I’m pretty judge-y when it comes to Christmas carols. I’ve always found “The Little Drummer Boy” well– annoying. It strikes me as repetitive and a little whiny. And the stop motion, 1968, film version is way too sad to describe … Continue reading
I have a thing with lampposts… Continue reading
When I was little and not so little my dad would read to me. He has the most melodious baritone voice and he always does voices. But the coolest part is that he can read upside down. So he would sit looking down over the page while my siblings and I sat at his feet looking at the pictures. Every Christmas he would read us Tree of Cranes by Allen Say and The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. They are beautiful stories that put life in perspective and added culture to our family holiday. Then of course, he would read from Luke 2 and Matthew 2. When we were little we would act out the story as he read, but as we got older we would just sit and listen; letting the experience of the journey to Bethlehem, the rejection at the inn, the astonished shepherds, the singing angels, and the new born babe wash over us.
Well, as it turns out, the ability to read upside down is genetic. So as I said at the beginning of the week I am starting a tradition of my own. Each night my kids gather after dinner for a Christmas story. Thing is, my kids are young, with ages ranging from 8yrs to just over 3 months. So it’s been hit and miss. Add in that a sinus demon has taken up residence in my head and well, we only made it through three stories this week. But the kids look forward to it. They ask if they are going to have a Christmas story tonight. I think they feel the difference in the spirit, the feeling that accompanies each one. Some are fun and others are more serious. This week’s books were The Bear’s Christmas by Stan and Jan Berenstain, The Twelve Days of Christmas retold by Jane Cabrera, and A Christmas Bell for Anya by Chris Stewart and Ben Sowards. The kids particularly liked the twelve days retelling which featured cute cats, drumming dogs, and five shining stars rather than the traditional fair. They also liked the fact that I sang it rather than read it. But the Bear’s Christmas was funny and Ben Sowards illustrations for Anya are just beautiful. So even though it isn’t a week’s forth of books, I think it is a start.
Ok, now what you actually stopped by to see: E-book winners!! As generated by random.org-
Winner of The Accidental Apprentice and Mechanized Masterpieces bundle is Camille
Winner of The Christmas Tree Keeper by Tamara Passey is Linda Crowder
Winner of Margaret Turley’s Never Again is Angela Carling
And Winner of Chimmenken Crossing the Delaware by Diane Jortner is Peggy Urry.
Winners will be emailed their prizes within the week.
Thank you to everyone who participated and to those who just stopped by. Happy Holidays everyone!!
Holiday Memories
My sister and I had a ritual on Christmas Eve. We’d pretend to be asleep in our beds and practice waking each other up and running down the stairs to the Christmas tree. We would time ourselves as we alternated who would be the sleeper, and who would be the ‘waker.’ My older sister had very clear instructions—“don’t go down without me, make sure I’m awake. I’ll pretend to be deep asleep so you can practice.” Ah, those were the days. When the holiday stress consisted solely of how fast we could get out of bed and tear open presents. Fast forward to Christmastime as a Mom. Now as I drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve, usually near midnight (sometimes later depending on how much ‘assembly required’ gifts there are) my hope is to sleep as long as possible before someone attempts to rouse me. I haven’t lost my sense of wonder—I have a healthy relationship with sleep. As in, I need it. But I have thought about it from time to time, the different holiday experience that children and adults have. So when I have run out of tape in the middle of wrapping presents or I’ve put everything on the table for dinner only to realize I’ve forgotten the rolls—I stop and look at the faces of my children. They aren’t worried. They aren’t stressed. As it should be. I take my cue from them and remember why we are celebrating Christmas in the first place.
Tamara Passey was born and raised in Massachusetts around a large family, one that has served as inspiration for most of her writing. She loves creative endeavors and when she isn’t writing or re-writing, you can find her baking or cross-stitching or walking—though not all at the same time. She is a marriage and parenting contributor to FamilyShare.com and lives with her husband and three children in Arizona—which she claims might be the reason her stories include a little bit of snow. The Christmas Tree Keeper is her debut novel. You can find her online at www.TamaraPassey.com.
When I was little, we used to have a big family Christmas party on Christmas Eve. Everyone would meet at Grandma’s house, where we would have a potluck style dinner and some form of entertainment. Usually that included either a talent show or a reenactment of the Nativity, with various cousins cast in the roles of the characters. Then, after all had been fed and entertained, we would go out to search for Santa.
Sometimes one of the older cousins, or an uncle, would go out in advance to make “reindeer” and sleigh tracks in the snow. When we came back inside, there would be mini stockings over the fireplace, one for every cousin, aunt, uncle, etc, filled with little goodies. After all the merriment was over, we would go out and look at Christmas lights all around the area. Sometimes we would take an hour. Sometimes it would be less. But we’d always have the Christmas station on the entire time, so that we could listen to Christmas music.
After we were all tired out, we’d head back home to put out stockings and cookies for Santa. Then, those siblings who were older would help set out a few presents, along with the stocking fillers. But there was always more out when we woke in the morning!
Karlie Lucas is a preschool teacher and a member of ANWA. A graduate of Southern Utah University, Karlie received a B.A. in Creative Writing. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, The International English Honor Society. She is interested in all things magical and mysterious, especially elves and dragons. She currently resides in Dallas, Texas with her husband.
You can pick up a copy of her novel, The Unknown Elf, at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-unknown-elf-karlie-lucas/1120613735?ean=9781502367266 or http://www.amazon.com/The-Unknown-Elf-Karlie-Lucas/dp/1502367262/
Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karliemlucas
Or at her Blog: http://tenelia.blogspot.com
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