3 days till Christmas

3 days till Christmas
December 22nd
Movie of the day: Miracle on 34th Street (90s)
Mara Wilson and Dylan McDermott made this movie my favorite for many years but the old one has grown on me, making it a tie.

Christmas Carol of the day:
Do you see what I see?
This song reminds me of a book I had when I was young that had 3D images that appear if you stare at the images long enough. It was called Do You See What I See?: 3D Christmas Surprises from Magic Eye. The song always played in my head as I stared away at the images trying to make them appear.
http://www.amazon.com/You-See-What-Christmas-Surprises/dp/0836270185
Check out this wreath!

More lovely Christmas shredding!

4 days till Christmas

4 days till Christmas
December 21st
Movie of the day: Miracle on 34th Street (old)
For a long time I didn't know weather I liked the old version or the 90s version better. When ever I watch one or the other I wonder where some of my favorite scenes went. In the older version they bring in bags and bags of mail and in the new version they bring in a reindeer. I now enjoy each for their own merits and watch both every year.

Christmas Carol of the day:
OH Little Town of Bethlehem
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/OLittleTown_Louis.html


Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is the Origin of Holiday Carols?
In 1847, the music for "O Holy Night" was written by French composer Adolphe-Charles Adam, who also wrote the ballet Giselle. Now a mainstay for church celebrations and carolers, the song was first denounced by church authorities for its "lack of musical taste and total absence of the spirit of religion." The English words to the song were translated from French by American clergyman John Sullivan Dwight.
In 1857, James Pierpont, musical director at his brother's Unitarian church, was inspired to write a song about the rollicking sleigh races he watched as a young man. "Jingle Bells" was first published as "One Horse Open Sleigh," and though it was well liked from the beginning, it really took off when the Hayden Quartet recorded it in 1902.
Pastor Phillips Brooks wrote the words to "O Little Town of Bethlehem" in 1867, recalling the view of Bethlehem from the hills of Palestine at night. His church organist, Lewis Redner, added the music so that the children's choir could sing the song. The song "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" is usually considered anonymous, but some people claim that it was written by Wilf Carter, also known as country singer Montana Slim.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia6.htm

Here is a little taste of some Christmas music the way I like it. Enjoy!

Watch this kid shred!

5 days till Christmas

5 days till Christmas
December 20th
Movie of the day: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
This one is a family favorite. We would quote lines from this movie year round just to get a good laugh.

Bethany: Is your house on fire, Clark?
Clark: No, Aunt Bethany, those are the Christmas lights.

I am always reminded of this movie when we go out looking at Christmas lights. Here are a few memorable light shows that rival Clark's display.







Christmas Carol of the Day:
We wish you a merry Christmas
http://www.carols.org.uk/we_wish_you_a_merry_christmas.htm

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is Figgy Pudding?
Before you sing, "Now bring us some figgy pudding," it might be helpful to know exactly what you are requesting. Figgy pudding is an English dish similar to bread pudding. Made from figs, bread crumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and milk, the pudding is baked, then topped with a scrumptious brandied hard sauce, custard icing, powdered sugar, or whipped cream.
The dish was immortalized in the song We Wish You a Merry Christmas and was served by Mrs. Cratchit in the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia8.htm

Comedian Gary Gulman has a great sketch about We wish you a merry Christmas and his problem with the Figgy Pudding part. I wish I could find a video to post. Here is the transcript:

"People used to Christmas carol in my neighborhood.
They would come to my house, even though we were clearly Jewish.
Clearly, because we were the only house in the neighborhood that didn't have a giant Santa on the lawn, a blow-up Santa.
We didn't have that.
We had a giant Neil Diamond on our lawn.
[Laughter] and he would sing "love on the rocks" every half-hour on the half-hour.
[Cheering and applause] and old Jewish women would come from miles around to pay tribute to him and his hairy chest.
[Laughter] my favorite one that they would sing to our, at our house, they would come by and they would do,
♪ we wish you a merry Christmas ♪
♪ we wish you a merry Christmas ♪
which was very nice, and you know, we don't celebrate Christmas, but they also wished us a happy new year, so I appreciated that, but then, at the end, you remember, they get really needy.
They're like, ♪ now bring us some figgy pudding ♪
♪ now bring us some figgy pudding ♪
♪ now bring us ♪
I'm like, "figgy pudding?
" ♪ we won't go until we get some ♪
♪ we won't go ♪
[laughter] like, guys.
You got to call ahead ?
[Laughter] it's a pretty obscure dessert.
What do you think, I got figgy pudding on the boil 24 hours a day?
No figgy pudding.
I've got some figgy newtons. "
http://www.livedash.com/transcript/gary_gulman__boyish_man/6426/COMEDYP/Thursday_October_8_2009/93122/

6 days till Christmas

6 days till Christmas
December 19th
Movie of the day: The Shop Around the Corner
This is the movie that inspired "You've Got Mail". This little film from 1940 is a delightful Christmas flick. "Two employees at a gift shop can barely stand one another, without realizing that they're falling in love through the post as each other's anonymous pen pal."-imdb.com

Christmas Carol of the day:
Oh Holy Night
http://www.8notes.com/scores/1537.asp
I grew up during the boy band craze. This has always been my favorite rendition.



Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What Types of Materials were used to Wrap Gifts in the 1900s?
Believe it or not, Christmas gifts haven't always been presented wrapped in pretty paper. In the early days, toys and candies were dangled from the Christmas tree.
In the early 1900s, presents were wrapped in white tissue paper and red satin ribbon, with a bit of holly or fresh pine tucked into the ribbon. Straight pins were used to hold the paper together until tape became the standard.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia9.htm

I had never heard of putting gifts on the tree till my mother read 'Ernest and Celestine' and 'Merry Christmas, Ernest and Celestine' to me. They were a part of our Christmas book collection when I was young.
"Ernest and Celestine, by Gabrielle Vincent. Greenwillow, 1982.
Celestine, a young mouse, and Ernest, her adult guardian (a bear), try to find a replacement for her favorite toy when it gets left outside in a snow storm and ruined. First, Ernest tries to buy a replacement and then makes one to the specifications of Celestine's drawing." - http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/FamilyLit/FFN/workshop3/booklistview.html
I wrapped gifts today. Depending on what I have on hand, I usually wrap. If I am in a hurry, I am known to use tissue filled gift bags. I have had a secret passion for wrapping gifts since I was really little. Every year around the holidays I consider getting a job in gift wrap... then I just think, "maybe next year."
I am going to a friend's house on Tuesday to help her wrap her gifts. I can't wait! We are going to have so much fun! Party!

7 days till Christmas

7 days till Christmas
December 18th
Movie of the day: The Family Man
I have never really been a fan of Nick Cage, but this is one of the exceptions. This is a bit of a sad story that glimpses the life a man could have had if he had married his love instead of going off in pursuit of fortune.

Christmas Carol of the day:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/OComeOCome.html

This has always been my favorite rendition.

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is Gingerbread?
Whether baked into delicious spiced cakes or crunchy, flat cookies, or used to build a "house," gingerbread has been a European delicacy for centuries. As the dessert spread throughout Western Europe, ginger-bread became a part of local traditions. In England, unmarried women would eat gingerbread "husbands" for luck in meeting the real thing.
On festival days, images of saints would be stamped in gingerbread and sometimes iced. Today, gingerbread is often associated with Germany and its holiday traditions. Gingerbread hearts are commonly found at fall fairs, decorated with colored icing and tied with ribbons.
In December in Nuremburg, the "gingerbread capital of the world," the Christkindlmarkt features the famous lebkuchen, which is considered to be the best gingerbread in the world.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia8.htm

I have always been a fan of gingerbread as an art form. It is not really a holiday snack item, even though it is made of food. I found an intriguing recipe in Martha Stewart's Holiday Sweets magazine this year that suggested putting a gingerbread spice cake in the center of the gingerbread house. That way the gingerbread says moist. yum!
I have made gingerbread houses several times, but only once did I actually use gingerbread as the base. My family usually did the cheater method of gluing the cookie part to cardboard or just frosting and decorating cardboard. One of my good friends invited me over a few years ago to decorate 'real' gingerbread houses. We had a blast!


This is one I did in kindergarten (we decorated our milk cartons that year in school).


By PetitPlat by sk_, on Flickr


By by EmilyGracey, on Flickr
Check these out!!!
One of my favorite things to do this time of year is watch the Gingerbread House Championship on the Food Network. It really keeps you on your toes!

8 days till Christmas

8 days till Christmas
December 17th
Movie of the day: Holiday Inn
This delightful 1942 film with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire just warms the heart to the season! I stumbled upon this movie on netflix last year and was wonderfully surprised at how much I enjoyed it. "At an inn which is only open on holidays, a crooner and a hoofer vie for the affections of a beautiful up-and-coming performer."-Imdb.com

Christmas Carol of the day:
It came upon a midnight clear
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/SATB/ItCameUpon_Carol.html
I somehow always get the feeling from the title of this one that it should be the name of some Christmas monster movie. This classic tune never fails to get stuck in my head though and is hummed much during this season.

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is the Origin of the Traditional Mistletoe Kiss?
Who doesn't love hanging mistletoe? Although most mistletoe is parasitic, and, therefore, harmful to the trees on which it grows, the Celts thought it had magical powers for healing wounds and increasing fertility, so they placed it throughout their homes for good luck and to ward off evil spirits.
In ancient Britain, mistletoe was considered so sacred that it could only be cut with a golden sickle. Today, Americans decorate doorframes with this plant in hopes of catching a smooch from a sweetheart while standing under its leaves. This tradition is credited to Frigga, the Scandinavian goddess of love and beauty, and is said to date back to the eighth century.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia5.htm


By Francois Vaillancourt, on Flickr

I've never had the pleasure of really being kissed under some mistletoe. My family on my father's side always hung it in the house in some unsuspecting spot, so you would always need to keep an eye out so you don't have to kiss a cousin or uncle or something.
I just love the part in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when the mistletoe appears above Harry and Cho and he says "probably full of nargles...". The scene right after the kiss always make me laugh!

9 days till Christmas

9 days till Christmas
December 16th
Movie of the day: The Family Stone
This is a great story of one large family's Christmas where the eldest son brings home his girlfriend (for the first time) and asks his mother for his grandmother's wedding ring. There are a lot of great actors in this one and you can tell they had a good time filming it.

Christmas Carol of the day:
God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/SATB/GodRestYeMerry.html



Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is The Legend of Bûche de Noël?
A classic French dessert, Bûche de Noël is a delicious confection of chocolate cake and rich pastry cream rolled into the shape of a log. The cake symbolizes the belief that a large log should burn continuously on Christmas night.
If it goes out, it means bad luck in the coming year. The next morning, the ashes from the log are scooped up and kept as a good luck charm to heal sickness, bring on needed rain, and guarantee success in business.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia8.htm


By PetitPlat by sk_ on Flickr


This one is made out of fabric! By thisisloveforever, on Flickr


This one has a vegan recipe attached. By laurat, on Flickr


By theMouseMarket, on Flickr


By distopiandreamgirl, on Flickr

I always do some sort of holiday baking: cookies, brownies and the like, but I have never tried a Buche De Noel. My mother and I make pretzel almond bark treats with M&Ms on them every year. One recipe I keep going back to is for Baileys brownies.
Brownies:
1 (19.8oz) Package fudge brownie mix
1/2 c oil
1/4 c Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
2 eggs
Frosting:
1/2 c powdered sugar
2 Tb. Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
1/2 tsp vanilla
2-3 tsp milk

Heat oven to 350*F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan. In a large bowl, combine all brownie ingredients; beat 50 strokes with spoon. Spread in greased pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until brownies are set and begin to pull away from sides of pan. Do not over bake. Cool 45 minutes or until completely cooled.
Beat 1/2 c butter in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in all remaining ingredients; add enough milk for desired spreading consistency (for stronger frosting flavor, use Baileys instead of milk). Spread over cooled brownies.
Refrigerate till firm then cut into bars.
Enjoy!

