I Played My Best for Him

I love Christmas carols--always have. If you ask me to choose my top 3, it's an easy choice:  "O Holy Night," "Silent Night," and "The Little Drummer Boy."

That last one hardly fits into the category of "traditional Christmas carols," but I can't help it. That song makes me cry every time--always has. I don't think I've ever been able to sing the line, "I played my best for him" without choking up.

The Little Drummer Boy gets it right. He brings his gift--not something that can be opened, but his talent--and he gives his best effort to honor the newborn King. As a musician, it's what I try to do, Sunday after Sunday. And I love that after the Little Drummer Boy offers his humble gift, Baby Jesus smiles at him.

Pass me a tissue, please.

Why would I choose bongo drums to illustrate this post? In art, the Little Drummer Boy is always pictured with a snare, sometimes slung around his neck, and drumsticks in his hands.

But my Little Drummer Boy (AKA Little Brother) has bongo drums. We sang "The Little Drummer Boy" on Tuesday at church and will do so again today. (It's not "orthodox;" it's not in the hymnal, but it's better theology than a bunch of what is in there.) Little Brother has learned to play the song on his drums. On Tuesday he knelt beside the guitarists and nailed that drum part, even meriting a thumbs-up from Bill, a former drummer who's very particular about how percussion is played.

I love that my kids have had the opportunity to offer their musical gifts in worship, to play their best--even when they're beginners musically. I teared up on Tuesday when my Little Drummer Boy played his best, right alongside me. And it's pretty much a given that I'll cry again today.

A Holiday By Any Other Name

It's that time of year again, and this year I'm just tired of it. This morning's paper carried the announcement that my township will be lighting its "Holiday Tree" later this week.

At least they waited until December, but that's a rant for another day.

Yes, they called it a "Holiday Tree" in the announcement. But honestly, whom do they think they're fooling? Santa's going to arrive (via fire truck, not reindeer sleigh) and there will probably be candy canes. That, plus the decorated tree and musical entertainment by the middle-school chorus gives everyone the first clue:  this is not Labor Day.

Call it what you want; we all know what the holiday in question is. And I don't think that ranting about the problem is going to fix it.

This Advent and Christmas season, I encourage you to remember the reason for the season, cheesy though that expression may be.

Take time to listen to some sacred music. My Advent soundtrack this year, in addition to the rehearsal music for the Festival of Lessons and Carols in which I'm participating, is Advent at Ephesus. I got my copy a week ago; today I'll listen to it for the first time. If a church or school near you is hosting a Festival of Lessons and Carols, don't miss it!

Light the Advent wreath.

Study the Gospel of Luke.

Make a Jesse Tree.

Decorate gradually, and keep those decorations up past December 26. We don't "undecorate" around here until after Epiphany.

Pray.

And have some fun. Watch the Christmas specials on TV or DVD. Don't miss Charlie Brown or the Grinch.

I wish you a blessed Advent and Christmas season!

Last Week of 2011: Recap

Well, it's been an interesting week.

One week ago today we were loading the car for my husband's Big Family Christmas Eve Celebration and Pierogi Festival.  It was a busy, loud, good day.  I got a kick out of the little kids:  these are the children of the cousins who were little kids when I first met my husband!  Although we don't all get together much, the kids were quite sociable and comfortable around the adults and each other--what a credit to their parents.

My mother-in-law came back here with us after Christmas Eve and spent Christmas with us.  As we have done for the past several years, we spent Christmas at home.  Now that there are teenagers in the house, we let the kids open gifts as they wake up instead of waiting for everyone.  The folk group played at the 11:00 Mass, and we had a FULL choir area.  I don't think we could have fit one more person in there, and the 5 guitars had a lot to do with that.  What a testament to the group, ranging from age 62 to the 5-year-olds who come along with their parents!  We're there because we love what we do.  And on Christmas, everybody sings along.  There's no better way to give God the glory.

After church we came home to prepare dinner and just hang out.  Big Brother's girlfriend came over to have dinner with us.  We had a gift for her, and I had gotten her a funky stocking and put some fun stocking stuffers in with the gift as well.

On Christmas:  The Day After, we dropped off my mother-in-law and then headed to my parents' house.  It was a full house with both my siblings and their families, my parents, my great-aunt, my uncle, one cousin, and one niece's boyfriend.  The day featured lots of presents, lots of laughing, lots of food, and lots of cousins playing card games like "Old Maid," "Go Fish," and "B.S."

