Reflections on Christmas

As I look back on my Christmas year, I'm glad I had a little bit of Christmas all year long. I accomplished some things I really wanted to do. One was to see if I could keep up a blog for a whole year. I kinda succeeded (with a few large gaps). I was surprised how God kept reminding me of Christmas things. Another was the goal of having all my shopping done so I wouldn't have holiday anxiety. I got the shopping done but, another surprise: when Thanksgiving was over I started to panic as usual. Why? I don't know. I didn't have deadlines. The Fresno gifts were all delivered and all I had was immediate family gifts left.

A disappointment was not having the usual Christmas lights and decorations because of our new kitten. Then Bill got bronchitis and we didn't even get the outside tree lights up, so there was nothing from our house that looked like Christmas at all except the wreath on the door and the little banner that said, "Christ is born."
Maybe that's all you need anyway. I did play lots of Christmas music and we attended two Christmas cantatas so that helped.

One highlight for me each Christmas season is our family caroling party. We went this year to two convalescent hospitals. We got to carol a dear friend who lived only one week more after we were there. We got names from our church of lonely people and caroled them. We even barged in on a caroling group and sang with them. I think they didn't mind and the people enjoyed it.

We had a lovely Christmas breakfast and opened our gifts together. I wanted to keep the kitten locked up because she eats ribbon, rubber bands, paper, etc. but I was outvoted and she joined the festivities. That afternoon we went to our daughter's house and had Christmas dinner with her inlaws. Later I phoned our other daughter who we hadn't heard from and found out she was alone. Her husband and daughter had gone to his mom's but she didn't feel well so didn't go. I felt bad that she was alone on Christmas.

Saturday we went to Fresno and had another Christmas dinner. So now we're finished and clean up is mostly done. We usually don't take down our tree until New Years but since the cat was pulling the rest of the balls down anyway, I packaged them as soon as she got them down and then Bill packaged the tree. So now there are only a few beautiful treasures around (that she leaves alone) and I'll get them down tomorrow or the next day or the next. This really has been a more relaxing Christmas because the shopping was all done. Oh yes, and most of the cards have been sent out.

So now it's Happy New Year, 2009 in one more hour and a half.
May you remember that Jesus was born for you. May you learn from Him and delight in Him all through 2009.
Merry Christmas,
Paulita

Merry Christmas

God so loved the world
that He gave His one and only Son
that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish
but have everlasting life. John 3: 16

God gave the best Christmas present ever.
Merry Christmas!
Paulita

As With Gladness Men of Old

'Tis Christmas Eve and and we await Christmas, the birth of our Savior. Here is our December carol:

As with gladness men of old did the guiding star behold,
As with joy they hailed its light, leading onward, beaming bright,
So, most gracious Lord, may we evermore be led to Thee.

As with joyful steps they sped to that lowly manger bed,
There to bend the knee before Him whom heaven and earth adore,
So, may we with willing feet ever seek the mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare at that manger rude and bare,
So may we with holy joy, pure and free from sin's alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day keep us in the narrow way;
And when earthly things are past, bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide, where no clouds Thy glory hide.
Amen

Sleep tight, all is ready for our celebration tomorrow.
Merry Christmas!
Paulita

Sasha NO

Yes, the Christmas shopping is really all done. The wrapping, however, has not been done and I have an excuse: Things have come to a grinding halt since we got our first early Christmas present, a kitten. We have had cats nearly all our married years, but it's been a long time since we've raised a kitten. This is an indoor kitten. Imagine her glee when we brought a tree into the house just for her! She had never climbed a tree.

We strung the lights (she has a fondness for cords) and hung about twenty-five balls (she loves balls). Then we left the house for about three hours. When we returned, many of the cords reached the floor and there were at least 8 balls on the floor. We decided right then and there that the lights had to go. We'd never be able to plug them in. Well every day since, she has systematically removed balls from the tree. We even tightened the wires, so now we find balls without wires and we have to go looking in the tree for them. More than that, she has really gotten good at climbing. She got the angel off the top! We have an artificial tree so each day its configuration is a little different, depending on which branch she stands on to reach the top balls.

This cat, by the way her name is Sasha but she thinks it's Sasha NO, has a fondness for house plants, newspaper, waste baskets, leaky faucets, computer printers, shoe laces, etc. We bought her an early Christmas present, some wheat grass. She loves it.

