RIDGE RUNNER CHRONICLES: Christmas Morning 2025

By Editor | January 6, 2026 |

As the years go by, I must admit that I get a slight case of melancholy on Christmas Day. Maybe it’s because I miss my parents, long gone now; maybe it’s because Christmas can never again be what it used to be; and maybe it’s because the world today is no longer peaceful on Christmas. Maybe you notice some melancholy because of these things too.
But life goes on, which for me this Christmas morning meant I loaded the car with presents, food and “Hank,” my furry companion, and at 7:30, we headed to the cabin in Calhoun County to get ready to celebrate with the entire family. Annie would follow later with more presents and food.
It was a foggy morning. The bluffs along the Great River Road, barely visible in the fog, reflected the serenity of the day. When I arrived at the Brussels Ferry, the fog was even thicker. The Brussels Ferry, which carries cars and trucks across the Illinois River between Jersey County and Calhoun County, is normally in constant motion, but not today. I think I was their first customer in a while. As we proceeded slowly across the river in the fog, it gave me a moment to contemplate this special day and what it still means for so many people.
Six miles up the road, the Village of Brussels (population 116) was enveloped in fog. The St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, positioned just a few feet off the public road and preserving memories of so many deceased Calhoun residents, seemed particularly picturesque, with the crucifixes of the taller tombstones disappearing into the fog. The unincorporated settlement of Meppen, roughly four miles further up the road with its small but beautiful St. Joseph’s Church, hand-built by German immigrants in about 1850, seemed uniquely calm this foggy Christmas morning. During the entire trip from the Ferry to Meppen, I did not pass a single car. On this special day, we have fierce fighting going on around the world but not in peaceful South Calhoun. We are so lucky.
As I got closer to the cabin, I turned on the car radio. The news of the day was that we had just accomplished a sneak attack with cruise missiles on an area in northwest Nigeria from battleships miles away. Nigeria? I have lots of questions about this event but no room here to pursue it, except for just one question: was it really necessary for us to carry out a sneak attack on anyone on Christmas Day?

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■ Bill Hoagland has practiced law in Alton for more than 50 years, but he has spent more than 70 years hunting, fishing and generally being in the great outdoors. His wife, Annie, shares his love of the outdoor life. Much of their spare time is spent on their farm in Calhoun County. Bill can be reached at [email protected].