Thursday, December 17, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
I like Christmas.
Hoooo, boy! Crazy, this month they call December. I thought I was really on top of things this year. I started brainstorming ideas for gifts a few months ago, since that is after all the hardest part of Christmas shopping. It is infinitely easier when you have a list of the name of the person you would like to get a gift for, with the gift you want to give them next to their name. Plus, then you're giving them something you are excited to give them because you put thought into it, instead of some hasty bottle of lotion thrown in some cellophane (But who doesn't love lotion?! There's nothing wrong with lotion. If you bought me some lotion for Christmas, I will LOVE it. [Especially since James is using all of mine by the gallon on his thighs. {He is not going to be happy about this parenthetical insertion. (What's the deal with dry thighs?) Annnnnnd...... end it now}]).
What was I saying? Ah yes, Christmas shopping. I'm almost done. And the reason I wanted to get all the to-do's done early is because I LOVE this time of year. I don't want to squander all these happy, warm feelings rushing around fighting my way through crowds at Walmart with a machete; hacking my way down the toy aisle past parents staring with cloudy eyes at the endless, pointless array of Polly Pockets and Hot Wheels. Depressing. Dude, can't you think of anything you've been waiting to get for your child but haven't already indulged them in? Or do they already have everything so you have to wander the aisles of Walmart aimlessly with a wad of $20's in your clammy palm, looking for something--anything!--to wrap and shove under your Pottery Barn Christmas Tree? And this is the feeling that, to me, is so far from the true meaning of Christmas that I like to avoid the mad fever of Christmas shopping during December, even though I am certainly not opposed to the tradition of Santa Clause and gift giving, within reason. Some people go to extremes and condemn everything materialistic associated with Christmas. I can see where they're coming from. But it makes me happy to get gifts for people. And to take our neighbors treats. And send out Christmas cards (which I'm doing for the first time this year--yay!! If you are not related to me and/or you don't think I have your address, leave it in a comment and I'll send you one!). And it also makes me happy to pass on the magic of the Santa Clause tradition to our children. I know Jesus is the reason for the season. And I'm trying to help them learn that. But I think Santa Clause is just a jolly good man who helps make the joys of Christmas more palpable for children.
And ahhhhhhhh........ Christmas music. Christmas music just takes all the static energy of the joys of Christmas and converts it into the kinetic (audio?) energy of song. I like to go to Pandora radio and type in "Classical Christmas" and just leave it playing in the background all day. Plus the good ol' originals, Bing Crosby, The Carpenters, Johnny Mathis. I could go on. It is always the music of Christmas that makes that golden joy just bubble up inside me. I love the Christmas hymns. I love "O Holy Night." My favorite part of that song are the lyrics:
Christ is the Lord!
O praise His name forever!
Noel! Noel!
That is the climax of the song, and many versions skip that part, or never get to it. I like the Il Divo version, because they sing that part properly. I love the word Noel; it is a unique word that celebrates the birth of the Savior. I could name a daughter Noel(le). In fact, maybe I will.
I also love the coziness of Christmas. We have a small, gangly tree this year, reminiscent of the Charlie Brown tree only taller and less pathetic. It's a homey tree with homemade cookie-cutter salt dough ornaments from 2 years ago, and white lights. It looks cozy in our yellow living room. There is snow outside. Our house is warm, and we have plenty of food to eat. All of our needs and many of our wants are met. We have family whom we love, and who love us. We have good friends. We have lots of good memories. On demand, I can usually think of something that makes me laugh hard. If you want proof of that, today as I was getting the kids a pre-church snack, I suddenly burst out laughing. A real laugh, that continued for the better part of a minute. Beth was like, "Mom, what's so funny?" looking at me weirdly. I walked into the living room and sent James a text that said, basically, "remember when....." The memory was of when, 4 or 5 years ago, we were in Texas and eating at Daniel and Alycia's house one time. Alycia's parents were there and had brought some jerky. They dumped it on a plate and, as typical in the Ure family, it was gone within several minutes. This was nothing to bat an eye at among our crowd, but Alycia's dad, Todd, was apparently quite taken aback by Richard's (or was it Daniel's?) nonchalant comment, "Hey, that jerky was kinda good." He responded, incredulously, "KINDA good?!!! You DEVOURED it!!!!" I am laughing out loud just typing it. Probably one of those things that is funnier if you were there. And if you are me, and you laugh hard at those kinds of things. Silly girl.
