http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php Christmas forums brought to you by mymerrychristmas.com, the largest and best Christmas website online en Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:17:58 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/images/styles/xmass/misc/rss.jpg http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=205 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:26:09 GMT If you happen to have read my posts on some of the games and music threads you may have asked yourself "Who is the Move?" If you live across the Atlantic you probably know, but they just were never that famous over here, they had a cult following, and later performed as the Move and ELO at the same time phasing out the Move after contractual obligations were met. They existed as the Move from 1966-1972.
As I was finishing high school I truly did not have a musical identity. I grew up in the 80's but I avoided 80's music even during the decade, I liked some of it but at age 11-13, I found myself listening to the oldies station more and more. As a kid in middle school it was difficult to admit I liked oldies, specifically the Monkees, due to the fact Mtv showed them nonstop in 1986. In fact my cousin and I wanted to be Monkees for Halloween that year. After graduating high school, I had grown out of the Monkees phase years before and was listening to Classic rock, and I heard Beatles music and I found it to MY music in college I started getting all their releases on CD, until I had them all (commercial releases) and even for a few years bought a number of bootleg CD's (great stuff on those.) I started to listen to groups inspired by the Beatles, and I came across Electric Light Orchestra, and I liked them but I had read things about them and the group The Move, so I started looking around for some of their stuff, and I was 23 at the time I didn't have a computer or internet at that time, so it was hard to find that music. I worked for a Video retail business at that time and we were able to special order CD's and VHS, I was doing a special order and I asked if they had anything by that group and they did so I ordered it, wasn't impressed by it but listened a few more times and it clicked especially when I read that the main song writer Roy Wood was very much like myself, a shy young man, who never did drugs, but was very creative. The Move music came into my life basically around the same time my wife did, hence starting the new chapter in my life.

I spoke to my aunt last night and she gave me some news about my grandparents, they both at the same time are suffering from cases of skin cancer, my grandfather has been battling it for 5 years now and they believe they are going to have to amputate above the ankle, but his lymph nodes are testing not normal, so if they amputate it may just reoccur, and they are also worried about it because he is in his late 80's.
My grandmother has it on her arm and had a portion taken out of her arm that looks like a shark bite due to the skin graft, and it is still testing for cancer and if they go any deeper she may lose use of her hand. This all coming in a week as I talked about in my previous blog.

On a good note in the last few weeks, I have bought 3 Christmas movies from Ebay, Stalking Santa, Fred Claus, Ed Sullivan's Classic Christmas. I didn't spend more than $4 on any of them, and that is with shipping, and 2 of them are brand new. I haven't seen Fred Claus but when you can buy it cheaper than renting I'll do that w/o thinking twice.

Thank you for reading this long post, I sort of ran on for awhile. ]]> xmas365 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=205 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=204 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:29:09 GMT Let me start by saying this is going to be a tough week for me. Saturday is the 19th anniversary of one of the toughest days of my life, my mother's death. It is really brings home the reality of life and how short it could be. My mother was only 36
when she passed, breast cancer took her within two years of her discovering it. I know it is not related but I am 35 years old and being 36 is starting to freak me out a little bit, it may be natural to fear an age when you lose a parent, but I don't know. I miss her everyday, and I wish she could've met my wife and grandchildren, she would have loved all of them. My mother spent the last 7 years working for God as a reverend in a Born-again Christian church, she loved the Lord and there wasn't anything she wouldn't do to help the people of the church, sometimes helping them more than herself. I am looking at this week as a tough emotional roller coaster, remembering the good times and crying through the difficult memories.
Closing out on a better note, I will hopefully be going back to work at a full 40 hours come June if there is an opening for me. My wife and I have discussed this since my oldest boy is going to Kindergarten next fall, it would be time to put my younger son in daycare, he needs a change in his routine, this way we can be more of a family again. I see my wife in passing, when she gets home I leave, the only day we our together as a family is on Sunday. ]]> xmas365 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=204 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=203 Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:56:37 GMT I am sitting here unable to sleep, yet I am exhausted. I have a couple of hours before I have to go in to work, so I can enjoy the quiet for now. I... I am sitting here unable to sleep, yet I am exhausted. I have a couple of hours before I have to go in to work, so I can enjoy the quiet for now.
I have really enjoyed this site, especially the forum, where it has been fun either giving opinions or just doing the fun and games, but I have to say my favorite thread recently has been "You Know You Grew Up in the 80's if..." This thread has brought back many memories of my youth, and I have posted on it many times in the past few weeks, especially with old commercials from the 80's. It has really helped me recall many memories I had repressed. When my mother passed away from cancer in 1991 I was only 16, and for the longest time I couldn't recall many of my memories pre-1991.
Even though nearly 20 years have passed and a lot of those memories have returned, this is the first time I have been able to remember a lot of fun items, including commercials,and some old TV shows.
I have been thinking of some Christmas collectibles lately, about a year ago I bought a 16 card Santa Claus trading card set that actually includes Santa's "rookie" card, a card that has a swatch of his suit, and an autographed card, plus 13 more. I thought it was, and is, a very cool item. I have been trying to find more of them and I have found some on Ebay so I think this may be something I will be collecting from now on. ]]> xmas365 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=203 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=202 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:46:36 GMT Hello again, everyone! Well, I bit off far more than I can chew on compiling a list of quick, simple giftable crafts. There are simply too many out... Hello again, everyone!
Well, I bit off far more than I can chew on compiling a list of quick, simple giftable crafts. There are simply too many out there to categorize! So, after three weeks of trying, I'm going to admit defeat and instead share with you my favorite craft project sources (besides looking up craft books on Google Books, of course). Please do email in your favorite sources, just remember to click "Reply All!"