Then it was Middle Sister's birthday, a big chunk of which my husband spent in the Verizon store procuring iPhones for me and Middle Sister.  That's a gift neither of us thought we'd ever receive and I've been having some fun with it--though there's plenty still to be learned.  I made her a giant cookie cake AND an apple pie. She spent some time with her friends, and after dinner, our neighbors came over for dessert.

TheDad had been talking all week about going to Pittsburgh; no one knows why he wanted to go to Pittsburgh in December, but he did, so we did.  I refused to leave the house until he'd made a hotel reservation--there was no way I was going to play the "No Room at the Inn" game after driving for 5+ hours. We drove across Pennsylvania, with a detour to Shady Maple Smorgasbord for lunch.  There was all the usual bickering that driving 5+ hours with 3 kids involves.  For a few minutes there I thought there might be bloodshed in the buffet line (thanks, boys...)

TheDad's new GPS totally failed Pittsburgh.  Maybe the highways are just too close together, I don't know, but we were driving on "unnamed roads" a lot of the time, according to TomTom, and spent a good bit of time being told to make a U-turn when we were in a cattleshoot of Jersey barriers on a four-lane highway.

I found a Penzeys Spice Shop 5 blocks from our hotel.  Look at all the cool stuff I got my hands on there!  They had 5 kinds of cinnamon (I restrained myself and only got 3).

We went to a Vietnamese restaurant for lunch and had Pho.  I'm glad I picked up some lemongrass at Penzeys, because I want to learn to make this soup!

We spent the afternoon at the Carnegie Science Center (consensus:  it's cool, but Franklin Institute is way better) and then took a ride up and down the Monongahela Incline.

And bright and early yesterday morning, it was back on the road again to head home.  We were back by 3 and I've got plenty of laundry to keep me busy all day.  Though I love the Hampton Inn's comfortable beds, it was wonderful to be back at home in my own.

I really am a homebody.  It was an enjoyable trip but I do love being in my own home.

We'll ring in the New Year with friends, as usual, at their home.  I look forward to it, except for the staying-up-late part.  I turn into a pumpkin at about 9 PM.

Today, besides laundry, I'll be cooking or baking something to bring along with us tonight--as soon as I figure out what that will be!

Except for that 3-day detour to Pittsburgh, this has been our usual Christmas vacation.  I'm kind of looking forward to Tuesday when they're all back at work or school and the house is quiet once again.

Waiting in the Wings

Today's the day!  Before we leave for the Christmas Eve festivities, Little Brother will place all the figures in the Nativity scene.

Except, of course, for the Three Kings.  Those guys get to hang out behind the stable until Epiphany.

This morning, I unboxed and unwrapped all the figures and lined them up so they're ready to take their places.

The scene is set...it's almost time...places, everyone!

Sometimes I feel like Clark W. Griswold

As Christmas gets closer, I look forward to it less. I know that, like Clark, I "set standards that no family activity can live up to."  So by the 23rd of December, I've kind of had enough of it all already.

I'm anticipating what I know will be difficult moments.  I've got 3 days of family festivities coming up:  Christmas Eve with my husband's huge extended family, Christmas Day at home, just us and my mother-in-law, and Christmas:  The Day After with my family in the Great White North.

There will be people with whom I've never really gotten along well, and we'll have to make nice.

There will be people who've hurt me, and I'll have to pretend I've let it go.

There will be people who like to give me "career advice" because my kids are "too old" for me to still stay at home with them.

There will be an extremely shaggy dog that sets off my asthma, and I'll have to be extra careful about that, because I have to sing at church on Christmas Day and I don't want to sound like Bonnie Tyler in "Total Eclipse of the Heart."

It's not going to be a picture-perfect three days by any stretch of the imagination.  To be honest, I'm dreading them.  That shot in the arm of Christmas spirit I got from our Festival of Lessons & Carols?  It's pretty much worn off.  I feel less and less like celebrating, and more and more like I've got to just grit my teeth and get through it.

(It's for the kids, after all.  And I think one of them still believes.)

All of that does nothing to shake that feeling I've got right now, that "we're standing at the threshold of Hell."  The feeling that this one, as bad as I am expecting it to be, is going to be better than the one next year.  It's all downhill from here, for various reasons, and I'm not feeling up for it.

Like Clark, I want it perfect.  It's never going to live up to that dream, and I know it.  Let's face it:  the very first Christmas sure didn't live up to Mary's dreams.  Maybe that's what Christmas is all about...

Still to be done

I'm not done shopping--for my husband's gift, the kids' gifts, and food for Christmas dinner.  Not to mention gifts for Little Brother's teacher and bus driver.