10 days till Christmas

10 days till Christmas
December 15th
Movie of the day: Little Women
Ever since I was in Elementary school we have watched Little Women during the winter. The movie starts at Christmas time and the soundtrack just rings in the holiday beautifully. I have always been a fan of the Winona Ryder/Christian Bale version that was released in 1994, I never fail to get teary near the end.
The soundtrack to this movie is so Christmas-y! I love it! Enjoy:




Christmas Carol of the day:
Here We Come a Wassailing
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/HereWeCome.html
The girls sing this carol as they take their Christmas breakfast to the Hummels. I love young Kirsten Dunst's warbling soprano!

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
Wassail is a beverage dating back to the Middle Ages. The word is derived from the Old Norse ves heill, meaning "in good health." This evolved into visiting neighbors on Christmas Eve and drinking to their health.Traditional wassail contained ale, wine, or hard cider topped with beaten eggs or stale bread. Modern recipes for wassail use hot apple cider simmered with spices and sweetened with honey.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia10.htm

My mom and I were always coming up with fun "holiday" things to do during this season that didn't cost much. One of my favorites would be to go to Barns & Noble to look at the spread of new and old Christmas books. We had quite a collection when I was young, but I never tired of seeing new Christmas adventures beautifully illustrated for the delight of another generation. 2 years ago I stumbled across one that I just had to buy for myself. It is called Holly Clause the Christmas Princess. It is a beautiful story about Santa's only daughter. The illustrations really drew me to this book. They really reminded me of my favorite story as a small girl called the 12 Dancing Princesses. I keep these books in mind when ever I need a good gift for a little girl who still believes in the magic in life and in the spirit of the season.

11 days till Christmas

11 days till Christmas
December 14th
Movie of the day: It's a Wonderful Life
Classic. This is the most watched Christmas movie of all time. I haven't seen it in years, but this one is unforgettable. It answers the question we all ask at least once in our lives, “What would the world be like if I had never been born?”. I have been amazed at the extent of the popularity of this movie. It has become such a National tradition to watch that recent Christmas movies show characters watching it at Christmas time. Jimmy Stewart is amazingly awesome!

Christmas Carol of the day:
Joy to the World
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/JoyToTheWorld.html
Joy is a repeating theme during this holiday season. The spreading of it doubly so. This carol rings out with joyous strains to ring in the season. We must have joy and we must have it now! Repeat repeat repeat.

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What are some of the most popular Holiday World Records?
Some people love the holidays so much that they set out to break world records with their holiday cheer. For example:
The largest Christmas stocking measures 35 feet 41/2 inches long and 16 feet 5 inches wide. Created by J. Terry Osborne and friends from King William County, Virginia, it was filled with gifts to be distributed to needy children.
Jean-Guy Laquerre of Boucherville, Quebec, Canada, is an avid Father Christmas collector, with more than 13,000 items collected since 1988. The collecting bug bit when his aunt died and left him a 12-inch-high antique papier-mâché Santa Claus from the 1920s. Since then, he has added objects such as music boxes, yo-yos, photos, candleholders, and pens.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia5.htm

I am an advocate for making homemade gifts. I get more enjoyment out of seeing other people open gifts from me than from opening them myself. I love the glow of happiness on people's faces and their wonder at how I made them. There are the usual scarves, purses, quilts, etc, but last year I made snow globe ornaments out of shot glasses. I made individual Christmas scenes out of Sculpey clay depicting a dragon doing something Christmas-y. One was trimming a tree and another was making a snow dragon with carrot spikes down its back, and the like. I found some cute shot glasses in different colors and a flat medallion bead that would cover the opening perfectly. I glued the baked clay scene to the medallion and put glitter in the shot glass. then carefully put E-6000 Glue around the edge of the medallion and fit it on to the shot glass (with ribbon sandwitched inbetween to hang the ornament). These were a big hit last year! I wrapped them in tissue paper and put them in decorative tins that I found at a discount store to keep them safe.
Here is the one I made for my tree. It has "T+K" on it for my boyfriend and I. <3

12 days of Christmas

12 days till Christmas
December 13th
Movie of the day: The Preacher's Wife
Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston star in this modern version of the old classic The Bishop's Wife.
Christmas Carol of the Day:
The 12 Days of Christmas!
http://christmassongbook.net/s12_days.asp


I have always loved the Muppet version the best. Fozzie is always forgetting his lines. Hilarious! <3 John Denver
Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is the belief behind the Twelve Days of Christmas song?
One of the holiday's best-loved songs, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," marks the longest holiday in the Christian calendar -- the time between Christmas Day and Epiphany, celebrated on January 6.
The song's origin is unknown, but some believe the song was written to help Catholic children remember various articles of faith. These are:

True love
God

A partridge in a pear tree
Jesus

Two turtle doves
Old and New Testaments

Three French hens
Faith, Hope, and Charity

Four calling birds
Four Gospels

Five golden rings
The first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, which records the history and laws of ancient Israel

