P.S."Brooklyn!"

*emerges from the latest pile of Christmas cards he's writing*

I'd be negligent if I didn't mention a couple of other things that have become traditional around here... for example, writing cards or wrapping gifts with Christmas music to listen to (right now it's A Christmas Celebration by Celtic Woman).

And earlier this year NarniaWebber Cymru introduced me to the film adaptation of Dylan Thomas' story A Child's Christmas in Wales. Denholm Elliott is excellent in his role as grandfather and main narrator of this nostalgic tale. (It's a much more dignified role than his Marcus Brody in the Indiana Jones movies ). The story reminds me a little of Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine in its reminiscing about long-gone youth.

Lastly, though it's been around a few years, I enjoy rewatching this homeowner's Christmas light show choreographed to the music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Wizards in Winter:

Loved the video clip stargazer. One of these days, funds (and wife) permitting I'd like to do a good, old fashioned Christmas light extravaganza (in the same vein as National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation) for the house. I can't this year but possibly next.

I was in the Hallmark store in town the other day and saw, hands down, the coolest Christmas tree ornament ever designed by man. It's a miniaturized version of the classic Galaga arcade machine. When you click on the fire button (seen in the picture just to the right of the joystick) it plays sounds from the game, and the screen lights up. The only thing that'd be better would be a full size working Galaga machine in my living room. I so want one!

wow! Christmas is next week! yay!

Merry Christmas, ya'll!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Over decorate yards, especially ones with inflatable decoration.

Hey!

For those of you who haven’t seen Shadowlander’s house. I took a couple of pictures to demonstrate what I mean by an over decorated yard. One of the pictures is a little blurry because I was using a night setting and the camera needs to be held very still and that is hard to do when one is shivering. (I suppose it was my own fault for going out in about 10 degrees F without a coat). A car had just gone by when I took the other picture and the exhaust got in the picture. I like the lights but the inflatable decorations are too much.


Here is a link to more tacky inflatable decorations. Make sure you look at the zebra, hippo, gorilla and pig. If those don’t say Christmas, I don’t know what does (note sarcasm).
I like that light show you posted, stargazer.

… If the sky is clear the night of Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and I'm at their house, I like to walk down the road, away from all the lights, and take in the spectacular night sky there. It's usually cold (this is Minnesota after all ) and the snow crunching underfoot is the only sound. I like just to take a few minutes under the glory of Orion and the winter sky to contemplate the wonder of the Incarnation. How's that for geeky.

And the winter constellations are definitely the best to look at!

I like to look at the stars too. Orion is the probably the only constellation I can identify (with star charts I can find a couple more) so of course I like the winter ones best. However, my only winterish stargazing excursion did go so well. My sister and I had took an astronomy class together at college and we had an assignment to get done and were having trouble. Our mom was trying to help us and we ended up frozen and fighting.

Well, Stargazer, at least the mosquitoes (the state bird of MN ) are dormant! ..

My mom used to have a shirt that had the words “The Minnesota State Bird” and a picture of a mosquito. Now she has one that has the words “Minnesota land of 10,000 lakes and a zillion mosquitoes.”

Anyway back to Christmas stuff, I finished all of the lambs for my Sunday school class in time. Each year my sister and I cross-stitch lambs and make ornaments for the Sunday school class we teach. The lamb symbolizes Jesus. I had to make 16 of them by myself this year because my sister was busy with finals. (To be fair in other years she has had to do most of the work). I managed to rub some of the skin off of my finger while doing it though.

My Christmas shopping is almost done, and I have started cookie production.

Disclaimer: I really have no idea where Shadowlander lives, but apparently we have a running joke. I say something against inflatable decorations and he protests. See also: viewtopic.php?p=20691#p20691 Actually the house I first had decided was his hasn’t put up the normal tacky inflatable decorations yet. The house I took the picture of didn’t have a turkey so it can’t be Shadowlander’s.

Here is a link to more tacky inflatable decorations. Make sure you look at the zebra, hippo, gorilla and pig. If those don’t say Christmas, I don’t know what does (note sarcasm).

Hey!!! I'm right here!

Disclaimer: I really have no idea where Shadowlander lives, but apparently we have a running joke. I say something against inflatable decorations and he protests.

I've never had a running joke with anyone, so this is really novel! I asked the Spousal Support Unit what her thoughts were on employing dozens of inflatable creations to display on the front lawn and the look she gave me was answer enough for this lifetime. At any rate the only one I'd give any real consideration to would be those enormous blow up snowglobes with the blowers in them to make the snow blow around the snowman inside.

*holds a completely straight face while looking at P.P.*

I asked the Spousal Support Unit what her thoughts were on employing dozens of inflatable creations to display on the front lawn and the look she gave me was answer enough for this lifetime. At any rate the only one I'd give any real consideration to would be those enormous blow up snowglobes with the blowers in them to make the snow blow around the snowman inside.

*holds a completely straight face while looking at P.P.*

*is very glad that Shadowlander has a wife to keep the decorations in check*
No, not the snow globes! I suppose it would also be snow globe that has the rotating shapes inside. Tacky, very tacky. *is trying to decide if the pig or the snow globes are worse then decides on the elves sitting on the hippo to fish.*

(Note: I don't mean to offend anyone who likes inflatable decorations. I'm merely expressing my opinion)

Just thought I'd answer this quiz...looked like fun.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Real, but where I live there are no trees to be had for decoration. So we have a little artificial one. x)
3. When do you put the tree up? This year, right after Thanksgiving. Usually December 1st.
4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime after New Years.
5. Do you like eggnog? Um...never had it! I don't know.
6. Favorite gifts received as a child? A cookbook
7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad
8. Easiest person to buy for? Well...generally my mom, but also my brother.
9. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Clothes that didn't fit.
10. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Hehe, hard to tell! Changes every year. This year I haven't even begun!
11. Do you have a nativity? Yup, 2 I think.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas =)
13. Favorite Christmas book? The Night Before Christmas? That counts right?
14. Favorite Christmasy dessert? Cookies! hehe
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My grandma's nutroll
16. Lights on the tree? Colored or white? Yup, white!
17. Favorite Christmas songs? Silent Night, Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Usually stay home, but this year we're traveling
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Um. No.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel =)
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve usually, then the rest in the morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Too many cookies! All over the place. So tempting.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like angels. And snowflakes.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham!
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I actually didn't ask for anything this year. I like being surprised but now that I think about it I would like a new pair of shoes. x)

the easy way out

That's a bit much.

I like the ditto house better.

that's hilarious! But it looks like the ditto sign took some work too lol, I'd be like putting up a cardboard sign and writing it with black marker or something

Yeah the ditto one got more people loving at it them the house next door.