So, what am I up to this week? Enjoying being snowed in along with the rest of the country, it seems! Oh, I have been busy about the upcoming holidays and working on next Christmas. It's "winter end" sale at Land's End time again, and would you believe that swimsuits and spring clothes are included? So I've stocked up on winter essentials while they're cheap. Snowsuits, snow boots, holiday pajamas, etc. We even nabbed adorable spring rainboots for the little ones' Easter baskets!

Ah, yes, Easter baskets! I don't know about all of you, but we're looking forward to it already. We nabbed half peck "bushel style" baskets at Michaels on 40% off sale. These baskets actually look like they'll hold up to berry picking, as opposed to the full priced Easter baskets that look like they're disposable. Lined with bandanas and packed with spring necessities such as Easter dresses (a sweet polo dress from Land's End), rain boots, rain hats, slickers, and for him and I, seeds and gardening items, I'm afraid that there will still be a little too much room for chocolate bunnies, little waxed cheeses, hardboiled eggs, and Annie's cheddar snack bunnies and graham bunnies (like goldfish and teddy grahams respectively, only organic and tastier). We can always make up coloring pages to use up space.

Mathom Tip of the Week
If you don't know what a mathom is, you ought to be ashamed of yourself! No, I won't tell you. It's your responsibility to go read the Lord of the Rings, or Google it if you want to continue being an unwashed heathen ^_~. In this context, I'm using it to refer to stocking stuffers, basket fillers, and all the other small giftables of the year.

The ideal stocking stuffer is small, pretty, elaborately wrapped, and thoughtful. Sound familiar? Sounds like a party/wedding favor to me! Look for discounted favors and favor packaging, even generic candy seems special in a pretty "satin" box or organza bag. There ought to be real deals on these from June into July when the wedding season is over. Also use favor crafts as inspiration, and enjoy every second making them knowing that you won't be making 150!!

Digital Crafts Sources
Martha Stewart (www.marthastewart.com) - Love her or hate her, the reputation she's received for extremely labor intensive crafts is unfounded. Most of her crafts are simple, quick, extremely giftable, and "assembly line-able to boot!
Dollar Store Crafts (http://dollarstorecrafts.com/) - An entire blog developed on the theme of crafts made from dollar store items! Brilliant!
Make Baby Stuff (http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/index.html) - Don't you just love truth in advertising? Make Baby Stuff is about exactly that: making baby stuff.

Analog Crafts Sources
You know I'm going to say it: your library! But don't limit yourself to the usual suspects. Remember you can check out back issues of the library's magazines such as Real Simple, Vogue Knitter, Martha Stewart Living, BHG, and so on. When those resources are exhausted, look into the CHILDRENS section! The best crafts I've ever encountered, including about a hundred methods of brewing soda, were from kids' books!

Green Tip of the Week
Every year someone suggests "if you must wrap your gifts, wrap them in newspaper," and every year the majority of the people on the planet reject this idea as pretty blatantly depressing. A tree with piles (ok, a modest pile if we're listening to the "wrap them in newspaper" crowd) of newspaper wrapped packages seems a little bit like a bureaucrat's dream world rather than one of sugar plums. Well, let me suggest two festive and green alternatives to the alternatives:

1) Yes, wrap your packages in newspaper, specifically the pure black and white text or figures pages. Then, cut a several inches wide piece of more festive paper and wrap it around your newspapered present like an obi belt. Tie a ribbon or string, ideally recycled, on over this in a third layer. Here are better instructions, and a picture if you're interested: http://www.marthastewart.com/article...aper-gift-wrap (why, yes, that IS Martha Stewart again, fancy that!).

