Favorite Christmas Movies

Every year there is a new holiday movie (or two or three). I enjoy these movies, but not all of them. I've been thinking this week about the ones I like, and the ones I don't, and why... I guess it would be fair to say that I'm a movie snob to some degree--I can be hard to impress (with my theatre/acting training background and all that), but really it's not about the quality of the acting so much as the quality of the message.

I LIKE

1. Scrooge (with Albert Finney). It's an awesome rendition of "A Christmas Carol" in fact, it's the first version of that story that I ever liked. I also happen to enjoy all the songs--so far as I can recall, I like every single one. That's pretty rare for me!
   
2. The Santa Clause. It's cute, it's fun, and it puts the magic in Christmas. The sequels are pretty silly, but I really like the original one.
   
3. It's a Wonderful Life. It's a little bit cheesy, but such a good message...and frankly it's become a piece of our culture's history, so you need to see it if you want to be culturally literate.
   
4. Miracle on 34th Street (the old black & white one...I've never seen the new one, so I can't say if it's any good or not) Answers some age-old questions about Kris Kringle (yes, he speaks Danish), Let's just say, "I believe!"
   
5. Dr Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the old animated one of course) How could anyone not love Boris Karloff's singing and the Dr's original art?!
6. Muppet Christmas Carol. Because Kermit Cratchet sings the coolest syncopated song ever, and it's funny when the little peons in Scrooge's office bust out a luau.
   

I DON'T LIKE
(as in, I will go to some length to avoid seeing it)

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas. This is because I don't like Charlie Brown. I think he's depressing
2. A Christmas Story. Can we just say dysfunctional family? How can this be considered a classic? Again, depressing.
3. The Grinch (Jim Carrey). Rude, crude, and just really really pathetic. I was excitedly hoping for something that would live up to the first movie...this didn't live up to anything.
   
4. White Christmas. I was really really bored
5. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (the stop-animation one with Burl Ives). Um, I just think it's annoying from one end to the other.
6. The Nightmare Before Christmas. I didn't even make it to the end. Dark, depressing, creepy...oh wait, it was Tim Burton. No wonder I hated it.
   
7. Elf. I had hoped it would be nice--the premise was cute...but EWWWWW. I should know better than to think that Will Farrell would make a clean or quality movie.
   

What Christmas movies do you love?
Which ones do you not love?
Why?

I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but those are the first ones I thought of (I reserve the right to edit the list a bit if someone comments about a movie I have strong feelings about!!)
This year I want to see Fred Claus. I'm prepared for it to be pretty dumb, but ya always gotta see the new one, you know?

The Very Best Christmas Present Ever

My dad has been a school teacher for the last 20 years. On the first day of school after Christmas break, all the kids would come in comparing notes of what they got for Christmas. Dad would quiet them down, and say "I only want to hear one thing--what was the best present that you GAVE?"
This attitude is one I maintain. If course it's nice to receive some nice things, but if it is better to give than to receive (and I hope by now you know that I truly believe that it is!), then the focus should not be on how much I've spent or whether I have x number of presents for this person or that, but rather on the quality and sentiment of the gifts I give.

So what is the best present you have given?



I will share mine:

My parents live on a single income (that of a school teacher). There are 9 kids in the family, so the budget is often tight. Once a year (and only once--on Mom's birthday) my parents go out for a nice dinner. Last Christmas, for the first time in 4 years, all of us kids were going to be back home for Christmas. Hubby and I were talking about could we get together to do something nice for my parents, and we had the idea of everybody putting in however much they could afford--even just $1--toward a gift certificate to send Mom and Dad out to dinner someplace nice. So I talked with all my siblings...college students, young parents, jobless teenagers, and one 6 year old (yup, he's a caboose)...some had bigger budgets than others, but everyone (even the 6 year old) contributed a little. When it came down to it, we had come up with more than I had anticipated. So we sent them to the Space Needle. They have lived in the Seattle area for over 20 years, and never been to that iconic rotating restaurant in the sky.
I will never forget the looks on their faces when they opened the envelope and saw the card, and saw that it was literally from ALL of us. Mom cried. Dad sat in silence for a bit, and then said quietly "wow."

Christmas Canon (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)

I love these guys, and this is beautiful.

In the Middle of a Miracle

God does notice us, and he watches over us.
But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.
~Spencer W Kimball, 1974

This year I had the opportunity to be a part of a miracle.
I had this little scrap of pretty blue fabric with the Star of David on it. It had been tucked away for a couple of years, with the thought that maybe I could make some beanbags or something with it. This year I dug it out and did just that, thinking that beanbags might sell in my etsy shop. I made a little trio of beanbags, took photos, and made the listing...
And then I was reading along in the MDC thread about the Holiday Helpers. I have mentioned before how I like to help with HH. The coordinator mentioned that many people were supplying clothing and gift cards, but they really wanted to try to provide at least one toy for each child on the list, and did anyone have toys they could contribute. I had the immediate urging to ask if there were any Jewish families in need. Why yes, family #63 was Jewish. So I went and read their profile. They have a toddler who is just a few months younger than Bear, and they actually had beanbags specifically on their list of hoped-for items!