Well, back to Christmas. I don't plan to put up many decorations this year. I put up four of my little houses to make a town but my town will not have cotton for snow, little people, or trees in it this year. I will not put my three wise men on top of the hutch because Sasha could jump from the table to the top of the hutch in one mighty leap. We will not hang our stocking on the chimney with care. I will not put my pretty 12 days of Christmas skirt around the tree because she will eat the days one by one. I will not put wrapped packages under the tree until Christmas morning. Do I sound depressed? Well maybe a little.

So what is Christmas anyway? Lights, balls, stockings, angels (well maybe), wise men (yeah), little towns with cottony snow, Christmas tree skirts? Probably all of the above, but mostly it's Jesus' birthday. We can still play and sing Christmas carols with one another and rejoice that we can celebrate together. And next year Sasha will be one and a half years old.
Merry Christmas,
Paulita

Christmas Carol Quiz

We just got our first invitation of the year to a Christmas party. Yes, I know, Thanksgiving hasn't happened yet. But people are thinking ahead. If you are one of those thinking ahead to your own Christmas party, here is a fun activity to do with friends:

This is a non-threatening game that is equally fun to do as a group, in teams, as families, or individually. For this game you will need to recall words to familiar Christmas carols and traditional Christmas songs.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Announce the name of the carol and then ask the question. Depending on how you choose to play the game, the answers can be called out, sung, or written.
2. Be prepared to share a copy of the questions and answers for your guests to take home.
3. If you know an accomplished pianist, provide music and words (or just words for the guests and music for the accompanist) for a Christmas sing-a-long when you have finished the quiz.

CHRISTMAS CAROL QUIZ
1. The First Noel - To whom was the first noel given?
2. O Little Town of Bethlehem - What was shining in the streets of Bethlehem?
3. It Came upon the Midnight Clear - What came upon the midnight clear?
4. We Three Kings - Where were the three kings from?
5. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing - What three things did the angels sing about?
6. Away in a Manger - What piece of baby furniture did the little Lord Jesus not have?
7. Angels We Have Heard on High - What echoed the angels' song?
8. O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Who is Emmanuel?
9. While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night - Where were the shepherds seated when the angels came?
10. Deck the Halls - What are we to "troll"?
11. Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Santa may not be omniscient, but what three things does he know about you?
12. Winter Wonderland - How do you feel walking in a winter wonderland?
13. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) - What part of your anatomy is Jack Frost nipping at?
14. Jingle Bells - What are we doing when we're dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh?
15. Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer - What would you say if you saw Rudolph's nose?
16. White Christmas - What are the children listening for?
17. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - What could be a cause for dismay?
18. Jolly Old Saint Nicolas - What is Santa supposed to whisper?
19. Winter Wonderland - What does the new bird sing?
20. Joy to the World - What is every heart to do regarding the king?

ANSWERS (according to the words in the carols)
1. certain poor shepherds
2. everlasting Light
3. that glorious song of old
4. Orient
5. glory to the newborn King, peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled
6. crib
7. mountains
8. the Son of God
9. the ground
10. the ancient yuletide carol
11. when you're sleeping, when you're awake, if you've been bad or good
12. happy
13. nose
14. laughing
15. It glows!
16. sleigh-bells in the snow
17. nothing
18. what you'll bring to me
19. a love song
20 prepare Him room

Merry Christmas,
Paulita

Catching Up

I'm catching up on my Christmas gift buying. After all, there are only 52 days until Christmas. I don't know how many shopping days that is. I bought two gifts last month. One for my daughter that she really wants but will be very surprised to receive, and one for my son-in-law that he will like. Actually I have two daughters and I won't say which one gets the gift. Likewise, I have two sons-in-law so I can't say which one of them gets the gift either.

This month, so far, I have bought one gift (and it was an impulse buy) for my husband. I think I have 5 more peple to buy for.

There is one other minor problem. In November we have three birthdays. In December there are three, and in January there are two!!! Oh well, I'm determined to get Christmas done first.

Merry Christmas,
Paulita

October Carol

Somehow it seems appropriate amidst the loud claims and protestations of the upcoming election, to focus on the peace which the birth of Jesus brings. Join me

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heaven's all-gracious King"
The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing.

And ye, beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing:
O rest beside the weary load, and hear the angels sing.

For lo, the days are hastening on, by prophet seen of old,
When, with the evercircling years, shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own the Prince of Peace their King,
And the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing.
- Edmund H. Sears

Merry Christmas,
Paulita