Nothing is wrapped.

I haven't even started baking, and my cookie recipe makes at least 10 dozen and takes at least a full afternoon.

Little Brother has a rehearsal tonight, so it will be another late night (that makes 4 in a row!)

Last night, though, I spent two hours sitting at the front of a church with my guitar, and my son and his bass, and a children's choir that included Little Brother, and various string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments, and a group of about 30 amazing singers, one extremely talented pianist, and an awesome music director who kept us all together.  We celebrated a "Festival of Lessons and Carols" with beautiful music and nine readings from the Old and New Testaments.

Four hours before the festival began, I still wasn't sure if I could play one of the songs.  It was unbelievably difficult.  I spent part of the morning transposing it.  Then I practiced, and practiced again.

I won't say it was perfect by any means, but I'm happy that I got through it decently enough.  What a challenge!

Last night was a gift.  50 people shared their talents last night--and for many nights before at rehearsals.  Every one of those people could have been doing something else, like Christmas shopping, or homework, or watching football games, or sleeping...but this is what they chose to do.

I suspect that all 50, if asked, would respond the same way I do:  it was definitely worth it.  So worth it.

The rest of it will happen.  If I had it to do over again, I'd put off the shopping and the baking and the housecleaning (who am I kidding--I'm always ready to put off housecleaning).  I'd put it off in a second to be able to be a part of an experience like that.

What a wonderful early Christmas gift.  I am tired, proud, and very grateful.

A Christmas Rhapsody

Because music touches you in a way nothing else can.

Because Christmas is coming.

Because classic rock is...classic.

Don't miss Bethlehemian Rhapsody!

Not a Musical Genius

One thing I enjoy about having an iPod is the "genius" feature in iTunes.  I can pick a song I like, click the Genius button, and immediately a playlist will be generated from the other songs in my library.  It works great--most of the time.

It does not work with Christmas music.

I wanted some background music when I was baking the gingerbread cookies just now.  Some will go to a bake sale tonight, others to a care package for Big Brother, and whatever's left after that will get eaten here.  I made 9 dozen cookies today, so there's enough to go around.

So I cued up Taylor Swift's "Silent Night, Holy Night" and told the Genius to do its thing.  It went from the sublime to the ridiculous.  The second tune was Rascal Flatt's "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," which was very nice.  And then the third tune was "Who's Your Daddy" by Toby Keith.

I don't think that one quite fits the Christmas theme.

I won't be leaving my Christmas music to the Geniuses anymore.

Santa Claus Goes to Our Church

Santa Claus is an usher at the noon Mass at our parish, except during November and December when he's extra busy.  Kids who attend the noon Mass are used to seeing him there all year 'round, and have been known to tell their friends that Santa Claus goes to our church.

Santa wears red (and sometimes green) regardless of the season, and is always happy to take a break from handing out bulletins after Mass to talk to children.  Last November, before his schedule forced him to switch to an earlier Mass for a couple of months, he gave out little cards to the children with his picture on it and the message, "I saw Santa today, and he said I'm on the Good List."

On the Sunday after Christmas, Santa is back in his usual spot as an usher, sporting his red parka.  You can see that the kids are all watching him:  Santa is here!  After Mass, they like to go and greet him.  Little Brother makes it a point to thank Santa for his Christmas gifts.

I'm grateful this year that the magic of Santa Claus is still alive in my home.  Little Brother and Adventure Boy still believe.  In fact, just before Christmas, there was almost a fistfight in here when one of the other Street Urchins suggested that Santa might not be real.  It was 3 to 1 FOR Santa, I'm happy to report.  I'm sure that our Christmas Eve tradition, as well as Santa's quiet presence in our church, have plenty to do with that.

Photo-Rama

Santa gave me a new camera for Christmas, which is great because my old camera bit the dust just before Little Brother's First Communion, and the crummy point-and-shoot I bought, in a hurry, so I could get pictures of that special day was, well, crummy.

Little Brother was happy to take it off my hands. For an 8-year-old, it does just fine.

Middle Sister has been enjoying my camera. She's 15 today, so I trust her with it. She has a good eye. I love this picture of some of my favorite Christmas decorations.

Here's a shot of my Christmas tree, which I briefly got to light up again.  The lights went back out sometime yesterday.  Apparently I'm burning through the extension cord.  Guess it's time to use 2 cords for this many lights (about 1600).  I took a break from cookie baking on the 23rd to replace the cord that I had originally used.

