Holiday Yule Log

Having lived in houses most of my life that had a fire place I always enjoyed that warm glow of the fire on Christmas. Even if it was 60 degrees out!

M and I don't have a fire place and since she grew up on Puerto Rico, they are a bit of a mystery to her.

Then I told her about the Yule Log on TV.

She did NOT believe me when I told her that there was a fireplace on TV that they broad casted every Christmas morning so that people without fireplaces could "enjoy a nice fireside".

One Christmas morning I found the Yule Log on TV and had it on for her when she woke up!

She was hooked!

Now we watched it High Definition on a 40inch big screen!

Ahhhhh, I can hear the crackling popping fire and almost feel it's toasty warmth!

For those of you who don't have the Yule Log broadcast in your area...fret not - it's on You Tube...of course!



Enjoy and Merry Christmas all!

Google 3

Google 2

Google

I always enjoyed Googles little pictures. I have stumbled upon some interesting things by clicking on the image.

Looks like they are decorating for the Holidays!

What gets you going?

I'm usually pretty enthusiastic about the Holidays! As soon as I hear the Christmas music on the radio I sing right along, I like the ritual of putting up the tree and the decorations and creating a different atmosphere in my home and making it more festive. I used to bake cookies from scratch and send out Holiday cards on the day after Thanksgiving!

Last year was a tough one for me. My Mom had passed away in August of 2006 and then in September, I tore my ACL and was not as ambulatory as I wanted to be. I was a bit depressed and wasn't sure if I would have the energy or the enthusiasm to even want to try. I did manage to get the house semi-decorated and once it was done, I sat back an enjoyed it. It transforms the house, breaks up the routine and for about 2 weeks during the year, it creates a different mood.

I guess what is hard for me, is no one in my home shares my enthusiasm. M never had a tree when she was living on her own and doesn't understand why I need to do this every year. After 11 years, you would think she would have gotten the point by now, but noooooooooooooooo! My son lives in Chicago, so he can't help and my daughter splits her time between working and going to school, so she isn't really around too much to lend a hand.

One year I got so pissed off that no one helped me decorate the house that I bought a cheap 2 foot tree, stuck some lights and a few red balls on it and stuck it on a table. My way of saying - Here's your fucking Christmas tree everyone!

The only one that suffered, was me. No one else really cared if we had a tree or not!!!

I was deflated and after that year I told myself that if decorating the house makes you happy, then you're going to have to do it all on your own.

And so I do!

I climb up the ladder into thte attic and pull down all of the boxes of decorations. I stick some Christmas music on and crank up the volume, put on my little Santa hat and get in the "Holiday Decorating Zone!" Then when I'm all done, I turn off all of the house lights, plug in the tree and change the music so it's a little softer and then just sit there and look at it!

I love it!

Does anyone one else have anything that gets them into the holiday spirit?

Holiday Eating Tips

Someone sent this to me in an e-mail....I thougt I'd pass it along!

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean , have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, "WOO HOO, what a ride!"

Have a great holiday season.

It's a miracle!

I heard M whistling "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" this morning! This is a big deal to me!

M is not a big fan of Christmas music. She doesn't mind the occasional Christmas song on the radio once in a while, but this all Christmas music all of the time thing that most of the stations are playing is getting to her.

She also doesn't understand why I decorate the house for Christmas! I gave up trying to reason with her and now I just tell it it's because it makes me happy! She's offered to help me this year, so that has also made me very happy!

I'm going to blast the Christmas songs! heh, heh, heh! Or should I say: Ho! Ho! Ho!

Christmas Meme

I found this meme on Lolatini's blog and thought I would play along too!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both - I used to be really anal about wrapping my presents so they looked really pretty, but now that I've gotten older, I've gotten lazy. If you get a gift from me that is wrapped - then you know you're special because I took the time to do it!

2. Real tree or artificial? I love real trees...I hate the mess they make. I went artificial the year before they came out with the trees that already had the lights on them. Shucks

3. When do you put up the tree? 2 weeks before Christmas usually. I don't like it up too early because it takes up so much room.

4. When do you take the tree down? New Years day, but I've been told it's bad luck to take it down before Jan. 6th.

5. Do you like eggnog? Oh yeah!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My new two wheel bike~ It was purple and had a banana seat and a sissy bar and purple and white tassels on the handles. I thought I was the shit on that bike!

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes - it's from Ireland. I love it!

8. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad - he's 71 and has everything...what do you buy someone like that?

