6 DECEMBER 2019 By Amanda Savage Teddy bear collector Chuck Warner describes his first teddy bear the way another Generation X-er might retell the story of their first concert. “There’s a teddy bear called Teddy Ruxpin, which had a cassette tape. You would plug in the cassette tape, and it came with a story book – it had about 20 different books – and the bear read the story,” Warner recalled. Although Warner was born and raised in Arizona, he spent 25 years in Dallas, where in the mid-80s, he cultivated what would be a lifelong attachment to the plush animal. Warner joined a non-profit called Bear Patrol, where his arctophile (a person who collects or is very fond of teddy bears) habits came into full force. The organization’s slogan was “share the magic of the teddy bear.” “They raised funds to buy bears from different teddy bear companies and would give them to children’s hospitals, shelters for kids and their mothers; that’s what really got me started,” Warner said. Several teddy bear artists, who gifted Warner their creations, staffed Bear Patrol over the years. When the organization ended, it left Warner with a growing collection of stuffed animals and no one to share them with. After the non-profit, Warner’s attachment was stronger than ever. He stayed in Dallas for five more years collecting bears and working on displays until he moved back to Phoenix 18 years ago. Warner eventually had to add storage units to his backyard to hold all the teddy bears he had collected. In 2001, Warner and his wife started setting up holiday displays at churches around Phoenix. When the last church he displayed at sold in 2012, his bear collection went back into hiding. Then, a former church patron, who was also the principal at Phoenix Christian, reached out to Warner with an invitation that would give his passion a new home. Warner has been decorating the gymnasium at the Phoenix Christian School every holiday season since 2014. Warner’s collection has since upgraded to five storage units in his backyard to hold the entire 2,000 bear stock he uses for the display. This is in addition to the 100 plus handmade bears in his personal collection that he keeps at home. “If you like teddy bears, you’ll totally be taken aback by this display,” Warner said. The official name of Warner’s holiday exhibit is A Magical Teddy Bear Christmas Display. “We decorate four Christmas trees that have over 1,000 ornaments, the whole thing, it’s all teddy bears,” Warner said. The display includes a 50-count teddy bear choir, 30 teddy bear nutcrackers, over 250 teddy bear stockings and holders and “100 small and large animated teddy bears with most of them playing Christmas music.” “There’s just something magical about teddy bears,” Warner said. He still has one of the first Teddy Ruxpins he ever got. A Magical Teddy Bear Christmas Display is a free event, but donations are accepted. The display will be open from December 20 until January 2. Hours and days vary; located at Phoenix Christian K-8, 2425 N. 26th St. For more: phoenixchristianschool.org. 2,000 teddy bears to take over Phoenix Christian School PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHUCK WARNER NEWS BRIEFS ARCADIA LITTLE LEAGUE Early registration is now open for the 2020 Arcadia Little League season. Regular registration opens on January 1. The cost for one player is $180, $165 for second and third players and any additional are free. From the website: “Division placement is determined by a combination of variables including player league age, skill level, prior league experience, prior coach recommendation, league guidelines and parent input.” For more: arcadialittleleague.com. Christ Lutheran School Preschool - Grade 8 • www.clsphx.org LC-MS Worship Sunday 8:00am & 10:45am – Traditional* Sunday 8:30am & 10:30am – Contemporary* Sunday School/Bible Classes – 9:30am* Sunday 12:30pm – Spanish Saturday 5:00pm – Contemporary Check our website for Youth Activities. *Nursery Care is available at all Sunday AM services 3901 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix | www.cclphoenix.org | (602) 955-4830 LOVE GROW SERVE Dec. 24 3:30pm: Petting Zoo 4:00pm: Children’s Worship 5:00pm: Family Christmas Celebration* 7:00pm: Contemporary Carol Service* 9:00pm: Traditional Carol Service* 10:30pm: Traditional Carol Service* *Candlelight Services Dec. 25 10:00am: Traditional Christmas Day Worship Dec. 31 7:00pm: Traditional Service 3736 East Indian School Road Phoenix, AZ 85018 (602)661-3777 let us help you host the best party in town. CATERING

