Christmas

Getting Christmas Jollies

xmastreeraggedyann

It’s that odd time between my birthday and Christmas. Most people have a lot of time between the two, I just have about a week. Just after my birthday I begin to think about doing something for Christmas. I may have done some cards and thought about (or even bought) a few presents. But, until now I really don’t think of Christmas as being something I need to do much about. My birthday comes first.

This year I was even going to put up the tree. But, it is a bust. Instead I have to return it to the store and see if they will replace it. Not a great option when I will have to see if I can get a drive over with the tree or bus it. When I bought the tree I took a taxi back here with it. That isn’t a great option now that I have to go out of my way to return the damaged goods. Anyway, at this point is there any point to getting the tree replaced or wouldn’t a refund be better? Nice to have that cash back rather than having a tree up for a few days. Really disappointing. No wonder I’m feeling kind of burned out about Christmas.

I haven’t really, really cared about it since my first Christmas in Illinois when I was a newlywed. I liked having our tree up and putting on all the decorations. It was the last time I put up a tree. Though the tree and ornaments have always been my favourite part of the whole thing.

My brother might be out tomorrow. Maybe he can take me over with the tree and wait to see if I get a new one to try. If the new one is a dud too that will be really aggravating. I don’t even have the reciept so they may be nasty and not even

let me return it.

One thing I have learned it the importance of only buying things which you are SURE have not been returned to the store and re-sold. I used to not worry about that very much. Now, after having several things to return lately I will be a lot more careful. No one offers to pay you back the cost of making the return trip with your merchandise which needs to be returned.

Doodle Week starts tomorrow. Hope to see your doodles there!

Christmas Spirit Award

Christmas-spirit-award


Sandee on Comedy Plus was given this award and left it for all the other Christmas types to pick up as they like.

Here are the rules for the Christmas Spirit award:

* You must be a true Christmas lover to receive this award.
* The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with Christmas.
* You must link back to the person who gave you the award.
* You must list 5 things that you love about Christmas. If you can’t limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space!
* Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 50. It’s up to you! But, you must pass it on to at least one person in order to keep the Christmas cheer going!
* Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment.

Five things I like about Christmas:

1. That feeling of Christmas spirit. It’s not something that comes so easily now that I’m not a kid looking forward to time off school, presents and lots of chocolate goodies. Now those bursts of Christmas spirit are a real joy and I appreciate them far more.

2. The Christmas tree. I have not put up a tree since my divorce. This year I have it on the go. The assembly is giving me a lot of trouble and it isn’t looking good. But, one of my favourite things about Christmas is the tree with all the ornaments and lights. Each ornament comes with some kind of story, each is special for a reason.

3. I love the lights when you are outside at night. They glow in the darkness. I love the ones with lots of colour but the best shows are often those with just one or two colours, they take my breath away.

4. I miss making snow people. I like seeing those others have made and I feel sorry for the snow people and the families who built them as they melt when the weather changes.

5. Christmas angels are kind of special though not as a religious idea. My Mom and I have a collection of them, adding a new one each year. Now that she snowbirds in Florida every Christmas I’m doing the angels by myself. Feels a bit empty and lost now but I carry on. I still have the original angel which she bought when I was born, December 19th quite a few years ago.

What's Your Kind of Christmas Tree?

blue1

You avoid family fights, and you don’t get too stressed out – even when things are crazy!

You like to make Christmas about making everyone’s life a little bit better.

You don’t get caught up in greed or commercialism. You’re too sincere for that.

Your blue tree would look great with: Lots of silver tinsel

You should spend Christmas Eve watching: It’s a Wonderful Life

What you should bake for Santa: Chocolate chip cookies


You Should Have a Blue Christmas Tree


For you, the holidays represent a time of calm, understanding, and peace.

Thursday Thirteen #6: Christmas Grinch Spirit

thursthirteen

Today for Thursday Thirteen… Why I still don’t have my Christmas tree or any decorations up…

1. I feel like road kill after having failed the road test, my (well meaning and caring but overly loud) brother and my birthday all in one day yesterday.

2. I don’t have the energy, no I don’t have the ambition, to find everything.

3. Sometimes it is too much like going through the dead and wishfully buried to look at all that old stuff when looking back seems better than the here and now.

4. Maybe I’m just getting too old for Christmas.

5. Maybe I can just admire other decorations and trees from afar and leave all mine in mothballs.

6. Maybe my Christmas tradition is to buy a new tree ornament and keep everything wrapped up and packed away, in some box or other.

7. It seems too much like the never ending ordeal of moving to have to find all those boxes and unpack them.

8. Maybe I can just procrastinate one more day…

9. I have to get ready to go to work in a couple of hours.

10. At this rate Christmas will be over soon anyway.

11. No one but me will be here to see the tree and decorations, I could just lie and say I had them all up and then took them all down right after the 25th. Let them deal with that.

12. I know I will never find that one angel my Mom bought me for my tree and I just don’t want to finally look through the last box and have to admit she (the ornament) is gone forever.

13. My Dad was an electrical engineer, all those little lights and plugs really do give me the creeps, once mildly electrocuted, twice… umm….. severely phobic.

Your Kind of Seasons Greeting?

What The Holidays Mean to You

For you, the holidays are about celebration. You enjoy all the fun and fellowship that the holidays bring.

You celebrate the holidays in an over the top style. If something is cute, you’ll buy it. People end up with a lot of gifts from you – and your house is like a holiday wonderland, full of decorations.

During the holidays, you feel magical. You love all of the decorations and how happy people are. You like to sit back and take it all in.

You think the holidays should be energetic and packed with activities. You’ll double up on caffeine and sugar if that’s what it takes to get you through them.

Your favorite holiday memories are complete and very visual. Past holiday events play out like a video in your mind.

Getting in the Holiday Spirit

You Are Easter

You are an optimistic, hopeful, and genuinely sweet person.
Sensitive and affectionate, you are easily touched.
You love nature, animals, and anything cute or cuddly.
For you, every day is a new chance – no matter what happened yesterday.

What makes you celebrate: Almost anything. You love most holidays and celebrations.

At holiday get togethers, you do best as: The peacemaker. You can prevent any squabbles that might break out.

On a holiday, you’re the one most likely to: Remember to include everyone