PATTY SPENCER JONES, shown with her dog. Dinky Ixtuise, readies Christmas gifts for family and friends in "Santa's room". I ?" -I: TT vjr; ,? "v SWf PHOTOS 8Y SUSAN USH?? DOW A JO.XhS adds a finishing touch to the Christmas tree at her parents' home. Patty Jones Celebrates The Spirit Of Christmas BY SUSAN USHKR One Icxik arounil her home and it's obvious: Pally Spenccr Jones loves Christmas Every room of the house is a celebration of the holi day -frt>fn the ribbons and centerpiece on the dining room table to "Santa's room," the bedroom that each December is transformed into Santa's workshop, a place where family members know not to plunder. Even Dinky Louise, the family Chihuahua, gets in on the act with a colorful Christmas cap and scarf. Mrs. Jones always likes company, but about two weeks before Christmas, she encourages friends to come enjoy her decorations and visit a while in the house built by her husband, C. R. Jones Sr., 31 years ago. "1 always tell everybody to come by and see me, anytime of day. We always have the house full of cixik ies, pics and other treats," she said. Mrs. Jones lets her severe rheumatoid arthritis interfere with daily lite as little as possible, including getting ready for Christmas. It was the same during her 14 years as the "book mobile lady" for the county library; Mrs. Jones always decorated a small tree right in the middle of the book mobile, played Christmas carols on her radio and treat ed patrons to holiday goodies as she traveled across Brunswick County. Her love of the season dates back to childhood, growing up in the country near Antioch Church be tween Bolivia and Southport. Her memories of childhood Christmases arc a col lage?the big bag of chocolatc drops and fruit her fa ther bought each year and hid until Christmas; the first Christmas tree she can recall, a holly berry tree decorat ed by her mother: and Rosic May, the doll she received when she was three years old and still has, minus her beautiful china head. "1 believed in Santa Claus until I was a big girl. Growing up in the country we didn't go anywhere to hear anything different," she said. "It's a spccial lime of year," she reflected during a recent visit to her home on N.C. 179 just outside the Shallottc town limits. "It's the bestest time of year." "But the most important thing is the meaning of it?the birth of Christ. My mama and daddy instilled that in me. "It's a lime of year I think people ought to appreci ate more than they do. They ought to celebrate it the right way. If they did. they would get more out of it." For her, Christmas is a time for giving, for showing her love for others. She keeps her eyes open year-round for gifts that will especially please family and friends. While her own children, Shirley. C.R. Jr. and Donna, were young she did her best to make Christmas special for them, an almost magical time of year. She still docs, and her children share Patty Jones' love ol Christmas. "She's decorated like this ever since 1 can remem ber," recalled her daughter. Donna, of Shallotte Point, who took charge this year of decorating the large tree in the living room. "She adds a little hit every year." When the children were small, each had a small tree in his or her room. Today Mrs. Jones has only one small tree, in her hobby room. It is decorated with tiny churches of all types, including one with the name of her church on it. Village Point United Meth?xiist Church Beneath the large tree in the living room nestles a wintry New England village, with a short-line railroad running nearby. Most of the ornaments on the tree were gifts from cither family members or friends. "I love them all, but I do like my Santas." she said, looking around. Other dceoraiions are "finds." Mrs. Jones and Donna set out the day after Christmas each year looking for special buys lor the following vear. She stores lu-r decorations in a special shed behind the house built just for that purpose. "I store it real good because I plan on being around the next year to enjoy them," she said. While she enjoys new decorations, Mrs. Jones said the old ones arc special; she always finds a place for them She still has a papier-mache Santa Claus thrown from a fire truck at a Christmas parade she attended in Wilmington as a child. Mrs. Jones keeps Christmas in mind year-round. As the unofficial chronicler of the Spcnccr family, she col lects tidbits of information on the family genealogy old photographs; transcripts of interviews with older family members; copies of deeds, birth cer tificates and other records; gravestone inscriptions? anything she can find. F.ach Christmas she makes copies of everything she's uncovered during the year and shares the information with 31 family members. "Some people just collect the data." she said. "But what I enjoy most is the personal information?what color someone's eyes were, their favorite foods, what they did for living, that kind ot thing." "You know, my lamily really appreciates it and I love doing it." That's because Pally Jones enjoys the spirit of Christmas all year loni:. t Don't disappoint Santa (Hans, come by: WOODROW RUSS SHELL Main Street Shallotte r* ?Qs In the true Christmas spirit we extend to all our friends our hopes for peace everlasting and good will for all mankind. 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