2) Take a cue from The Sound of Music and have your gifts arrive from the North Pole! Wrap them in recycled brown paper from grocery bags, tie them with string, and for a special touch get a set of imitation old fashioned postal stamps from the craft store to decorate them with.

Materialism Check: Are You Speaking The Same Language?
Every year, I ask him what he'd like as a gift. Every year, he dodges the question. For the life of me, I was sure that he just didn't want to tell me what he wanted, that he was embarrassed or didn't want to feel greedy. Meanwhile, he invades my personal space every chance he gets, perplexing the life out of me! He'll say sweet nothings, and I'll do his chores when he least expects it. And every day, we'd wonder if the other person got what we were saying. Well, no, we didn't get what one another was saying! Then one day I'm ditty bopping through a forum and someone mentions "the five love languages" in an offhand sort of way, just tossing out "gifts are definitely my love language." Who what now? Gifts are a language? Love language? Doesn't everyone express love through giving each other little tokens of affection?

As it turns out, no, they don't. We could get into the five "w"s here, or you could check out the original book on the subject "The Five Love Languages" from the library, but I'll give you the basics right now: we all express our feelings (not just love, but I take it that that's what the book dwells on) with five behaviors. To whit, verbal affirmations/praise, physical affection, gifts, "acts of service" (ie chores) and quality time. Even though all of us use all of these languages to express our feelings, we all each have a primary love language. (Not sure what yours or your loved ones' primary love language(s) is/are? Here's a handy test: http://www.afo.net/hftw-lovetest.asp .)

What does this have to do with red letter days and materialism? First off: if your primary love language is gifts, that doesn't make you materialistic or a consumerist. Puritanism is dead already, not every possible inclination is sinful! When your primary love language is gifting, that means that you express your love by giving gifts, and that you best understand someone else's feelings towards you when they give you gifts. Psychologists tell us that the old saw is correct, giving really is better than receiving, and that's especially true if your love language is gifting. So, for the gifter more than any other amorphone, it is the thought that counts. Those that don't see gifts as an exchange of sentiments made tangible don't see anything wrong with exchanging straight cash.

Where it all goes awry is when a gifter loves a talker, a timer, a toucher, or a server. When the gifter in love with a toucher never receives any gifts, but is always being pursued physically, they may feel used and unloved. When the toucher correctly perceives that the gifter values gifts above touch, well, let's just leave the namecalling to imagination. The point is that neither feel loved, and you can see how the same scenario plays out with the other types. So what can be done? A little give and take, so to speak. The gifter may need to get over their feelings about objects that have intrinsic worth when they are seeking to give something to their beloved, and the beloved needs to see the forest for the trees. The gifter who has worked out that their lover is a timer would best express their feelings by giving a gift certificate to a restaurant for a meal together, a bottle of wine to be shared, or a game to be played. This goes against the grain of many gifters because it is blatantly a "gift back" to themselves as well, however ALL gifts are gifts back to the giver, and in this case what matters is correctly communicating to both parties how you feel. The gifter whose lover is a server may give a stocking full of homemade love coupons for doing chores or little acts of kindness. The gifter whose lover is a talker might give a mix tape of songs sprinkled with recordings of compliments or sweet nothings of their own, or they might get a book of questions for a night in getting to know one another better, or just write a letter. As for the gifter whose lover is a toucher, I think we can all figure that one out, but to spell out some possible gifty gifts: a gift certificate for a dinner ordered in, a love coupon for a back rub, a weekend at a bed and breakfast, comfy clothes or lingerie, or possibly an elegantly written scroll of New Year's resolutions including things like "a ten second kiss every morning before he leaves home."

What about all the non-gifters seeking gifts for the gifter? Suck it up already and read the million and a half articles on how to select a gift for a person, or read your lover's wishlist (make them write one)! Croaking about materialism, gold diggers, consumerism or worse 1) is rotting your bond to your beloved, who is naturally feeling unloved by that garbage and wasn't seeing dollar signs to begin with, and 2) saying nothing positive about your feelings. So you say you would walk through fire for your lover, eh? Then why balk if the act that would best express your feelings to them in their own eyes is getting them a tangible symbol of the feelings you're expressing?

Either way: no one has an excuse for feeling guilty, it's just different strokes for different folks.

Tradition of the Week
Forget the crowded restaurants: stay home, dress to the nines, and order a phenomenal fancy pizza or pasta dinner from the local pizzeria for a fraction of what you'd otherwise pay. Queue up a romantic movie of your own, and buy a bottle of wine that you actually like ahead of time.