In other tooooootally unrelated news (I might be a better writer if I would just stick to a catchy little one-subject blurb like a "Dear Santa" letter instead of spilling my heart and soul out to you and letting the contents flood out any sort of format. No matter. Read on.), James and I are having a little competish entitled "the biggest loser/gainer/all-around improver of one's overall appearance." That's right. I was even brave enough to let him take a "before" shot of me. Yikes, yikes, yikes. No, I will not be posting it. But we will be emailing them to Nels and Suzy, since they will be the lucky fools who get to judge our competition. We started December 15 and we are ending February 15. 3 months. And I am already very sore. I got through some wicked post-lunges/squats soreness last week, and am currently enduring some insane post-butterflies/skull crunchers soreness right now. James is trying to beef up, and I am trying to polish off the whole love handles and front paunch thing I've got going....as hot as that is right now. So wish me luck. I am usually pretty unmotivated at stuff like this. But let's just say a cash reward has helped me work up a little enthusiasm. $)
So......... to wrap things up I'll throw in a
MERRY CHRISTMAS
or...
Happy Hannukah! For all my Jewish readers out there. You never know. I got an ad from Best Buy that said "Happy Hannukuh!" on the front, with nothing about Christmas. Nothing. Just trying to reverse the discrimination and even things out. That, or they are just trying to welcome all those Jews in St. George who shop at best buy. Aaaaaaaallllllll those Jewish people. I love Jews. I just thought it was funny.
I hope your season is merry and bright. Go have a cup of hot cocoa with a candy cane melted in it. And listen to a Christmas hymn and remember the Holy Night. Remember Mary, and Joseph, and the wee holy babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. I hope it was warm that night, and that he was warm enough in those swaddling clothes. Remember the star of Bethlehem, and the shepherds and the angels. Remember why we all rejoiced on that night. Remember what He did for us. "Sing praise to Him, remember Him as you picture Christmas this year!"
p.s. Thanks for reading.
What was I saying? Ah yes, Christmas shopping. I'm almost done. And the reason I wanted to get all the to-do's done early is because I LOVE this time of year. I don't want to squander all these happy, warm feelings rushing around fighting my way through crowds at Walmart with a machete; hacking my way down the toy aisle past parents staring with cloudy eyes at the endless, pointless array of Polly Pockets and Hot Wheels. Depressing. Dude, can't you think of anything you've been waiting to get for your child but haven't already indulged them in? Or do they already have everything so you have to wander the aisles of Walmart aimlessly with a wad of $20's in your clammy palm, looking for something--anything!--to wrap and shove under your Pottery Barn Christmas Tree? And this is the feeling that, to me, is so far from the true meaning of Christmas that I like to avoid the mad fever of Christmas shopping during December, even though I am certainly not opposed to the tradition of Santa Clause and gift giving, within reason. Some people go to extremes and condemn everything materialistic associated with Christmas. I can see where they're coming from. But it makes me happy to get gifts for people. And to take our neighbors treats. And send out Christmas cards (which I'm doing for the first time this year--yay!! If you are not related to me and/or you don't think I have your address, leave it in a comment and I'll send you one!). And it also makes me happy to pass on the magic of the Santa Clause tradition to our children. I know Jesus is the reason for the season. And I'm trying to help them learn that. But I think Santa Clause is just a jolly good man who helps make the joys of Christmas more palpable for children.