Six geese a-laying
Six days of Creation

Seven swans a-swimming
Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, or the Seven Sacraments

Eight maids a-milking
Eight beatitudes

Nine ladies dancing
Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit

Ten lords a-leaping
Ten Commandments

Eleven pipers piping
Eleven faithful disciples

Twelve drummers drumming
Twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia2.htm

My brother and I started a tradition 2 years ago to stay home from work on one of the first heavy days of snow and go sledding. He picked me up and we went to Target to get a box of hot cocoa with marshmallows and 2 circular sleds. We drove out to the huge hill by the lake and had a blast. We never get to just hang out and talk anymore, but when we sled we talk more than we slide. We talk walking up the hill and we stand at the top for 10 minutes just carrying on the conversation. Then we spend seconds screaming while hurtling down the hill spinning as we go.
"WooooHoooo" YEAH" "That was awesome!" "You gotta try that!"
Each time perfecting our technique.
Then back to talking. Some of my favorite times with my brother are from sledding.
I miss you bro. Wish you were here.

13 days till Christmas

13 days till Christmas
December 12th
Movie of the day: The Bishop's Wife
Cary Grant is so great! I originally saw the Preacher's Wife first in the 90's. When I found out it was a remake of an 1947 film, I just had to find it! It is a very lovely film about an angel who came to town to help a bishop get his priorities in order. Much hilarity and movie magic is ensued. Enjoy!
Here is a link to watch it in 12 parts on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbcJVy1OcBI
Otherwise you can find it on Netflix.

Christmas Carol of the day:
We Three Kings
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/WeThreeKings.html
When I was very little my mother, brother, and my grandparents on my mom's side would take turns singing Christmas carols in front of the Christmas tree. Grandpa would set up the Video Recorder to capture our wondrous renditions. I always wanted to do what ever song the one before me sang. This one always tripped me up, though. I would end up singing in circles. Up until a few years ago I thought the 3 kings were from a place called Oriantar. lol.

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is the History of the Wreath?
Wreaths have a long history, dating back to ancient Druids who believed that holly, a perennial evergreen with lush, red berries, was a magical plant. Wreaths were first created when holly and other evergreens were arranged in a circular shape, a shape with no beginning or end, and therefore, synonymous with eternity.
This representation took on more meaning when Jesus Christ was crowned with a wreath of thorns. In the days of Julius Caesar, wreaths were worn by aristocrats and used by Greeks to crown victorious athletes in the original Olympic games. It is believed that hanging a wreath on a door became a custom when Olympic athletes began to hang their wreaths on their doors following a victory.
Although the word wreath evokes thoughts of Christmas, these lovely decorations can beautify doors and walls year-round. They can be embellished with a vast assortment of dried or artificial flowers to fit any holiday or season.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia5.htm

I just love fall wreaths full of colorful leaves. This is just a great time of year for wreaths. This season brings out the competitive side in us. The bigger more elaborate our wreath, the happier our holiday will be.

14 days till Christmas

14 days till Christmas
December 11th
Movie of the day: The Holiday
I watch this movie throughout the year I love it so much! Kate Winslet, Jack Black, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz play so well off each other. It is a lovely heartwarming film that really gives the message of being a strong woman confident in oneself enough to work through heartache and loss. I just love the part with Jack Black in the Blockbuster. I went out and watched the Mission after seeing this the first time because he said “Promise me you'll rent it and listen to it. It changed my world!”

Christmas Carol of the day:
What child is this?
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/WhatChildIsThis.html
We usually only sing verses 1 and 3 on this one.

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is the Origin of the Christmas Tree?
The Christmas tree is thought to have originated in a play often performed in the Middle Ages during the Advent season. Based on the story of Adam and Eve, the play featured a Paradise Tree in the Garden of Eden that was decorated with apples to symbolize Eve's temptation. The tree used in the play was an evergreen tree, which symbolized fertility and a renewal of life.

Later, in 16th century Germany, people would hang apples, gilded candies, colored paper, and roses from tree branches. Martin Luther, inspired by the beauty of stars shining through the branches of a fir tree, is credited with being the first person to add lighted candles to a tree.
Some believe that King George, a native of Germany, brought the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree to England. Others credit Queen Victoria with bringing the tradition to England from Germany where her husband, Prince Albert, was raised.
An etching of the British royal family gathered around a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle in 1848 prompted the spread of this favorite decoration throughout Victorian England. The custom was brought to the United States when German immigrants in Pennsylvania continued to decorate Christmas trees just as they had done in their homeland.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia5.htm

We always had a fake tree when I was growing up. Asthma runs in my family so it was never safe to have a real tree in the house. I loved our tree. It was just a pole with branches that you stuck into it but once you got the garland and lights and bajillions of ornaments on, it looked great! We had it for at least 40 years. One year we tried to move it without taking the decorations off and it snapped in half. We made a quick fix that year tying it together, but the next year we bought a new tree with lights all over it. It shone so beautifully in the dark. We were amazed at the number of lights. I learned a hard lesson about pre-lit trees that year. It looked so beautiful that I decorated it with the lights on. I reached into the tree to straighten the top section and I got electrocuted pretty bad. I had a mark like a flower on the back of my left hand for about 2 months. Now I don't plug in the lights till the unveiling when it is all done. It is a little more dramatic that way. Careful around your trees this year everyone and make sure you are not overloading your plug ins. Burning your house down does not make for a happy Christmas. :D

15 days till Christmas

15 days till Christmas
December 10th
Movie of the day: Mupet Christmas Carol
Ah I love this one. Michel Caine is my favorite Ebenezer Scrooge of all. You can't beat the playfulness of the Muppets. Muppet Treasure Island is the only other Muppet movie I like as much as Christmas Carol. When I was really little I thought the two old men who play Marley and Marley were the funniest Muppets.