Homework
* Hit the stores for discounted Valentines Day and Chinese New Year items to supply your mathom stash and have on hand for gifts.
* Treat yourself to one of those fantastic heart shaped boxes once they go on sale. We never seem to pamper ourselves, and if no one else ever buys them for us, we can treat ourselves once in a blue moon.
* Get started planning Easter.
* Have a terrific Valentine's Day!

There, I'm always amazed when I manage to put together one of these! ]]> Sapsorrow http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=202 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=201 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:17:28 GMT I haven't had much time to blog lately, and when I have had time I can't think of much to write.
Valentine's Day is this weekend we are going to take it really light, money is tight so we are probably just going to get a pizza. My wife has a baby shower to go to during the day, which makes it tough because Sunday is the only day we get time with each other. I also have been trying to get the menu for dinner and dessert together for Easter dinner, just trying to be 100% prepped.
It is coming together, I am excited for the recipe of chocolate covered peanut butter eggs I found.
I was upset earlier in the week when the movie store we go and rent from had signs up that said "store closing" It is a national chain so I will not say their name, but this is the second time this has happened in the last few years.
The same company had a store IN the town we live but they closed that store 2-3 years ago.
Now this leaves us without a local movie store, so it is going to force us to join the rental by mail companies. I am old school when it comes to stuff like that I like to look around he store to see whats out, its the same thing with CDs vs MP3s, I do not own MP3 player because I prefer a CD I like to hold it in my hands and read the liner notes and look at the pictures in those notes. Happy Thursday! ]]> xmas365 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=201 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=200 Sat, 06 Feb 2010 04:07:27 GMT This is a copy of an email I send out to a small list of friends and family who are doing the holiday planning "all through the year" or "ATTY" with me. I liked this one, so I'm keeping it here, too. And, yes, I'm going to post my "homework" here as well.

Hello again!

I have two apologies to make: 1) sorry for the delay, it's been that sort of week, and 2) the craft list proved a VERY ambitious project that will hopefully be done next week. This is a blessing in disguise, however, because there are some things that may preempt gift and craft making decisions. So without further ado...

Simplifying Christmas
I could just as soon talk about holiday stress, but I won't because simplifying is positive and stress isn't. I've already learned that at a certain point, longer planning increases the complexity of your plans rather than decreases them. After all, if your Christmas is a gift per, a stocking, a tree, and cinnamon buns for breakfast, there's really not that much to plan and soon you'll start creating work for yourself instead of getting work done ahead of time. There are, of course, hundreds of books and articles about how to simplify any aspect of your life, so I won't reinvent the wheel (I will, however, include a bibliography of links if you want to learn more), here are my top ten suggestions for simplifying Christmas at this end of the year:

1. Decide what it is that you're celebrating. - Since this is a volatile topic, I'm going to leave it at that and move on.
2. Prioritize, beginning with determining what lines up with your reasons for celebrating. - If Christmas for you is about Christ, then I imagine you're going to put church at the top of your list, whereas if it's about the solstice you'll probably want to indulge in stargazing and possible a "soup and solstice" party, and if Christmas time is about goodwill towards your fellow man, then charity, volunteering and gifts will probably top your list. A simple tip for prioritizing: take a calendar and put no more than ONE activity per day on it. Want to drive around to see the Christmas lights? That's one activity (ok, taking a scenic route to another activity doesn't count). Baking cookies is an activity for the day, so is church. If you do this, you should leave room for serendipity to give you those fireside reading moments that really make the season. If you have small children, consider even fewer activities and take more walks.
3. Reconsider hosting. - No matter what you're hosting or how, hosting is stressful and it is work. There's no reason everyone has to host something at the holidays, in fact the FEWER that host, the less obligation for everyone because courtesy strictly specifies that if you are a guest of someone else, you ought to return the favor within the year. If some holiday gathering is a necessity, the alternative is a cooperative party, where no one is the host in the etiquette sense and no one bears the whole burden of stress and effort. More on cooperative parties in a future email.
4. Reconsider traveling. - Traveling is also stressful. That said, we are all spread out these days and that necessitates a certain amount of travel for a reunion of any sort. What to do? 1) Generally speaking, the smaller household should visit the larger. 2) Only one trip out of town or county per holiday if you have children. 3) If everyone is spread all over the country anyway and there's no natural point for everyone to converge, consider taking your holiday to some destination instead where no one will have to host, and make the vacation a reunion and family gift. Ex: rent one of the Disney cabins or villas for the family (may require more than one if a large crowd). Yes, they can even arrange a Christmas tree in the room.
5. Reconsider the formal dinner. - Those big reunion dinners are a vital part of any holiday, but they're also stressful, expensive and exhausting if you aren't Julia Childs. Try a cooperative meal instead as per my suggestion under "reconsider hosting" or, if you were just thinking of a fancy dinner for the household, consider a smorgasbord of room temperature or heat and serve finger foods. The other meal simplifying rule: don't pile on the options and sides. One main dish, maybe three sides (two veg and a potato), and one dessert rather than seven.
6. Opt out of Christmas cards. - If cards have become a hollow obligation, then give it up already! Or switch to email.
7. Set a budget! - I won't lecture anyone on this point except to say this: to do a holiday without a budget is like ordering dinner from a restaurant with no prices on the menu, only feasible if you don't need to ask. Also, debt = bad.
8. Set a tradition on gifts. - Abstract limits can feel stifling, while a tradition such as "kids get gifts, adults party," "everyone gets three gifts, the same number as Jesus," or "four gifts: one you want, one you need, one to wear and one to read," seems inspiring.
9. Consider the "traditional gift." - Instead of fretting over working out the PERFECT gift for a whole range of people you're giving to, opt to give the same gift to all. Pick something meaningful, classic, or even literary in and of itself rather than the generic "gifty gift." Above all, avoid items that toot their own horn, like a cheap scarf with a giant designer logo. At minimum it's tough to determine if it would suit everyone's style. This type of gifting works GREAT for homemade gifts. I was thrilled one year to receive a nice jar of homemade hot cocoa, and so was everyone else. It's also easier to assembly line a number of the same item.
10. Plan for the practical. - What do I mean? I mean spend some of your "Christmas planning" preparing for flu season and other winter emergencies. Make sure that you have a supply of everything you need to weather a bad cold or flu over Christmas, and everything you need to keep you in comfort if a severe winter storm snows you in. To that end, they even sell canned "luxury" foods through Vermont Country Store these days.