Only one family (of over 200) was Jewish.

Only one family had beanbags on their list.

It was the same family.

And I had a trio of perfect Chanukah beanbags sitting in a box under my sewing desk.

I had sewn a set of beanbags with the thought that they might earn me a little money. I didn't know at the time that God was going to use me to bless a family in need. When I learned the truth, I was overwhelmed. Truly, God's tender mercies made a little miracle for this family, and I was just blessed enough to get to be in the middle of it.

One King

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs. It's by Point of Grace, but I wasn't able to find a youtube of them that I could embed here. (I have their album "A Christmas Story" which is where the song is from, and I heartily recommend it.)
Anyway, this is a rendition done by some sisters in a church...I don't know who they are or where they're from, but they do the song justice.

One king held the frankincense
One king held the myrrh
One king held the purest gold...
and
One King held the hope of the world

In Which I am a Burly Alaskan Woman

My facebook status as of 4:03pm

I just got back from some SERIOUS BACKWOODS BUSHWHACKING to get a Christmas tree. With a 30lb toddler on my back no less.

CB at 4:05pm December 6

You are a burly Alaskan woman! Nice work!

GC at 4:18pm December 6

You ARE the WOMAN!!!

BN at 4:18pm December 6

That's so traditional Christmas of you! Even if it was tough, I bet it makes for a nice memory. :)

So, we live in a rural area...so rural in fact, that the official policy of the national forest (yes, you got that, federally protected wild forest) is that everyone who lives here is welcome to hike on up and cut themselves a Christmas tree. No charge. I suspect that deer take out more trees annually than Christmas-Tree-hunters.
This morning we bundled everybody up and headed up the mountain. When I say 'up' you should understand that I mean that in a most literal sense...several portions of the 'trail' are 70-80% grade (in other words, you climb up with your hands and feet). Please keep in mind that I did this with a 30 lb toddler on my back...a toddler who kept saying "walk, mommy, I walk!"
The 'trail' is narrow, and substantial portions of it are a stream bed. In other words, when you take a step, you may put your foot into 3 inches of snow; OR you may put your foot into 3 inches of snow AND 3-12 inches of very soft very wet mud; OR you may put your foot into 3 inches of snow, 1/4 inch of slushy ice, and 3-? inches of water. Really really cold water. Walking up this trail is not for the faint of heart--there's a reason I've never gone up it before in the 15 months we've lived here!
I did a lot of holding onto branches of the shrubs and trees we passed...they were wet, they soaked my gloves, but they helped me keep my balance on the steep, wet, slippery, muddy, slushy, unpredictable ground! A few times Bear hollered "ow!" as cold water or a slippery branch flew at him, but for the most part he had the easy part of the trip. I got my pants wet halfway to my knees (but not inside my boots!) and I fell on my tooshie once...not to shabby, all things considered.
Wolf, on the other hand, felt the need to investigate nearly every pond we passed...these are places where the stream pools up...keep in mind that we do live in a rainforest, so there are LOTS of these pools. This pool was frozen over. I watched him poke at it with his stick, then step onto it, then step out toward the middle...then just stand there as the cracking sounds echoed beneath him...then as he fell through he whooped and hopped off. (Of course, he subsequently waded back in...)
Wolf got wet and cold nearly up to his waist.
Hubby, with the tree (which he then carried back down that same precarious trail)
Upon arriving home, I stripped everybody down and threw all the cold, wet, muddy clothes into the washing machine, and stuck both kids in the shower to warm up. Hubby put the kettle on and we all had some hot cocoa.
The tree is relaxing downstairs in a tub of water while we try to figure out how to put it up without a tree stand (since our stand is in a box in storage in Utah).

St Nicholas Day

"Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist..."

His real name was Nicholas, and he lived in the third century in what is now Turkey. He was a Catholic Bishop who was imprisoned for his faith. He saved children and sailors and gave money to the poor. He is the patron and protector of children, virgins, sailors, students, paupers, and all who are in trouble or need. December 6th is the anniversary of his death. The story of how a kindly bishop came to be the fat elf Santa Claus can be seen (literally, with lots of pictures) here.

I like to read my children the book "Santa, Are You For Real." It tells the story of a little boy whose friends tell him that there is no santa, so he goes home and asks his dad about it. His father tells him the story of Saint Nicholas, a very real person who loved Jesus and gave to the poor because he knew it was what Jesus would do. It concludes that stories of Saint Nicholas are told in many cultures, and that he has different names in different places--one of them being Santa Claus--and that when we hear those stories we should remember Jesus and His gifts to us, because that is what Nicholas would have wanted us to remember.

