Modern Holiday Traditions

[Mon-Jas Charan]

Christmas for me it listing to the music arranged by my old choir director's son ... Chips music is what brings Christmas alive for me ... BTW Chip Davis is Mannheim Steamroller

[himiko sabbrawrra]

Does anyone remember the books that had the chocolate in them? They were the countdown books and you pulled one tab a day to see what message was behind it. I just thought of it.

[JediKai]

Some sort of Advent calendar? Mine never had chocolate, but I think the German ones do.

Mon-Jas: huh, Mannheim Steamroller, eh? Small world.

[himiko sabbrawrra]

Yeah those!! I remeber having those as a kid. And also doing the paper chain links. You take one off a day as a countdown to christmas

[Leda EmBorr]

My son bought one at school... it's a calendar, but not an Advent calendar... starts on Dec 1st and ends on Christmas. You have to search for the date (they're mixed up), and pry the little door open and there's chocolate inside. Each day has a different picture on the candy, but sometimes it's hard to tell what the picture is of! lol!

I loved getting the LifeSaver candy books.

[himiko sabbrawrra]

Makes me wish I had my own kid.. Were not directly trying but each month that goes by I keep hoping...

My little brother Talon whos going to be 9 I think newyears eve was always fun at x-mas.. He took to copying us when we were younger..

We would put candy canes on the tree and by x-mas day only the canes that little hands couldn't get to were left.. ws quite funny.

[Leda EmBorr]

Andrew (Anim8r) was the result of "not really trying" for a kid... lol!

I started out having all these really nice glass ornaments from different countries, and by the time he was 1 year old... his second Christmas... all the ornaments on the lower half of the tree were made of styrofoam.

My second son, Adam, started a tradition of buying personalized ornaments for himself and his 2 brothers. He first bought them in school, at the holiday boutique for kids... I guess he was in 4th grade. He's 16 now, and I'm sure that one will continue on long after they all move out.

We put the tree up today... no lights as of yet. But Anthony, my 11 year old couldn't wait for me to clean up enough to get the boxes of decorations from the attic, so he sat there all night by the fire, listening to the Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite (his fav cd), making paper snowflakes and hanging them on the tree. I must say--- his enthusiam is rubbing off on me! lol!

[Leda EmBorr]

My sister celebrates Boxing Day on December 26th with her British in-laws. They say it came from when the wealthy people in England boxed up all the leftover food from Christmas dinner and gave it to the servants. Then the servants celebrated on the day after.

[Xana]

Really? That's interesting. It has nothing to do with boxing? I'm clueless, can you tell?

[Jedimom/Cor-Al Gelkar]

I heard on the news the other day that a lot of the "big box" churches (that is, non-denominational large gatherings) are cancelling their Christmas services since Christmas is on Sunday this year and they don't expect a lot of people.

Excuse me? Isn't that like defeating the purpose of having a Church at all? Christmas is one o fthe most holy days of all and for a church not to have a service that day is inexcusable!

And for people to call themselves Christians and purposely not attend a service that day becuse its a Sunday adn you want to spend time with the family is not a good excuse. If you are travelling or something is different, but not to go if you are Christian because you don't want to because its Sunday is another story. That doesn't even make sense.

[Xana]

That makes no sense at all. Usually people are happy Christmas is on a Sunday beacause they don't have to to church twice in one week.

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

jedimom said:

I heard on the news the other day that a lot of the "big box" churches (that is, non-denominational large gatherings) are cancelling their Christmas services since Christmas is on Sunday this year and they don't expect a lot of people.

Excuse me? Isn't that like defeating the purpose of having a Church at all? Christmas is one o fthe most holy days of all and for a church not to have a service that day is inexcusable!

And for people to call themselves Christians and purposely not attend a service that day becuse its a Sunday adn you want to spend time with the family is not a good excuse. If you are travelling or something is different, but not to go if you are Christian because you don't want to because its Sunday is another story. That doesn't even make sense.

My church is doing their usual Sunday services this year and not having the usual Christmas Eve services. This makes sense since most people are not likely to come in the evening and then again in the morning. There is also the issue of htose of us who work in the services. If they had the usual Eve. Sservices 8pm & 12am followed by the Usual Sun. Services 9:30am & 11:30am. there would be little or no time for any of us to sleep since the 12am service wouldn't let out 'til around 1:30am and we'd have to be back for rehearsals by around 7am.

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

this year's new ornaments for our tree:
shop.starwars.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=3690

Of course I only paid $5.99 at TArget for mine.
since the kids have seen 5 of the six movies multiplr times this year and have become true fans it seemed appropriate to add SW to our tree this year (Of course I've had a light-up X-wing ornament for years...)

[Jedimom/Cor-Al Gelkar]

Ooo. I haven't seen those. I get the Hallmark ornaments (not all of them, just the ones I like... this year it was the Clone Trooper) and I have a couple of teh M&M ornaments, but I really like these

[Mon-Jas Charan]

A Soldier's Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney with presents to give,
And had to see just who in this home did live.

I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, No Presents, Not even a tree.

No stocking by the mantle, just boots full of sand.
On the wall hung pictures, of a distant land.

With Medals and Badges, Awards of all kinds,
A sober thought, came to mind.

For this house was different, it was dark and dreary,
I found the home of a Soldier, Once I could see clearly.

The Soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor, In his one bedroom home.

The face was so gentle, The room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured, A United States Soldier.

Was this the hero of whom I'd just read?
Curled up on a poncho, The floor for a bed?

I realized the families that I saw this night,
Owed their lives to these Soldiers, who where willing to fight.

Soon around the world, children would play,
And grownups would celebrate, a bright Christmas day.

They enjoyed Freedom, each month of the year,
Because of these Soldiers, like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder, how many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve, In a land Far from home.

The very thought, brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The Soldier awakened, and I heard a rough voice,
"Santa don't cry, this life is my choice;
I fight for Freedom, I don't ask for more,
My life is my God, My Country, My Corps."

The Soldier rolled over, and soon drifted to sleep.
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours, So silent and still
And we both shivered from the cold night's chill.

I didn't want to leave on that cold, dark night,
This Guardian of Honor, so willing to fight.

Then the Soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure,
Whispered, "Carry on Santa. It's Christmas Day, All is Secure."

One look at my watch, and I knew he was right.

Merry Christmas my friend, And to all a good night.