Simplification Bibliography
Articles
"10 Ways to Simplify Christmas" http://psychology.suite101.com/artic...lify_christmas
"65 Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress" http://psychology.suite101.com/artic...holiday_stress

Books (Via "Limited Preview" on Google Books)
Alternatives Simplify & Celebrate - A fantastic book from part of the "Alternatives for Simple Living" ministry (notable for their Whose Birthday Is It Anyway? resources) that is as much planner as exploration. http://books.google.com/books?id=H6o...age&q=&f=false
Old-Fashioned Country Christmas by Gooseberry Patch - Gooseberry Patch publishes what are essentially high quality community cookbooks, but this book includes crafts and traditions submitted by readers and is excellently inspiring. http://books.google.com/books?id=J1_...gbs_navlinks_s
Simplify Your Christmas by Elaine St James - Elaine St James is kind of a guru of voluntary simplicity and her books are a light, inspiring read. You can get a good idea of the contents of this one by browsing the "preview," which is nearly 80% of the book, and I own a copy if you'd like to borrow it. http://books.google.com/books?id=u8d...age&q=&f=false
Simplify Your Holidays - A holiday planner which is excellent... except that it plagiarizes almost everything from OrganizedChristmas.com, so I haven't a whit of sympathy for the fact that the preview includes some of the planner pages which you can print out and use in your notebook. http://books.google.com/books?id=4tr...age&q=&f=false

Sites on Simplifying Christmas
New Dreams http://www.newdream.org/holiday/index.php)
Organized Christmas (http://christmas.organizedhome.com/) - An excellent sub site from Organized Home with printable planner pages and wonderful gift suggestions (like printable "Jiffy Pop" popcorn toppers.

Psychology of Gift Giving
(Shamelessly lifted from NYT @ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/he...=5070&emc=eta1 therefore please read it there, I do not wisg to copy the text onto a form rather than in an email between friends.)