Christmas Carol of the day:
Oh Come all ye Faithfull
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/OComeAllYe.html
We usually sing verses 1, 3 and 6 when we do this one in church or out caroling. My family on my dad's side used to go caroling. We would all pile into Grandma and Grandpa's van and drive to their friends houses, pass out the sheet music and sing out a tune or two. We usually chose our harmonies depending who all was along. As we grew older we started going to a nursing home around Christmas to sing carols. It always brought a smile to all their old faces. I miss singing in harmonies. I was in choir in church from fourth or fifth grade through college. The adult choir was a bit to intense for me. I enjoyed the laid back fun of the younger choirs. Maybe I can convince some friends to sing carols around Christmas time this year.

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is Boxing Day in England?
Although the exact origin of Boxing Day is unknown, it is believed to date back to England during the Middle Ages. The most widely accepted theory is that even though servants were required to work on Christmas Day, they were given a reprieve the day after to visit family, with their employers sending them off with a box containing gifts and food, hence the term "Boxing Day."
Today, people continue to celebrate by taking the day off to visit family and friends and to give presents to those who have helped them throughout the year. Traditional Christmas festivities in England include tables laden with pine boughs, holly, mistletoe, juniper berries, cinnamon sticks, oranges with fragrant cloves, bowls of fruit, and tiny Christmas trees scattered throughout.
Party favors are placed on plates. These include English "crackers," which are colored paper tubes filled with candy and small gifts.
The typical English Christmas feast consists of:
Pheasant or chicken
Turkey
Assorted sausages
Stuffing
Roasted potatoes
Yams
Filo crackers
Mince pies
Poached pears
Scones and muffins with berry butter
Christmas (plum) pudding
Fruitcake
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia3.htm

Every year, on my dad's side, at Christmas dinner the tables would be set beautifully with a Christmas cracker on each plate. We would pull them as we chose our seats. We would wear our party hats and read the trivia. The prizes were hit or miss depending on the year. One year we got musical crackers. Each one had a different whistle in it. All the cousins lined up and my brother conducted a slightly out of tune Christmas carol. After we all choose our seats and pull our crackers we stand and sing grace in harmony.

Be present at our table lord
Be here and everywhere adored
these mercies bless and grant that we
may strengthen for thy service be
amen

When we were very little, the cousins and I would love to mimic grandpa's very low note at the end of amen. It was all good fun.

16 days till Christmas

16 days till Christmas
December 9th
Movie of the day: A Christmas Story
This is one that has been very overplayed. Some channels find it necessary to loop it over and over the week of Christmas. It has it's merits but I remember it being quite a frightening movie. I was afraid, after seeing it that if I said something bad, someone would wash out my mouth with soap for real. The tongue stuck to the pole part scared the bajeezuz out of me. I suppose it was good to teach kids not to do that. My favorite part of the movie that we still quote to this day is the part where the lamp arrives in a box marked Fragile and Mr. Parker says “Fra-gee-lay. It must be Italian!” We quote that every time we see a box marked Fragile. lol

Christmas Carol of the day:
Feliz Navidad

Lyrics | Jose Feliciano lyrics - Feliz Navidad lyrics
Info from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feliz_Navidad_(song)
We had a version of this in middle school that went:
Feliz Navidad, Fleas on my dog, Police took my dog, I want some eggnog, I want some eggnog...
We thought we were incredibly hilarious. Anyways we didn't know the actual words. I love this one because it is incredibly festive. It just feels like a good party. :D

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
How do Mexicans celebrate Christmas?
Mexicans celebrate the birth of Jesus with las Posadas, nine days of preparation during which the story of the Nativity is reenacted each day. These days lead up to Noche Buena (Holy Night) or Christmas Eve. Most families go to mass, then head home for dinner with family and friends. The highlight of the evening is placing Baby Jesus in the manger in the Nativity scene.
To prepare for the celebration, the house is decorated with pottery; bowls of fruit; brightly colored paper ornaments; colorful confetti; tinsel-trimmed maracas; star-shaped piñatas filled with oranges, tangerines, peanuts, and candy canes; red, green, and silver tablecloths; small lanterns and candles; and, of course, a Nativity scene.
The spread for Feliz Navidad includes:
Roast turkey, ham, or suckling pig
Biscayan cod
Tamales
Stuffed chili peppers
Wild greens in mole sauce
Atole (beverage made from corn)
Chili con queso with chips
Guacamole with flakes of red bell pepper "confetti"
Ensalada de Navidad (Christmas fruit salad)
Sidra (sparkling cider)
Chocolate atole (cinnamon hot chocolate)
Ponche con piquete (hot punch of fruits and cinnamon sticks)
Bizcochos (holiday cookies)
Sweet Christmas fritters
Flan
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia3.htm

I make ornaments every year. My mother and I started the tradition in our family to make at least one a year. Our tree is covered in an array of homemade ornaments. One kind I go back to every so often are little snowflake books. They fold flat like a book until you open them to reveal a snowflake from the side. Some years we would make ornaments out of beads or wire.
Mom and I would go out every year to look at the ornaments at Hobby Lobby and maybe choose one to add. Our tree is bursting with ornaments. They drip from the ends of each branch and some branches hold 2 or 3. If it were up to me, the tree would be up the day after Halloween but my boyfriend says “Absolutely Not! Not until after Thanksgiving!” So I wait. I put on my earphones and listen to Christmas music as early as I want. I carry the spirit of the season with me from November to February. I am always so sad when the holiday music ends the day after Christmas. We still have 3 months of winter to go. :D

