Coming Home for Christmas

Photos by Jim LaBate

Though I no longer live in my hometown of Amsterdam, New York, I spent my most memorable Christmas there. In 1975, I had just returned from two years in Costa Rica as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I never realized how special Christmas was until I had to spend those two years away from my family and friends.

When I went away in November of 1973, I didn’t think I would miss home that much. After all, I had lived away from…