And ahhhhhhhh........ Christmas music. Christmas music just takes all the static energy of the joys of Christmas and converts it into the kinetic (audio?) energy of song. I like to go to Pandora radio and type in "Classical Christmas" and just leave it playing in the background all day. Plus the good ol' originals, Bing Crosby, The Carpenters, Johnny Mathis. I could go on. It is always the music of Christmas that makes that golden joy just bubble up inside me. I love the Christmas hymns. I love "O Holy Night." My favorite part of that song are the lyrics:
Christ is the Lord!
O praise His name forever!
Noel! Noel!
That is the climax of the song, and many versions skip that part, or never get to it. I like the Il Divo version, because they sing that part properly. I love the word Noel; it is a unique word that celebrates the birth of the Savior. I could name a daughter Noel(le). In fact, maybe I will.
I also love the coziness of Christmas. We have a small, gangly tree this year, reminiscent of the Charlie Brown tree only taller and less pathetic. It's a homey tree with homemade cookie-cutter salt dough ornaments from 2 years ago, and white lights. It looks cozy in our yellow living room. There is snow outside. Our house is warm, and we have plenty of food to eat. All of our needs and many of our wants are met. We have family whom we love, and who love us. We have good friends. We have lots of good memories. On demand, I can usually think of something that makes me laugh hard. If you want proof of that, today as I was getting the kids a pre-church snack, I suddenly burst out laughing. A real laugh, that continued for the better part of a minute. Beth was like, "Mom, what's so funny?" looking at me weirdly. I walked into the living room and sent James a text that said, basically, "remember when....." The memory was of when, 4 or 5 years ago, we were in Texas and eating at Daniel and Alycia's house one time. Alycia's parents were there and had brought some jerky. They dumped it on a plate and, as typical in the Ure family, it was gone within several minutes. This was nothing to bat an eye at among our crowd, but Alycia's dad, Todd, was apparently quite taken aback by Richard's (or was it Daniel's?) nonchalant comment, "Hey, that jerky was kinda good." He responded, incredulously, "KINDA good?!!! You DEVOURED it!!!!" I am laughing out loud just typing it. Probably one of those things that is funnier if you were there. And if you are me, and you laugh hard at those kinds of things. Silly girl.
In other tooooootally unrelated news (I might be a better writer if I would just stick to a catchy little one-subject blurb like a "Dear Santa" letter instead of spilling my heart and soul out to you and letting the contents flood out any sort of format. No matter. Read on.), James and I are having a little competish entitled "the biggest loser/gainer/all-around improver of one's overall appearance." That's right. I was even brave enough to let him take a "before" shot of me. Yikes, yikes, yikes. No, I will not be posting it. But we will be emailing them to Nels and Suzy, since they will be the lucky fools who get to judge our competition. We started December 15 and we are ending February 15. 3 months. And I am already very sore. I got through some wicked post-lunges/squats soreness last week, and am currently enduring some insane post-butterflies/skull crunchers soreness right now. James is trying to beef up, and I am trying to polish off the whole love handles and front paunch thing I've got going....as hot as that is right now. So wish me luck. I am usually pretty unmotivated at stuff like this. But let's just say a cash reward has helped me work up a little enthusiasm. $)
So......... to wrap things up I'll throw in a
MERRY CHRISTMAS
or...
Happy Hannukah! For all my Jewish readers out there. You never know. I got an ad from Best Buy that said "Happy Hannukuh!" on the front, with nothing about Christmas. Nothing. Just trying to reverse the discrimination and even things out. That, or they are just trying to welcome all those Jews in St. George who shop at best buy. Aaaaaaaallllllll those Jewish people. I love Jews. I just thought it was funny.
I hope your season is merry and bright. Go have a cup of hot cocoa with a candy cane melted in it. And listen to a Christmas hymn and remember the Holy Night. Remember Mary, and Joseph, and the wee holy babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. I hope it was warm that night, and that he was warm enough in those swaddling clothes. Remember the star of Bethlehem, and the shepherds and the angels. Remember why we all rejoiced on that night. Remember what He did for us. "Sing praise to Him, remember Him as you picture Christmas this year!"
p.s. Thanks for reading.
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