17 days till Christmas

17 days till Christmas
December 8th
Movie of the day: The Snowman
One of my favorites! It has no dialog, except for the prologue. It doesn't need it. The music fits perfectly with the animation that it speaks for itself. These are the weirdest looking snowmen I had ever seen, but it opened my eyes to new and different ideas for snowman than the old used silk hat, butten nose and two eyes made out of coal. Calvin and Hobbs also create an array of goulish snow goons. Wikipedia elaborates: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_and_Hobbes#Snowmen
Here is the Snow man in 3 parts:





Christmas Carol of the day:
Frosty the Snowman
http://www.41051.com/xmaslyrics/frosty.html
This is another one that everyone knows the tune to but no one knows all the lyrics. I don't remember ever using coal or buttons on my snowmen. We always used bits of sticks for embellishments. I built my first snowman on the back porch when I was 4 or 5. It was about a foot tall and had a baby carrot nose with raisins for eyes. When I got a little older, my very good friend and I went the route of Calvin and Hobbs and made two headed snowmen and the like.
I haven't made a snowman in many years. Perhaps today is the day! We are having a mighty snowstorm that is keeping most of the city from venturing out farther than their driveway.
I am going to put on my snow gear and head out to get some supplies from HyVee to make some homemade soup or casserole (I haven't decided yet) and maybe make a snow angel on the way.

Christmas Trivia
History of snowmen from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowman
Here is a review for a book worth looking into.
It is called the History of the Snowman by Bob Eckstein

18 days till Christmas

18 days till Christmas
December 7th
Movie of the day: Opus N' Bill in a Wish for Wings That Work
My best friend in High School introduced me to this family movie tradition.
Opus is a penguin that desperately wants to fly so he asks Santa for a pair of working wings.
It is kind of ridiculous but fun nonetheless.

Christmas Carol of the day:
Have your self a merry little Christmas
I keep saying "this is one of my favorites" to my carols of the day. They are all my favorites. Each one holds a Christmas memory and you can't help but sing along when you hear it.
The sheet music couldn't be found but Wikipedia has a ton of great info along with the lyrics:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Have_Yourself_a_Merry_Little_Christmas



Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
How do you say "Merry Christmas" around the World?
Glædelig Jul -- Danish
Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan -- Chinese, Mandarin
Joyeux Noel -- French
Nadolig Llawen -- Welsh
Mitho Makosi Kesikansi -- Cree
Buon Natale -- Italian
Kala Christouyenna! -- Greek
Nollaig Shona Dhuit -- Gaelic (Irish)
Shub Naya Baras -- Hindi
God Jul -- Swedish
Boldog Karacsonyt -- Hungarian
Feliz Navidad -- Spanish
Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva i s Novim Godom -- Russian
Sung Tan Chuk Ha -- Korean
Frohliche Weihnachten -- German
Gesëende Kersfees -- Afrikaans
Hyvaa Joulua -- Finnish
Kurisumasu omedeto -- Japanese
Mele Kalikimaka -- Hawaiian
Suksun Wan Christmas -- Thai
Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia -- Polish
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia3.htm

It snowed up a storm yesterday and I didn't even have my paper snowflakes up.
When I was younger, I began to be superstitious about putting up paper snowflakes in my windows. I would spend hours cutting intricate 6 sided snowflakes out of printer paper and hanging them in my room or in every window of the house. Right after they would go up, a great snowstorm would blanket every surface in white. The heavy snowstorms would come and go and once the snowflakes in the house were taken down, the storms would cease (not to the minute, but within a few days). This year when I had an urge to put up the snowflakes, I resisted. It didn't stop the snow. I think I will stop resisting it and get them up. :D

19 days till Christmas

19 days till Christmas
December 6th
Movie of the day: Santa Claus the Movie
This is an awesome yet often overlooked movie. It was made in 1985.
“The first half of this film, set hundreds of years ago, shows how the old man who eventually became Santa Claus was given immortality and chosen to deliver toys to all the children of the world. The second half moves into the modern era, in which Patch, the head elf, strikes out on his own and falls in with an evil toy manufacturer who wants to corner the market and eliminate Santa Claus.” -imdb.com
Modern meaning the 80's. :D My family has loved and watched this movie every year since right before I was born.
Here is a link to the soundtrack on youtube. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=12B2E065F4D5B275&search_query=santa+claus+the+movie+soundtrack

Christmas Carol of the day:
Ding Dong Merrily on High
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/DingDongMerrily.html
My favorite memory of this song is from Little Women when the girls sing right before going to bed on Christmas eve. Marmee gives them each a candle. I love how Marmee gives Jo a candle that would last the night. She knew Jo would be up writing.

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is Christmas like in Germany?
Celebrating the season is a month-long event in Germany, with festivities culminating on Christmas Eve, when the Christmas tree is unveiled. Children are not allowed to see the tree until a bell rings to signify that the Christ Child has been there.
Once the tree is revealed, fully decorated with tinsel, lights, and ornaments, families place presents underneath and sing Christmas carols. The night later gives way to a feast so lavish that the evening is often called dickbauch, or "fat stomach."
It is believed that those who do not eat well will be haunted by demons during the night. Nuts, fruits, marzipan, greenery, candles, and adorable carved, wooden figurines of angels, trees, and Santa are placed around the table.
The night's delights include:
Roasted goose
Ham or suckling pig
White sausage
Sausage and cheese bread
Roasted potatoes
Green beans
Yams
Macaroni salad
Rice porridge
Biscuits and marmalade
Fruit salad
Apple cider
Christstollen (bread with nuts, raisins, and dried fruit)
Lebkuchen (gingerbread)
Marzipan
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia3.htm