Top Ten All-Purpose, Nigh Universally Appreciated Gifts!
1. Cake! Who doesn't like cake?
2. Towels! It seems like holding out on replacing towels is a national competition (I speak from experience), but the critters do stain and wear out, so a gift of fresh towels, whether bath or kitchen, is very pampering.
3. Turkey, or really any big luxurious roast. Go all out: brine it, rub it, marinade it, stuff it, lard it, wrap it in pastry, inject herb butter under the skin, etc, and don't forget to slap it in a basket with a sprig of holly on top.
4. Calendar! Everyone needs at least one, and there are so many to select from. I'm a fan of the Old Farmer's Almanac and their calendars, while Mom loves her Sierra Club.
5. Socks! It's cliche, but people don't tend to replace their socks, even when their whole foot starts to poke through!
6. Gifts of warmth: anything from a hand knit scarf up to a proper winter coat, these are universally useful, almost always appreciated, and in these days a genuine need if the person in question doesn't have them. This year a man in town froze to death for want of a good winter coat and some shelter. I learned from experience what it was like to have no coat or closed shoes as well.
7. Their cup of tea! It's hard to remember that tea, coffee, and chocolate were once considered high luxuries, but they really aren't necessary to survival no matter what we imagine. A tin of the good stuff will rarely break the bank, but so often we don't treat ourselves.
8. A pencil set! Pens, pencils, and stationary are humble things, most people making do with the shabby freebies you pick up here and there. A nice set can be had for very little, a personalized set for as little as $5, and they're all especially popular with children (throw in some stickers for kids and some stamps for shut ins).
9. New bakeware! If your kitchen is like mine, you have a set of once fancy, now warped and rusty cookie sheets. These old standbys can be had just as conveniently as a gift card, they're found in the baking aisle of your grocery store, and they're frequently on sale. Naturally, give them with a batch of cookies and a recipe!
10. The classic sweater! It's a Christmas tradition, now made famous by the Harry Potter series: the gift of a homemade custom sweater. On the upside, it is cheap and heartfelt, on the downside it's time consuming, requires some skill (which I lack) and you could really miss their style.

Your Homework
Phew! I may be late this week, but it still seems to have been a content full, on target edition! Now, your mission should you choose to accept it:

1. Pick three things you plan to do to simplify your Christmas or your planning. They don't need to come off my list, of course.
2. Write up your reason for celebrating. Try to be specific, not just why you have a holiday, but how different practices like gift giving work into it.

Send in your responses if you like! ]]> Sapsorrow http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=200 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=199 Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:18:44 GMT It's official: no refined sugar, and not much of the unprocessed stuff either. One portion or less of dessert type foods per day, and that's a real portion, not a restaurant portion. Sadly, that includes all sources of sweet, so I can't get away with a soda AND a cookie at the bookstore cafe, either. Well, unless I have a thimble of the one and a quarter of the other. Naturally, all of the above applies to alcohol as well, though I've only had two drinks in the last year and a half so that's hardly an impact. Nor are artificial sweeteners going to save me since they all make me sick, sick, sick!

That nips the great cookie bake tradition in the bud, as well as plans to take up candy making in 2011. It also undoes my plans for trimming the tree and our plans for breakfast (traditionally cinnamon buns with icing). I'm startled by how much my holidays are bound up in sweets! We rarely have snacks and most days the sweetest thing we have is fruit, often with cheese. I never anticipated having such raving severe hypoglycemia. I suppose I figured that watching my weight would protect me from developing it, but in this case genes are destiny. At least I'm in excellent company.

Well, this is hardly the end of the world. What should the new Christmas breakfast be? A rich brioche? Croissants with every so slightly sweet cheese fresh from the oven? Or something savory and full of protein? As for the tree: gilded and glittered fruits and nuts are traditional, too. ]]> Sapsorrow http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=199 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=198 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:54:17 GMT I don't know sometimes how or what I should be doing when it comes to fatherhood.
I try to make the right decisions for my boys at all times, but sometimes I don't have the energy to be as firm as I should. My 4 y/o is a high energy, high maintenance child, all the attention is to be on him at all times, while my 1 y/o soon to be 2 y/o toddler is a toddler nuff said. They are always on the go, getting into things that they shouldn't, you know kids stuff. As I have said before I am a stay at home father first and foremost, so I am home with them 8-9 hours during the day, and I have to find the energy to go to work 6 hours a night, after my wife gets home. So by the end of the week I am burnt out, which is where the not having energy comes in.
I love my boys more than anything, but right now they are testing my patience, and I worry it is affecting my relationship with them, especially my 4 y/o. I feel the only way to get through to him is by raising my voice or yelling at him when I feel he is doing something wrong,
and I don't enforce timeout with him, I cave way to easy because of the lack of energy.
He always tells me he loves me and I tell him I love him, but I feel like I am hurting him now by not being forceful when I need to be. My wife says it seems like I don't connect with him, and I have been feeling with the same way for a while. I just don't want him to hate me when he gets older, I don't have the greatest relationship with my Dad, and the fear of my boys not having a great relationship with me when they get older strikes a nerve with me.
I just need to be sure to show him I love him and be forceful when I need to be and supportive when I have to be.
I wish I could know the right decision at all times but this is a learning experience,as is life. I am just going through a rough patch, and this blog is helping me vent my frustrations. ]]> xmas365 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=198 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=197 Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:14:04 GMT No, I haven't forgotten about Christmas and my New Year's resolution, but we broke "quarantine" once for a thirty second errand so now the whole family (but the baby) is sick. No fun at all. I'm left with very little time to write. On the other hand, this cold is being pretty gentle with me and my eldest is almost recovered, so here's to Spring and good health!

