Marking the spirit of Christmas
91-year-old Helen Binder put lifesize cross up on her lawn to celebrate her faith and Christmas
By Brielle Kennington
Argus Observer
Friday, December 28, 2007 6:48 AM PST
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| This 11th Avenue home is illuminated by both the Christian spirit and lights after Helen Binder, 91, put up the white cross on her front lawn. |
ONTARIO — Helen Binder found an interesting way to celebrate Christmas.
Binder, 91, Ontario, combined her strong Catholic faith and one of the most powerful symbols in Christianity into a striking display on her front lawn.
The display — a tall, white cross — sparkles and shines at her home, situated on 11th Avenue.
“We always put Santa Claus and reindeer out, and I thought what would be prettier than a plain cross?” Binder said.
Binder developed the idea and put the cross up on her yard with no help.
So the cross is more than just a symbol, Binder said as she sat down Wednesday in one of her blue reclining chairs in her front room.
The cross, adorned with Christmas lights, is a steady reminder of her strong Catholic faith and the joy of Christmas.
It has special meaning now, after Binder, acting on advice from her doctor to avoid large crowds, no longer attends Mass.
“This is the first year I put it up,” Binder said.
Binder said she plans to continue to put the cross up each year.
“As long as I live,” she said with a smile.
Binder has lived a large part of her life — 45 years — in Ontario. To Binder, Ontario’s attributes are obvious.
“It’s a small, friendly community,” she said.
The cross has gained some attention, Binder said.
“I don’t know about the community, but my next door neighbor said it was lovely,” she said.
Binder is the mother of four children and grandmother of six grandchildren and was able to spend Christmas with her family on the Binders’ Ranch.
Binder also said she’s had her brush with fame. She is the mother-in-law to the late actor John Beradino who played Dr. Hardy on the TV soap “General Hospital.” Her other “claim to fame” is the fact she is a proud mother of a family of basketball champions, her impressive age of 91 and now, of course, the cross in her front yard illuminated for all to see.
Her house is fully decorated inside and out and includes more crosses, lights, plenty of family pictures and Christmas knickknacks displayed for enjoyment.
The cross is one of the most powerful symbols in Christianity, according to The Encyclopedia Britannica.
“From its simplicity of form, the cross has been used both as a religious symbol and as an ornament, from the dawn of man’s civilization. Various objects, dating from periods long anterior to the Christian era, have been found, marked with crosses of different designs, in almost every part of the old world,” it said.
