Discuss holiday items, ideas, and cheer!| Christmas Tree lights...colored or white? | | Which do you prefer? At our house we tried the white, and I am not a good decorator so it looked horrible. Now we use the mulit colored lights, and even have a few bubble lights, and now it looks fantastic...which do you use? | |
| | Christmas Without Commercialization - possible? | | Sadly today, Christmas is very much commercialized. Many forget the true meaning of this celebration called Christmas. (Anyway, I'm not here to debate about the origin of this holiday). I just want to know if Christians can celebrate Christmas without exchange gifts, Christmas tree, lights, Santa Claus, etc. Instead of the commercialization aspect of this holiday, why not focus on the Man whom this occasion is attributed to.[i] "There were group of Christians who wanted to have exchange gift on christmas day. They began to discuss with each other about the amount of the gift. But they could not agree on the amount because one said that some members cheated with the amount of the gift. So, their leader intervened and suggested that instead of conducting "exchange gift" they would still buy gifts but for the "homeless children" in the shelter house that they knew. So they arranged for it until the day they visited the shelter house. They were greeted happily by different types of children: abused, deformed, and mentally handicapped. The faces of the children were all hungry for love. They sang, danced and entertained the children well.... | |
| | what a great movie we watched last night:the polar express | | we all gathered around the living room last night and turned the lights off with the christmas tree lights glowing and watched the polar express.i was really impresed,it was good for not only the kids,but for us as well.i really enjoyed it.and the kids did too!that's good for all of us!have you ever seen it and if so what did you think?any other christmas movies that you can suggest?it until the day they visited the shelter house. They were greeted happily by different types of children: abused, deformed, and mentally handicapped. The faces of the children were all hungry for love. They sang, danced and entertained the children well. Until the day they left but the children won't let them go. They all wept but they had to go. The head of the homeless shelter told them it's the first time that they were visited and entertained by Christians. They all went home changed by the event."[/i]Now this is a true story. | |
| | A Christmas Without Photos | | Yesterday started out like any other day. The difference was that it was our day for my children to come celebrate Christmas with us. I rose early to set out everything that I would need to put the finishing touches on the day.At 11:00, I drove to town to pick my Mother up. We were off to the supermarkets in search of markdown pies. The rain was coming down pretty steadily so I dropped Mother off in front of the entrance of Price Chopper. After locating a spot to park the car I grabbed my trusty umbrella and headed inside. Much to our dismay, there were no markdown pies to be had. All the pastries were still marked at full-price. We decided to give Hannaford a try.The rain was still coming down, but it did not dampen our spirits. Bing Crosby was crooning away, singing for a White Christmas. Once again I dropped Mom off at the entrance and found a nearby parking place. With umbrella in hand I too found my way inside. Mother had already found the pie section. They were marked 99 cents for the small ones and $1.99 for the large. She picked out a pecan, pumpkin and Dutch apple. There would be dessert for dinner afterall! We finished up the shopping and headed... | |
| | Learnings | | In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday.
Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older. And, there on television, she said it was "exciting." Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first. The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!Maya Angelou said this: "I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow""I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.""I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.""I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life'.""I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.""I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.""I've... | |
| | Bible Bashers Say: Santa-Satan? Really! | | Be careful, Mylotters - apparently our portly, friendly little Santa is actually Satan, popping down your chimney into your home on Christmas eve, to infect your childrens minds with evil!Apparently, according to some particularly insane God botherers, Santa is Satans creation, as he has "no beginning and no end", wears the same colour as Satan, and his name is an anagram of Satans name. They also assert that Santas surname, Claus, comes from the old English for hoof claws. Ok, first point - there is a beginning to Santa Claus, namely St Nicholas, who sold his inherited wealth to provide for the poor and needy, and was known for particular kindness to children. His name was pronounced Sänt Neeklaus, and us Westerners changed it, to Santa Claus. That's how simple it is, really. Second, prior to Clement C Moores poem, The Night Before Christmas, Santa was envisaged as being dressed in green. It is the popularity of this poem which has dictated his charicature as a fat, jolly, little man dressed in bright red, and has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with the burning red of the fires of hell. Honestly!Third, well I think I explained that in the explanation of where... | |
| | TaDAH!!! The Changing of the Gards this weekend! WOW what a sight! | | ‘Gard’ is Svenglish( swedish-english) for curtain.. which is gardin in Swedish.. pronounced garDIN!!
Gards is Svenglish for curtainS,, which is garDINer in Swedish.. (yes.. I know,but that's how Swedish is!)
THIS weekend is OUR weekend for the official changing of the CURTAINS!! YES the GARDS! The candles, the curtains and all the other delightful colourful warm things that herald in the jule tide!The whole street!! It is glorious to see and splendid against the dreary cold darkness.
When I as out tonight with the dog, it was a beacon in the night to come across the valley home to my street.. what a glorious sight. Such traditions warm the house and the heart.Do you have similar customs to accommodate the change in season and the winter darkness?? | |
| | You Light Up My Life | | If you have a Christmas Tree, andit has lights on it, do you keep the lights on all the time, or do you only keep on the lights at certain times? If only at certain times, which times?If you keep the lights on 'round the clock, why do you do so? | |
| | When putting up the Christmas tree | | Do you put the Lights on first or Last after the decorations are on?I usually put them first but have sometimes done it last but I always end up in a tangled mess. | |
| | This is to my friends here. | | This would be a shock if my grandson did this...The Wooden BowlI guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl
tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now. A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year - old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred,and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.
The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. 'We must do something about father,' said the son.
'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.' So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions... | |
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