When I've had the chance, I've looked at recipes and read up on Old World Christmas traditions, as well as the traditions of my recent ancestors. (On the off chance that someone from the Taste of Home forums where I'm doing my holiday recipe research also reads here: hello! Yes, it's the same Sapsorrow!) The sheer number of "traditional" Christmas cookie recipes to wade through is pretty intimidating, but I now have a short list which includes gingerbread, shortbread, peppernuts, sugar cookies, biscotti, springerle, and speculatus (sp?). I'd also like to make our old standby acorn cookies, my father's favorite butterhorn cookies, classic chocolate chip, and my husband's favorite marzipan rainbow cookies, though that last one intimidates me. And it wouldn't be Christmas without sugar cakes and oatmeal raisin cookies for me. Now to determine which freeze well!

But it's the traditions that are interesting, isn't it? Tradition is my first line of defense against going overboard, spending too much, and focusing entirely on the material things. I admit that, when it's not Christmas season, it's hard for me to think about the beauty and mystery, the quiet and cold, or the clear nights that make Christmas Christmas, so instead I focus on what I can do ahead of time, which is pretty much all material. Tradition helps me put the brakes on that tendency.

I love how simple Christmas in the Old World, or even a few generations back in the New World, was. Most of my reading on this subject has been courtesy of Google Books (wow! what a resource, and free!), and cookbooks have been the biggest help since they tend to paint a whole picture around when a Christmas recipe would be used. Doesn't having people over for a casual, even potluck, Sunday dinner during Advent, then clearing the table for everyone to sit around sipping mulled wine (or tea for the kids) and making little paper basket ornaments for the tree sound wonderful? And I love the idea of making all the decorations each year, mostly out of food, but nothing really comes out for consumption (or viewing, in the case of the tree) until Christmas Eve. Then you enjoy your tree and all the treats you made throughout Advent until Epiphany, which has a cake and traditions of its own. I like the idea of gifts from Santa or Christkindl on Christmas or Christmas Eve, then personal gifts on New Year's, to spread out the fun. I even read about some people who make a gingerbread nativity scene, which is very appealing since I'd rather not buy one this year.

Our own twist on tradition is that we'll be decorating the tree with cookies and garlands of red peppernut cookies, as well as paper cones of candies, nuts, and cookies that don't hang very well. Then all we'll need to be set are a tree stand, some lights, an advent calendar for the year, and the gifts.

On a parting note, I've been considering doing a full Christmas notebook, since I generally love organizing, and I think I've found the perfect source of binders! Zazzle.com (kind of a cross between CafePress and Vistaprint) sells printed binders. You can either design your own or buy one of the many designs that's already available. I've fallen in love with a few designs that are there and now fantasize about designs for each holiday. ]]> Sapsorrow http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=197 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=196 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:11:58 GMT I have truly learned that being Mr. Mom is not as easy as I thought it would be. I have been doing this now for 1.5 years, and I thought it was... I have truly learned that being Mr. Mom is not as easy as I thought it would be. I have been doing this now for 1.5 years, and I thought it was going to get easier as they got older. Boy was I wrong! It has gotten more trying mainly because I didn't take into mind that the infant turns into a toddler who gets into everything. I had forgotten how "busy" they are from age 1 1/2 until ? LC turns 2 in March and his big brother JP turns 5 in April so I get a little breather next fall when JP goes to kindergarten. JP has developed a fear of everything in the last week I think it has something to do with seperation anxiety he does not want his mother to leave and wants to sleep with the light on. My other peeve is laundry no matter what I do I cannot stay on top of it I fall behind and have to try to do 6 loads in one day, and don't even bring up the folding. I give all the housewives and single mothers out there all the respect in the world. Since this is a Christmas site I have a little Christmas to bring up. Being in New England and having lawn decorations (3 LED trees and candy canes) they usually end up freezing to the ground, so yesterday during the monsoon we had up here I went outside and quickly got them up and put away, so they won't be out there until St. Patty's Day.
Well I got to do the laundry.


RIP Aunt Eleanor 1928-2010 We will miss you ]]> xmas365 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=196 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=195 Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:07:07 GMT You know what? Even if your Yuletide season lasts from December 6th to January 6th, there's still not that much to plan! This end of the year I'm stumped for what to do besides getting some gifts, perennial Christmas supplies, and collecting recipes. Lord knows, I'm not going to plan schedules and menus without knowing when the parades, festival of the trees and so on are even happening!

I have cards, address labels, and gift tags, a strand of string lights, cloth bags for wrapping, our temporary stockings, totes for wrapping, a book of carols, a bundle of stocking stuffers for the girls, and two of their gifts (both books). That's more prepared than we've ever been, but I don't feel very prepared at all! In my mind I'm thinking: tree stand, strings of lights, garlands, ornaments, more gifts, etc. I'm a little bit fretful about having no creche or advent calendar.