9. Easiest person to buy for? Kids - they always want money!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I guess I'm more of an e-mailer these days.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't remember, but I think my ex-husband probably was involved in it.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Grinch That Stole Christmas

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Depends - I sometimes buy Christmas gifts when I travel if I find unique things.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? yes I have!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Russian Tea Cakes - my Mom used to make them every year!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I like clear.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Merry Christmas Darling by the Carpenters (see below)

17b. Christmas Song That, When You Hear It, Makes Your Eyes Bleed And Your Brains Start To Leak Out Your Ears, Because That Is Less Painful Than Having To Listen To That *&%^&$# Song One More Time! Anything in the vein of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" (obnoxious!) or "Christmas Shoes" (over-the-top shmaltziness). (I'll keep Lg's remarks...I agree!)

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay at home most of the time. I do most of the cooking

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeers? I'm so distracted by the fact that someone used the word "reindeers" in this question, but I'll do my best: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donner, Cupid, Comet, Blitzen, Rudolph. (I'm keepign LG's response here too...ditto!)

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both - If I had my way, we wold wait until Christmas day, but M can't stand to wait that long!!!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Traffic

24. Favorite Christmas Tradition? Just having my family here for the holidays. Now that my kids are older and I don't see them as often, that time with them is the best!

25. Outdoor decorations? I haven't put anything up because our house is still in disarray from the kitchen project. I probably will not do lights outside again this year because it's too late in the season.

If you want to play! Please do!

Christmas Lights

As a child I was always excited to see the different lights people would put up around their house during the holiday season. I haven't grown out of this at all, but I think my view of the lights have changed.

No longer do I have the fascination and simple view of a kid - I've turned into a Christmas light Critic in my old age.

Let me preface this whole blog by informing you of my particular taste in lights - white. Plain ol' white, framing the house and the windows, nothing blinking.

I'm a vanilla holiday light girl.

That being said - I will always appreciate a nice display of color lights, as long as it is within the realm of good taste.

I was driving around in my little neighborhood last night and most folks have their lights up by now. A smile came across my face as I was driving by each one. Most displays fall into one these different categories:

• Perfect Displays! - Some people are very anal about their lights. They are spaced out perfectly, everything is symmetrical and you can tell they put a lot of time into it. Maybe a few lighted reindeer in the lawn and and nice simple wreath on the door and pine rope garland around the posts. It's obvious they paid someone to do this for them!
• Pretty, just not perfect - Other folks definitely had a plan in mind, but maybe they just didn't have the time, the resources or the patience to be as anal as category #1. They still look very nice. Happy! Festive! Fun!
• Lights Overboard - the credo for Lights Overboard is more lights is always better. There isn't any particular rhyme or reason to it, but there is a LOT of it! Single color lights on the trees, multi-color lights on the bushes, white lights around the house, icicle lights on the eaves...lots and lots and lots of lights!
• The Minimalist - One strand of lights around the door. These always cracked me up - why bother!?!?
• Religious - Usually a simple Nativity on the front lawn with a light shining on it. Simple and effective.
• Holiday Regurgitation, power draining, eye straining mind blowing, what the hell were they thinking - this is my favorite. You know them...the holidays just threw up all over their house! They have lights overboard, and they all blink....at different speeds. Lights around the house, lights in the bushes, up the trees, in the trees!!! Different colors, different types and just thrown on. Illuminated plastic Santa is on the roof with his little reindeer, the illuminated plastic snowman is on the lawn with the plastic candy canes and illuminated plastic candles and illuminated plastic wooden soldiers. These never stand straight either...all of these plastic things kind of tilt and the first gust of wind that comes...and they are down! And of course...my very favorite holiday decoration of all time - the blow ups!!! Who the hell invented these things and why have they become so popular? Holiday regurgitation will usually have multiple blow ups on their lawn. I counted 6 on one house the other day. That is just obscene.

This is my house...as I said, I like to keep it simple and tactful, but I do like to make a statement! My neighbors love it...absolutely love it! I added a little color and some music and a few other things this year just to spice it up a bit...I hope you all like it!

I hope I didn't go too fancy.

Holiday Gift Giving

I'm going to copy a bit from one of Middle Girl's posts and add to it.





I found this wonderful website today and I think I can cover just about everyone on my gift list in one great location.





My favorite so far is the USB Pole Dancer!

It plugs into your computer and dances and gyrates to your music while you work!

How cool is that?

I wonder if it comes with little $1 bills too? Hmmmm!

The Farting Santa and the Fanny Farting Crack Bank are also right up there as things that I just must buy for someone (other than myself of course!)

I could spend all day wondering around this website!!!