On my mom's side we are German immigrants from Russia. Grandma used to make fruit soup with Christmas dinner. I never really had the palate for it but my family loves it. I am more of a pie girl. Pie snob really. Grandma and I used to make a pie every year. She taught me when I was really little how to make the crust from scratch and pinch a pretty edge into it. Then to make the filling (usually pumpkin) and crack eggs without getting shell in the batter. I have trouble eating anyone else's pumpkin pie because ours is soooo good. It is all in the crust. It is sweet and holds it's own. You can eat our pie with out a fork. Just hold it in your hand! :D

20 days till Christmas

20 days till Christmas
December 5th
Movie of the day: Charlie Brown Christmas
This one was sandwiched between Charlie Brown goes to Europe and How the Grinch Stole Christmas on an old VHS when I was little. The Credits were cut off of this one to make room for the Grinch. My family and I would argue every year weather or not the ending of the movie was cut off. No one ever noticed when the movie change came on so the disagreement still stands today. I learned what commercialism was from this show but the meaning of Christmas didn't cement till I was much older.

Christmas Carol of the day:
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/HarkTheHerald.html
Now you can sing along at the end of Charlie Brown Christmas. I love how Pigpen stirs up a cloud of dust in the snow when ever he takes a breath.

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What are some of the Swedish Holiday Traditions?
On December 13, one of the darkest days of the year, St. Lucia Day, or the Festival of Lights, is celebrated throughout Sweden to symbolize the promise of the sun's return. In the past, a young girl would dress in a white gown with a red sash and a wreath of lit candles on her head. She would go from house to house offering baked goods.
Today, the tradition continues with the oldest girl in a family wearing the traditional dress with a wreath of (battery-powered) candles on her head, awakening everyone with a song and saffron buns and coffee.
According to legend, Lucia was a young girl that lived during the fourth century. She was blinded for her Christian beliefs. St. Lucia is the patron saint of the blind.
For a Swedish Christmas dinner, sit down to a table of:
Ham
Lutefisk (fish soaked in lye)
Boiled wheat (cuccidata)
Cabbage pudding
Baby potatoes
Sweet carrots
Medley of vegetables
Deviled eggs
Julglögg (a hot, mulled wine)
Fruit salad
Saffron buns with raisins
Rice pudding
Lingonberry pie
Broomstick cookies (a lacy cookie with almonds and butter)
Pepparkakor (sweet ginger)
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia3.htm

Lutefisk is also a traditional dish served in Norway. On my father's side of the family we used to have Lutefisk every year at Christmas served with lefsa (a sweet flat tortilla-like bread). My cousins and I liked to make holiday burritos putting mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, and turkey (if we had it) into our lefsa. One of the best ways to eat lefsa is simply with butter and sugar rolled up.
When Christmas was held at my grandparents house, my cousins and I used to have what we called “Camp Cousin”. We would build huge forts on the deck, play dress up with grandma's old dresses, and put on “light shows” (basically we played music while we danced on grandma's bed. The only light would be from everyone's flashlights. We thought we were rock stars).
We would see how far up the basement stairs we could jump down to the mattresses at the bottom. One year our eldest cousin had had a bit too much lutefisk, as we were going for another round on the stairs we found him lying on the mattresses groaning “too...much...lutefisk...”
We all miss those days.

21 days till Christmas

21 days till Christmas
December 4th
Movie of the day: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
Aslan's return ends the ceaseless winter and as the White Witch loses her grip on Narnia, they are able to once again have Christmas. This book/movie celebrates (however briefly) the magic side of Christmas. I grew up with the British version but the remake is also pretty good.

Christmas Carol of the day:
The First Noel
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/FirstNoel.html
I had an old video of classic Christmas cartoons when I was young. One of them featured an orphanage where on Christmas morning when the children awoke they ran out to collect their toys. To their complete and total sadness they all found that their presents were broken so they all went back to bed. A kindly inventor happened by and created some great toys out of things they already owned. They played a really wobbly sad version of the first noel at the beginning. Basically Gramps saves Christmas for some little kids. It really ends with a bang.
Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gW3rznLI_g



Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is the Meaning of the Word “Xmas?”
Some people think of Xmas as a contemporary, sacrilegious abbreviation of the word Christmas. On the contrary, the first letter of the word Christ in the Greek language is chi, which is identical to the modern Roman alphabet's X. Therefore, Xmas is an ecclesiastical abbreviation that has been used for almost as long as Christmas has been in existence.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia2.htm

I don't remember Xmas ever being a sacrilegious thing. It was always interchangeable with Christmas when I was growing up. I remember it most written in big permanent marker on the boxes we used to store all the Christmas decorations in. We had between 11 and 15 boxes of decorations when I was in elementary school. That all changed when we moved to a third floor apartment before my 7th grade year. All the ornaments got condensed down to one box and the tree went in another that year. They are a little more fragile packed in all together but it beats making 10 trips up and down 3 flights of stairs.

22 days till Christmas

22 days till Christmas
December 3rd
Movie of the day: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
This one is a Christmas staple. Our old copy was on the end of a VHS that had Charlie Brown goes to Europe and a Charlie Brown Christmas on it. I would usually watch all three even though the first one is not at all related to the holiday. Every year some radio station or another plays “You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch” over and over till you want to puke. It is a catchy tune but everything in moderation, please.

Christmas Carol of the day:
Deck the Halls
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/DeckTheHall.html
This is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head but you only remember the first line or first verse so it keeps looping in your head. Many awful versions of this one also circulated around school around the holidays usually involving Batman and Robin. Even in spite of all this, it has always been a favorite.

