Manassas Journal
Touching Christmas story available this season

By Jan LaValley
Manassas Journal Messenger

A few years ago at Christmas time, while visiting his grandmother, Anna Snyder, in LaVale, Md., John Snyder began asking her about her childhood, and what it was like growing up in the early part of the century in her hometown of Meyersdale, Pa.  As they sat at the kitchen table sipping their coffee, the elder Snyder told her grandson about one Christmas in particular that was the most memorable.

Intrigued by the tale she told him, Snyder drove from LaVale to Meyersdale with his wife, Ruth Ellen and his two daughters, Nikki and Carli, to visit the small western Pennsylvania town where his grandmother grew up, and his father was born.

The town remained much as Snyder remembered it from his childhood visits to see his great grandmother Elda Beal, upon arrival at the address of his grandmother’s memories, he discovered the house gone and the lot vacant.  As he stood in the snow, he tried to visualize his grandmother’s house as he replayed  her story his head.   On the drive back to his home near Annapolis, Md., he couldn’t stop thinking about the story.  As he drove, the idea occurred to him that the story could be the basis for  an interesting Christmas book.

Over the next three years, Snyder wrote and re-wrote different versions of the story, adding to it and elaborating to make it more appealing.  The end result is a 168-page hardcover book entitled “The Golden Ring” that Snyder recently had published. 

The story is set in 1918 in Meyersdale, Pa., and takes the reader back to a time when life was simpler.  “The Golden Ring” is a touching Christmas story about giving, faith, love and loss.  “It is a good, clean story that has family appeal,” Snyder said.  “People of all ages have told me they have enjoyed the book tremendously.” 

“There are so many fascinating stories that can be told by older generations about what life was like back then,” he said.  “These stories of the early lives of our parents and grandparents are being lost.  Every time an older person dies, they take a  piece of history with them.  We need to get these stories out so we can pass them along to our children.  That is one of the reasons I wrote this book.”

Snyder’s book is being released on a limited basis this Christmas with plans for national distribution next year.  The book sells for $15.95 and is available at Borders.  It is also available on Amazon.com or by visiting the book’s Web site at www.thegoldenring.com.

Snyder will be appearing at Borders in Vienna, 8311 Leesburg Pike, on Monday from 7-8 p.m.  For information, call (410) 721-4447.