Yes I'm writing about the Christmas Village in March. The Friday 5 jogged my memory and who knows if I'll still be blogging regularly in December. Listen, if I were actually GOOD at blogging I'd be rolling in influencer cash by now. Many, MANY years ago I started collecting Department 56 Christmas in the City houses. I only had a few because I was in my mid 20s and they were horrifically expensive. Years go by and I end up with WM. And, oddly, the Christmas Village scratches an itch for ...
We Made a Yule Log Cake!
But first, happy 18th birthday to my blog! Eighteen years ago today I moved from a flat HTML site with monthly updates to updating daily/a few times a day on Blogger. Most of the archives are online and navigable by going to ARCHIVES in the left hand bar and using the dropdown to find the months/years. Maybe NOW the blog can get a job and make me some money? Ok, NOW about the cake.Faced with a low-key Christmas after a very difficult year, I decided to spend my time and precious little ...
I loved Die Hard, which is not a Christmas Movie
Last year I bought WM these Die Hard themed Funko Pops as Christmas decor because he, like many on The Internet, believe that Die Hard is a Christmas movie. And I humored him, because I had never seen the movie before. But lo! The Friday before Christmas, the Movie Night (non-random) poll served up Die Hard, Gremlins, and Mickey's Christmas Carol. Die Hard won and I finally got to watch it. I wasn't expecting much, but friends, I LOVED THIS MOVIE! I loved the execution of the buddy cop ...
What I’m Listening to: Dominick the Donkey
This was on Twitter the other day: And I was a little bit surprised, but not much, because WM says he never heard of the song (and hated it on first listen). As a highly-diluted Italianish-American, I'm happy to fix this oversight for the rest of you! Lou Monte is also the esteemed singer of "Shaddapa You Face," "Lazy Mary," and "Pepino, the Italian Mouse." Look them up at your own risk. ...
Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus? VIRGINIA O’HANLON.115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET. VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s ...
Gift Wrapping Tips
Back in college, I worked at the JCPenney department store at our local mall. I got the job a few days before my 19th birthday and because I "seemed bright" I was assigned to the Catalog/Credit/Customer Service department, which was the most chaotic department on normal days. (During back to school season, Juniors/Young Men's/Children's were awful. The week before Easter Children's would be a disaster. Before Valentine's Day, it was Jewelry.) Part of my responsibilities included gift wrap, a ...
Our Christmas Trees
(written while listening to Classic Christmas Music)When we moved to our very suburban, split-level house on Literary Lane, we knew that our Christmas tree belonged in the large window facing the street. And it looks GORGEOUS there. And we were 100% right. ...
Holiday Cards 2020
(blogged while listening to John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together) I enjoy sending and receiving cards for the holiday. It's an old-timey habit that I really thought was dying out a few years back. Turns out, you just need to find people who care about cards as much as you do! In October/November of 2019, I began to dabble in making cards. I knew that I wanted to make some of our cards this year, but I knew that I would be overwhelmed knowing I had to make fifty-plus ...
Candles
This time of year we light candles to celebrate the retreating darkness, to celebrate miracles and survival, to tell the story of a baby born to poor parents who grew up to be the light of the world, and/or to celebrate a shared culture and history. Whatever you're lighting your candles for this month, I wish you peace, joy, and a new year that brings safety, love, and warmth to everyone. until then we'll have to muddle through somehow... ...
What I’m Listening To: Any Pentatonix Christmas Song
Seriously. They're all good. Every song is good. This Youtube playlist is 75 songs long. If you don't want to listen to four hours of Pentatonix (why wouldn't you, what's wrong with you?) I heartily recommend their version of "When You Believe" which I have been listening to heavily all year. My favorite songs on their new Christmas album are "We Need a Little Christmas" and" Jingle Bell Pop" which is a bouncy, happy mix of a bunch of jingle bell songs, and a version of "Amazing Grace ...
Murphy, December 2020
Murphy has BIG FEELINGS, whether it's barkingly upset or barkingly happy or whiningly sad or growlingly irritated. As we headed into our first Christmas with Murphy back in 2017, we were worried that he'd destroy all of the holiday decorations. We were wrong. Because Murphy LOVES Christmas. He doesn't knock into the trees. He is respectful of the Christmas village. He tosses the regular sofa pillows on the floor but leaves the Christmas throw pillows alone. He never barks at the fire ...
Christmas Movie Roundup
I unapologetically watch Hallmark Christmas movies between Thanksgiving until New Year's. I love all of their cheesiness and I'm all for thin plots and happy endings. Here are few that I've seen lately...all movies are on Hallmark unless indicated otherwise. One Royal HolidayTHIS IS MY FAVORITE EVER. The stodgy Crown Prince of Gallick, his mother the Queen of Gallick, and their hunky bodyguard are traveling to the airport after visiting the Boston Hospital where the late King had a heart ...