This really isn't how I wanted to approach Christmas in 2010. Actually, this is just about exactly what I wanted to avoid! Yes, I want gifts under the tree and in the stockings, but I wanted more joy, more of the Christmas spirit. I certainly don't want to burn out on Christmas now that I've finally rediscovered it, and I don't want to stress the children.

Therefore, before we even get out of the first month of planning, I have settled on a new approach: my monthly "work" days I'm going to put on a Christmas album, read some of my favorite Christmas stories, journal about Christmas, and aim for a cup of tea and a cookie. This end of the year I'm going to write a list of the year-after-year items that we don't have (tree stand, garlands, string lights, ornaments, nativity, and advent calender), then collect those. I'm going to buy some gifts each month, because that's a function of our seasonal business and if I didn't do that there'd be nothing under the tree. Recipes, menu planning, and things like that can't happen until six months ahead of time, no sooner. ]]> Sapsorrow http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=195 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=194 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:23:50 GMT I officially know that my 1 y/o toddler is becoming a Christmas nut, the last few days when he has gone to bed or gone down for a nap he has to have... I officially know that my 1 y/o toddler is becoming a Christmas nut, the last few days when he has gone to bed or gone down for a nap he has to have 2 things with him his binky and his brothers Santa Claus action figure (from Rudolph)
Put him in his crib and he looks for Santa and clutches him as he falls asleep. Here we are
not a month past Christmas and 3 of the toys my older son got have been broken 2 repaired with super glue and one to the big toy store in the sky.
He is still learning to pick things up and not leave things where his brother can get to it.
Have you ever noticed how many people wear their pajamas in public? I am noticing it more and more lately both men and women. I guess I just do not get it, I can't even go out to the driveway to get my Sunday paper in my PJs.
Have a happy and safe weekend. ]]> xmas365 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=194 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=193 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:55:51 GMT Strange day up in 413 today, kids were nuts today little one down for nap other off to preschool, much needed quiet time before I go off to work for... Strange day up in 413 today, kids were nuts today
little one down for nap other off to preschool,
much needed quiet time before I go off to work for the evening. Went and rented Night at the Museum 2, they didn't take the lock off of the case so I have to go back and have them remove it:x
I dropped off my boy at preschool and went to buy the newspaper, and a squall goes by with the
most picturesque snowfall I've seen in a long time.
Looked like ones you see in the movies with the BIG flakes everywhere very Christmasy, now it is blue skies and very sunny. Looking forward to Penguins vs Capitals tomorrow night Crosby vs Ovie. I'll be writing soon, finding this blog thing pretty relaxing after 2 postings ]]> xmas365 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=193 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=192 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:14:07 GMT But apparently not writer's block!

I sat down to write my Christmas letter short story rough draft only for it to dribble pitifully over the page. It's evident that I'm not one of those snappy lifestyle article authors that can write a self-absorbed mostly non-fiction self-deprecating piece in the first person. That and my inspiration won't carry a whole story. I need to seek out a bit more inspiration and go back to that.

Additionally, I sat down to work on the cookbooks. What a project! I began to write the notes on thrift topics and historic notes (each cookbook has a different focus, but there's overlap in the notes), but found I wanted to test a few things out in the kitchen before writing their sections since I had some ideas about prep that, if they work, would save time, money, and effort so I'd like to include them.

As if that weren't bad enough, my muse is pitching inspiration at me for a whole different story for the girls!

All I can say for myself is that it's lucky I started work on these, and the genealogical research, so early! At least the basic research for this year's genealogy gifts are done. I can go to print on them with a two week lead time for my husband to come up with the artwork and for the printer. Naturally, that means I'm going to continue researching to add as much as I can, right up until I'm getting them in only by the skin of my teeth. I'm no Tolkien, but I sympathize with his perfectionism.

In other preparatory news, my "Christmas" flicker light order is shipping, but I got the very last one! Unfortunately, that means only one is shipping rather than the several I'd ordered, but they say they'll have them again next year. ]]> Sapsorrow http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=192 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=191 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:09:40 GMT Time is moving to quickly right now, I have a tree up that I need to take down, took the first one down last Monday, was to take down the second one... Time is moving to quickly right now, I have a tree up that I need to take down, took the first one down last Monday, was to take down the second one down over the weekend but got behind.
I know part of the problem is I don't want to do it because it is the end of decorations until November.
:celebrate:


Let the bells ring out for Christmas! ]]> xmas365 http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/blog.php?b=191