Holidays Are Here Again!

Saddest Christmas Song: I'll Be Home for Christmas

It is such a tease of a song. "Please have snow and mistletoe and presents on the tree". What is the point of all of that if you are there "only in my dreams"? Although it is a bummer of a song, it is also one of my favorites. I have stumbled upon a version sung by the group HEM. Beautiful. Check it out on itunes.

Funniest Christmas Song: You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

I am not sure when this ditty became a holiday classic, but it is great. I was driving yesterday and getting my curse on when this song came over the radio. I couldn't help but be amused. It is more than a song, it is all the times that I watched this cartoon as a child and enjoyed it each season. With lyrics such as " You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch. You're a nasty, wasty skunk. Your heart is full of unwashed socks. Your soul is full of gunk," you have to enjoy it for it's eight year old humor.

Favorite Christmas Ritual: Decorating the Tree

We have this little Charlie Brown Tree that has followed us from apartment to apartment. Each Christmas, I receive more ornaments from students and the little Charlie Brown tree greets them with open branches. Now that we have a larger space for our tree, we just can't seem to get rid of it. It is perfect for us. No mess, no fuss. This is actually an activity that I do by myself. As a child, I always decorated the tree with my dad. We both loved pulling out the ornaments each year and pressing the buttons to hear the music or carefully placing each memory on the tree. Now, with my own ornaments, I like to remember the child, friend, or family member who gave me each ornament.

Favorite Gift to Receive: Christmas Cards!

I love going to the mail each day in December (sometimes into January) and receiving a pile of red and green envelopes filled with photos and greetings. People are so clever with their letters and updates. Although I know what most of my family and friends are up to on a daily basis, I still love to get the photos. For the past two years, I have scrapbooked the Christmas photos and I can look back and see how the children and families have grown. Although we do not have children, we still send out a photo each year. I usually do a letter too with our favorites from the year, but this year, just a card and a photo.