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
Where is the World's Largest Nativity Scene located?
With more than 450 figures and hundreds of yards of landscape, the world's largest diorama of the Nativity is found in Einsiedeln, Switzerland. In the 1930s, crib maker Ferdinand Pottmesser built a giant Christmas crib along with hundreds of figurines.
Pottmesser sold the collection to Einsiedeln in the mid-1950s, and the figurines became the impetus for creating a giant diorama -- a copy of the landscape of Bethlehem and a visually accurate representation of the story of the birth of Christ.
The diorama starts with angels awakening the shepherds with news of the birth of Jesus and ends with Joseph and Mary fleeing into Egypt to escape Herod and his soldiers. The diorama attracts thousands of visitors every year.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia2.htm

My mother has a wonderful Nativity set complete with camels, goats, sheep, shepherds, the three kings, the works. I would play nativity for hours when she would unpack it each year. Baby Jesus always went on some sort of adventure on the Christmas tree.
Last year I bought myself my own Nativity. The Family of three came with the stable and a huge garland lit with Christmas lights and two little lanterns. My collection is not as complete as my mother's but it was designed by Thomas Kinkade (MASTER of light and all). Lol.

Today I am putting up my tree while watching the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. They are not "Christmas" movies, really, but I watch them every winter. It is snowing out side. I think I may make some chili.

23 days till Christmas

23 days till Christmas
December 2nd
Movie of the day: The Santa Clause (optional marathon 1, 2 and 3)
I grew up with these movies. I was really intrigued by the idea of a modern Santa's workshop.
Hammers don't make video games!
After all the years they have been doing Christmas, one would think they would have made some advances in technology some where along the way.
I like to make some hot cocoa, curl up under a blanket and knit while I marathon all three in a row. It is a great way to kick off the holidays.

Christmas Carol of the day:
Away in a Manger
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/AwayInAManger_Mueller.html
One of the first Christmas carols we learn as children. Many of us remember being in a Christmas eve play at one point in our childhood. I was lucky to be in the choir so we didn't have to wear funky costumes or sit really still for a long time.

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is the History of the Christmas Card?
The time-honored tradition of sending Christmas cards began more than 150 years ago in England. Sir Henry Cole, a renaissance man who wrote and published books on art and architecture, was too busy to write holiday greetings to friends and family, so he asked John Callcott Horsley, a well-known painter, to design a card with a single message that could be sent to everyone on his list.
Horsley created a lithographed, hand-colored sketch printed on cardboard. The illustration depicted a classic Victorian Christmas scene of a family merrily eating and drinking. The caption read, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You."
The first Christmas card appeared in the United States in the mid-1800s, when New York engraver Richard Pease designed a card with a small Santa Claus, a sleigh, and reindeer.
In 1875, Louis Prang, who wrote and published architectural books, printed images in color with a series of lithographic zinc plates. The finished product resembled an oil painting. These cards were so in demand that Prang couldn't fulfill all of his orders. At one point Prang was printing five million cards a year. His efforts earned him the moniker, "The Father of the American Christmas Card."
Today, everything from clever verses and holiday scenes to geometric designs and sports figures grace the fronts of cards. An average U.S. household mails out 28 Christmas cards each year and receives the same number in return. More than three billion Christmas cards are sent annually.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia1.htm

I try to get cards out every year. I write to friends and family as well as clients of my business. I like to get my cards on sale after the holidays but sometimes if I see a set of cards I really like, I will splurge and pay full price. I hand write my cards, trying to use my best handwriting. It just feels more intimate. I recently went looking for my stash of holiday cards and found at the bottom of a box a stack of at least 8 cards that I wrote last year that never got sent. If you didn't get one last year, fear not, I wrote to you but sadly forgot to mail them. Better luck this year! :D

24 days till Christmas

24 days till Christmas
December 1st
Movie of the day: Home for the Holidays
My family watches this one every year, usually around Thanksgiving. We liked to quote it quite a bit, “Par, par, bogey, bogey, par, par son” and “Do you ever look around and wonder: Who are these people?”

Christmas Carol of the day:
Angels we have heard on high
http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/Lead_Sheets/AngelsWeHaveHeard.html
This song is dear to my heart. When I was very small my mother would take me to the Christmas Eve service at church, the one where we each got a candle. Mom would stand me up on the pew when we sang hymns so I could see. Near the end of the song when we sang Gloria I loved to draw out the O and move my jaw back and forth on each beat. I delighted on making my mother laugh. We thought it was such fun!

Christmas Trivia
(brought to you by howstuffworks.com)
What is an Advent Wreath?
The season of Advent is the beginning of the church year for Christians. It starts the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day and ends on Christmas Eve. Meaning "arrival," Advent is a celebration of the birth of Jesus and his eventual return.
Many families celebrate this holy season by lighting an Advent wreath. A circular evergreen wreath is laid flat and adorned with four candles around the wreath and one in the center. It is very symbolic of:
The circular shape of the wreath epitomizes God himself, his endless mercy, and eternity, which has no beginning or end.
The green pine boughs signify hope in God and eternal life.
Candles reflect the light of Jesus coming into the world.
The four purple candles around the wreath stand for the four Sundays of Advent and for the four centuries between the time the prophet Malachi predicted the coming of the Messiah and the actual birth of Jesus. One purple candle is lit for each Sunday in Advent, with one candle lit on the first Sunday, two on the second Sunday, and so on, until all four candles are lit on the fourth Sunday. The white center candle symbolizes Christmas Day and is lit on that day.
http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia1.htm

I remember being so excited when I was chosen to help light the advent candles in church in elementary school. You get to stand in front of the whole church with a few other people as they would read a quote from scripture. Someone would light your candle and you would pass the flame on to the next person. The one at the end of the line would get to light the candle of one of the weeks previously lit then we would take turns lighting until we got to today's candle. It always felt special. I remember having a mini advent wreath at home, we would light it for dinner as a center piece.