make that wish happen to whatever degree possible.

No one gets to decide whether they get sick or not, but we can all make healthy choices like eating fruits and vegetables, getting enough sleep, drinking enough water and exercising.

We can also choose to look for joy in the faces of our friends, time spent with loved ones and moments of peace. 

Meanwhile, local children are writing down their wishes and sending them to Santa Claus in that childhood letter writing campaign. While many of those wishes are for toys and electronics, St. Nick has also reported a few wishes from local children for their parents to have a great Christmas or for local people in need to get the help they need to have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year too. Even the Grinch would be hard-pressed not to second those sweet wishes.

We have already written about some of the individuals and groups working to make those wishes come true. From food drives to toy drives to programs to help those who have fallen on hard times, people in LaGrange and throughout Troup County are determined to bring joy to our friends, neighbors and fellow citizens this holiday season. 

We would like to thank them for those efforts, and we can only hope that our small contributions will mean a merrier Christmas for this community that we serve.