If you would like to learn more about St Nicholas or how his day is celebrated, I recommend visiting the Saint Nicholas Center, which has information about St Nicholas, his history, and modern celebrations around the world. You might also like their subpage the Saint Nicholas Center for Kids (which has stories, games and coloring pages).


Incidentally, if you've ever wondered what the real Nicholas looked like...the image below includes several artists renditions, as well as a modern forensic reconstruction (based on Nicholas' actual scull, which was briefly exhumed during repairs to the crypt where he is buried).

Frugal Friday--homemade gifts for kids

The Holiday Season is a notorious time for overspending. Just when we should be feeling warmth and love, many of us are stressed about finances and what to give to whom. So I thought I'd share a few ideas of inexpensive things you can make for kids...

Beanbags!
These are so simple, and because they're small you can even hand-sew them and it won't take very long. I made a tutorial here if you don't feel quite up to freehanding it. ☺

Dress-up clothing
I have made some fancy things like jester's caps and knight's tunics, but even a beginning sewer can make good dress-up clothes.

• A long scarf or sash requires no sewing at all, and can be looped around like a toga, worn over the head as a veil, or tied like a belt!
• A cape can be made with a big rectangle and a ribbon across the top.
• Skirts are two rectangles with elastic at the top.
• A long robe/dress/tunic can be made with these simple instructions. This other site has more elaborate directions for essentially the same thing (including directions for doing a neck facing). (Please note that both sites are in adult sizes! You can make a child's tunic with less than a yard of fabric, and a full-length dress with under 2 yards.)
• Some hats are simple and some are more complex, but a no-sew option is to get (or make) a circlet the size of your child's head, then wrap it with lots of ribbons (wrap in or glue on some silk flowers if you like). Tie the ribbons on so they stay, but leave long tails hanging down...your little princess/fairy/gypsy/queen is bound to love it. A mob cap (second one down) is just a big circle with some elastic on it (or here's a fancier version). A chef's hat is a big circle gathered into a wide band. If you're up for a slightly fancier hat, try a bonnet. 

 (a tip for getting large quantities of inexpensive fabric--go to a thrift store and buy old curtains or sheets!)

Puppets
Sock puppets are a classic option, as are finger puppets. Another option is to get some small stuffed animals from a thrift store, make a little hole near the tail, and stick a dowel (or pencil) up into them. Voila, stick puppet! Alternatively, get larger stuffed animals from the thrift store, make a larger slit by the tail, and pull out the stuffing for a hand-in puppet. Finally, try cutting a large gingerbread man-shaped piece of nice stiff felt, and then decorate it. Cut a matching back piece and sew the edges from one outer ankle to the other (don't sew up between the legs of course or you won't be able to put your hand inside!

Lastly, FlyLady has a list of "clutter-free" gift ideas (experiences, many of them free/homemade). Thanks to RasJane for the link!

Share the Love

I believe strongly in serving others. I've been on the receiving end before, and I feel it is incumbent on me to continually pay it forward in whatever way I can. We are blessed when we serve, and as my sister pointed out
"I'm poor, so I can't afford not to serve!"

So today I'm sharing information about a few groups that I think are worth supporting:

Help locally
A lot of folks help in soup kitchens, give to toy drives, or donate to angel trees. Those are all great ways to serve! Remember that if you don't have money, you can still give goods or time!

Give to your church charities
Many churches have programs for giving to the needy. If you don't have one already, I recommend checking out my church's humanitarian projects here. We have a lay ministry and lay missionaries who do the work, so everything goes to the needy. My grandparents worked as volunteer missionaries in the humanitarian services distribution center for 18 months, and have some awesome stories to tell; My parents-in-law are currently in China working with a wheelchair distribution program.

Heifer International
This group gives farm animals (chickens, sheep, cows, llamas, goats, rabbits, and even water buffalo!) to people in need all over the world, to help them afford to support themselves. You can donate as little as $20 for a dozen chicks, ducks, or geese, all the way up to $5000 for a "Gift Arc" of 15 animal pairs. You can get some fun combinations such as the "Knitting Basket" (two sheep and two llamas) or a bundle of tree saplings. The full list of donation packages is here.

Holiday Helpers
I've already mentioned them once this year, but I just had to again. I love that this is 100% volunteer--there is no overhead, everything goes to the families in need. There is even a cool raffle you can enter for $1/ticket. Give to those in need, and maybe win some presents for yourself! (New things have been added since I last mentioned it, so even if you looked then, you might want to look again.)


If you have other great charities you like to support, I would love to hear about them!

Emmanuel

Yesterday I shared Handel's version of Isaiah 9:6...today I share Michael W Smith's (which I admit I prefer).

Michael W Smith and Amy Grant