7 DECEMBER 2019 By Sam Lowe All of my early Christmas celebrations were spent on the frigid plains of North Dakota, where the festivities commonly involved long underwear, stocking caps with ear flaps, woolen shirts, the scent of freshly cut pine trees, the fragrance of warm apple cider, school kids with squeaky voices singing carols, fields covered with snow and a chill that nipped my nose. I’m a senior now, admittedly jaded by the passage of time and wearied by the commercialism that has become an ever-increasing companion to Christmas. Those early reflections are only memories now, replaced by a merchandising fever that begins before Halloween: plastic fir trees, monotonous piped-in music and, since I live in Phoenix, temperatures in the 70s and 80s, hardly compatible with frosty mornings and the glistening whiteness of fresh snow from my younger years. In an effort to recapture some of that long-ago spirit, my wife Lyn and I decided to embark on a tour of European Christmas markets. She’s a native Pennsylvanian, also accustomed to Yule logs, hot toddies and fur-lined boots. We selected a tour that included stops at markets in Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck in Austria; Munich and Oberammergau in Germany and Zurich and Lucerne in Switzerland, with side trips to the castle at Neuschwanstein and the principality of Liechtenstein. And it was, in a word, wonderful. In a few other words: it was magnificent, soul-restoring and filled with joy. We started in Vienna and the city welcomed us like family. Every street was festooned in brilliance. Huge orbs of sparkling red lights and giant chandeliers of dazzling white lights dangled over us as we sauntered along traffic-free streets. Carolers raised their voices above the murmuring crowds, and cathedrals opened their doors, inviting passersby inside to view their ornate interiors. Almost on cue, a light snow fell and we became immersed in this magical time. The markets consisted of small booths lined up in neat rows and filled with vendors and their Christmas goodies. Cookies. Pies. Nutcrackers. Candles. Ornaments. Toys. Bratwursts. Hot spiced wine. Jewelry. Rocking horses. Pretzels. Each display inviting. Each merchant smiling. Each prospective buyer determined to find the perfect gift, or simply to share the joy. We allowed ourselves to become absorbed and partook in mighty fashion – bratwurst in one hand, mulled wine or hot spiked cocoa in the other, camera always at the ready. We looked at everything and bought a few things. We smiled and laughed and conversed with total strangers and wished them sincere greetings of the season. Short bus rides then took us to Salzburg and Munich, where the scene repeated itself only with slight differences. Father Christmas, a European version of Santa, showed up in Munich to stroll through the gatherings and wish everyone good tidings. Old-fashioned sleighs commanded by costumed drivers and pulled by bell-adorned horses paraded through the streets of Salzburg. A giant Christmas tree composed of thousands of glass crystals was set up in the Zurich train station; an oompah band huffed and puffed its way through familiar carols at a hotel in Innsbruck. Fabric angels pointed the way to a small marketplace offering homemade wares on the main street in Oberammergau. Later, the bus chugged us across white flatlands between snow-capped mountains en route to Neuschwanstein. The storybook castle, located on a mountainside, was built by the Bavarian emperor Ludwig II, also known as Mad Ludwig. Although not embellished with as many decorations as those in the cities, it was a perfect Christmas setting – snow, towering mountains, a castle, hot chocolate and horse-drawn carriages taking bundled visitors up and back. We spent the last two days in Lucerne, where Christmas lights draped across an ancient covered bridge illuminated the way to the crowded markets. Next to the booths, a huge Christmas tree kept silent, colorful watch over a hand-crafted Nativity scene. Our trip came to an end way too soon, and we headed back home. Not much had changed during our absence. The signs and commercials still screamed “Buy! Buy! Buy!” The malls were still blaring rock ‘n’ roll renditions of Silent Night. The cacti were still adorned with Santa hats, plastic ornaments and red and green lights. But we were refreshed. For a short time, we had rediscovered our Christmas spirit. Rediscovering Christmas spirit Markets in Vienna. Fifty-foot-tall Christmas Tree in Zurich. Chandeliers in Vienna. PHOTOS: SAM LOWE THE LOWE ROAD 16420 N 92nd St Suite 220 / Scottsdale AZ 85260 AZ Broker License: MB 0949356 / Broker NMLS: 1775059 Scott Osborn NmLS 171728 scott@formulamortgagecapital.com