Waiting for Christmas or waiting for us? Lessons from Charlie Brown - AnnArbor.com

Oh, I needed to read this so badly. Last year I let myself miss out on Christmas because of sudden Root Canals that I had to endure... and they weren't going to go smoothly either. That kind of put the finishing touches to my getting excited. There was always next year I told myself. But, next year is here and I'm still not excited and as hard as I try, I still can't seem to get that holiday spirit that I tell everyone I'm enjoying... I'm lying!

And then I read this article... I only wish I could turn the clock back so that it was December the 1st. Read the article and it will all make sense!

Waiting for Christmas or waiting for us? Lessons from Charlie Brown

Santa Claus is anyone who loves another
and seeks to make them happy; who gives
himself by thought or word or deed in every gift
that he bestows; who shares his joys with those
who are sad; whose hand is never closed against
the needy; whose arm is ever outstretched to aid
the week; whose sympathy is quick and genuine
in time of trouble; who recognizes a comrade
and brother in every man he meets upon life's
common road; who lives his life throughout
the entire year in the Christmas spirit.

EDWIN OSGOOD GROVER

Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus: The Classic Edition

Christmas Thoughts and Quotes

Image via Wikipedia

More often than not, we are scurrying around this month trying to get everything done. It's sad... not to enjoy the season. For that very reason, I put together this collection of thoughts and quotes about one of my favorite times of the year!

Keep doing good deeds long enough and you'll probably turn out a good man in spite of yourself. Louis Auchincloss

Peace on earth will come to stay, When we live Christmas every day.
Helen Steiner Rice



Christmas Thoughts and Quotes

Decking Your Halls and all that stuff!

Felt christmas ball (Photo credit: Linda (Pane, amore e creatività))

Christmas decorating is supposed to be fun, but sometimes it gets a little scary too. Where do you start??

1. Make Your Own Family Christmas Tree... you can make cute little decorations to fill in the empty spots on the tree. All you need is red bristol board, white paper lace doilies and photos of family members. You might want to laminate them as mine are about ten years old and they are beginning to show their age. And then there is the one of granddad that soaked up a little spilled coffee.

2. Make an assortment of miniature Christmas Cards using plain white paper and holiday rubber stamps. Inside each Christmas card can be a Christmasy quote. Place a bowl of them on the coffee table and watch people thumb through them.

3. Pick up some inexpensive frames from the dollar store and "frame" old Christmas cards that can be displayed on coffee tables or even hung on the wall!

4. Odd Christmas Balls... decorate the fireplace??... Place a bit of greenery... real or otherwise and then sneak in a few Christmas balls. Looks amazingly pretty!

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5. LOTS of tinsel. And place your tree near a vent if it's artificial and allow the warm air to make the tinsel sparkle! My husband hates tinsel, but that's my favorite part of Christmas and I'm not giving it up!

6. This is the time of the year for CLUTTER. During this month Christmas is all about bits and pieces everywhere. Let it put a smile on your face!

7. Wreaths in every window... Yes, it can be done. All you need is wire coat hangers and plastic wrap that is tied in knots around the wire. Bags that the newspapers arrive in can be used as well! I tried leaving them out for the paper boy, but he ignored them so I found a new use for them!

8. Window Sills ... don't leave them bare... miniature figurines from the dollar store work amazingly well.

Related articles

• I'm Making A List; I'm Re-blogging It Twice(thelaughinghousewife.wordpress.com)

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• Deck The Halls: Tips To Give Your Real Christmas Tree Longevity(detroit.cbslocal.com)

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• What Ever Happened to Angel Hair...aka December Writing Challenge(beduwen.com)

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Merry Christmas... hold the stress

Image by hazelisles via Flickr

As much as we love the season... Christmas can be a stressful time of the year. Having a list definitely helps me put things into perspective. You have no idea!

1. How much you spend can cause a ton of stress. You never feel that you are finished or have bought enough. Decide before hand on a dollar amount and then let everyone know about. It will take away their stress as well.

2. How much you do during this time of year can cause major stress. If you start planning in January, you have a head start. Come up with a list of things that you want to accomplish and divide them up so that you can work on one thing every month. By the time Christmas rolls around, you are done... and no stress.

3. What to serve... now is not the time to try out new recipes... unless you are Nigella Lawson. For me, this is the perfect time for the dish to flop. Stick to recipes that are tried and true and keep them simple! I have one cookie recipe that always wins favor. Who would have guessed that an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie could do this!

4. One tree... there was a time when I thought that you needed multiple trees all around the house for your home to really feel festive. Okay, I am still feeling that way, but I'm trying to talk my way out of it. For a few years now, I have been waiting for an 8 foot black tree and so far, no luck. But... if I do happen to find one, I will really need someone to try and talk me out of it. Not sure that they will succeed however. I have been looking for this tree for several years now. Spotted it while on holiday a few years ago in England and I've been waiting ever since!

5. Enjoying Christmas eve... this is my all time favorite night of the year. I swear that there is magic in the air. I love to fill the house with candles and go for a walk in the early evening hours. Love shines out of every window and then home for a mug of hot chocolate and a reading of... The Night Before Christmas. And no, it doesn't matter how old your kids are.

6. Plan your Christmas day... It won't be so hard if it is merely the immediate family, but if you are planning for a crowd, "planning" is essential here. You will want as much prepared early as possible. That way, you can sit back and enjoy the day!

7. Potluck Christmas dinner... is another way to take a lot of the stress off of YOU! Ask everyone to bring... what you want them to bring. If you don't tell them what you want, you are likely to have little in the way of Christmas Dinner and a LOT of desserts... which might not be a bad thing lol!

8. The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose another thought over another.
William James

9. "The time to relax is when you don't have time for it."
Sydney J. Harris

10. "There are times when we stop, we sit still. We listen and breezes from a whole other world begin to whisper."
James Carroll

11. "Don't stress the could have, it would have."
Unknown

12. Give your stress wings and let it fly away.
Terri Guillemets

13. You can do anything but not everything.
Unknown

14... 2020...  Christmas just didn't feel the same this year. :(  It's amazing what this year has done to our mental state of being!

Snowflake-Beaded Christmas Stockings - Neiman Marcus

Is it too early to start thinking about Christmas stockings?? I like the way they are all a little bit different, but they all still match!  These are made of burlap... yes and I'm ready for a country Christmas!!



Just a thought this morning... how old are your Christmas stockings? I wish that I had saved mine from when I was a child. It was just an old one that belonged to my dad and the thought of it is making me tear up. Oh, the stories it could tell!

Unfortunately the beaded snowflake stockings are no longer available. 

Easter Designs Sugar Cookies

These delightful Easter Designs Sugar Cookies will be a wonderful addition to your holiday basket. Your choice of a gift tin with bunnies, carrots and egg-shaped cookies; or a variety of Easter and spring designs.

We usually have tons of people over for Easter Dinner... I thought that something like this would make such a cute dessert... to go with coffee. Most of the time no one has any room left over for anything more anyway!

Easter Designs Sugar Cookies