Last, two pictures of the results of the snowstorm.  There will be more later but I don't want to go outside yet!  One is of my across-the-street neighbor's house; I thought their Christmas lights looked cool in the snowstorm.  The other is around the edge of my pool, where the 40-mph-winds created a moat, exposing the rocks around the sides.

Last Thing on the List

There is SO MUCH on the list right now.
Haircuts for me and Little Brother
Wrap gifts
Do Tons o'Laundry
Freelance work here and here
And, of course, all the baking

So when the Christmas tree went dark the other night, I left it for another day. I think it's going to be left for a few more days unless someone else decides they want to troubleshoot the extension-cord situation. The tree's pretty without lights--prettier with lights, but it's loaded with colorful ornaments and that might just have to do.

Grade-School Drama

...of the cutest kind.

The primary grades at Little Brother's school put on their Christmas play tonight. It's always a "play within a play" in which something happens that might prevent the Christmas pageant.

This year Little Brother played the Grinch/Scrooge character--actually a politician more concerned with getting votes than with the Christmas story. He wore a suit--and a "red power tie." And a top hat. My big kids said he was "totally a boss." He had some great one-liners in his part and nailed the comic timing.

The rest of the play was enjoyable because it was a primary-school Christmas play. That means it came complete with:
--can-can dancers that danced in opposite directions and sometimes kicked each other
--battery-operated candles, some of which did not light
--two kids on the top riser that nearly came to blows
--dueling verses of the same Christmas carol (kids were apparently confused about whether to sing verse 2 or verse 3. Both were going at once.)
--hippies, and a "rich couple" named Thurston and Lovey. The kids didn't get that joke.
--two kids who spoke in a strange accent (but who don't in real life.)
--lots of adorable off-key singing
--and a light-up star.

The first, second, and third graders did a great job. The play was lots of fun to watch--and the prelude by the pre-K and kindergarten was nothing short of adorable. Little kids + carols + reindeer headgear = completely cute.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Every year that weather permits, our Secular Franciscan Fraternity hosts a "Live Nativity at Greccio" celebration.

Last time we had it, it was in a new place, indoors, without live animals, but we had 117 people to enjoy the Live Nativity. This year, it's going to be even more different.

It will no longer simply be a Live Nativity, but will be incorporated into our parish's "Catholics Come Home" Christmas Carol Festival. That means that it's going to turn into a Battle of the Bands of sorts, with all 3 parish ensembles (Religious Education Kids' Choir, Adult Choir, and Folk Group) all participating.

A few diehard Greccio participants have bowed out this year--the changes are just too much for them. I kind of want to join them, but I'm bound to hang in there with both the Folk Group and the Secular Franciscans. And I do have to say that I'm relieved for us Seculars, because the membership in general is getting up in age and it's hard for many of them do to much to help with the event. I was getting pretty tired of handling most if it myself. This year, my role is much more limited, and those SFOs who are physically able will bring cookies and help hand out (and collect) costumes.

Tonight I have to go over to the church to represent the Folk Group as we do a walk-through of the whole event to figure out how long it will take. I know it's going to be a bittersweet time. I'm going to have to compromise, as if I haven't done enough of that already with this event and this parish merger.

And in the end I'm going to have to hope that this event touches the hearts of those attending and those participating. After all, "that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

Saturday Miscellaneous--with a bunch of Christmas thrown in

• I'm thankful that my kids "get" that it's too early for Christmas decorations--and even Christmas music.  Yesterday I had Middle Sister in the car when I stopped at church to hang an announcement on the bulletin board.  She saw the "Giving Tree" in the church lobby.  "It's too early for Christmas trees," she told me.  Sure, I know you have to plan ahead with those Giving Trees, but it just doesn't feel right.  Our tree will go up, as usual, on Pink Candle Sunday.
• It's not too early, however, to enjoy a Christmas present from Big Brother, who bought tickets for me and TheDad for today's TransSiberian Orchestra concert.  TheDad bought 3 more tickets so the whole family can go together.  We'll all make a collective exception to the "no Christmas music before Advent" rule and enjoy the amazingly talented TSO.
• Sarah has Seven Advent Tips that are very good.  Listed among them:  wait to decorate!  Count me in as one who decorates gradually, throughout the season.  It works well for me and it brings Christmas gradually into the house instead of one big BANG on Black Friday.  Basically, here's how it goes:  First Sunday of Advent I bring out the Advent wreath, Christmas storybooks and the empty manger scene.  Nothing else.  Second Sunday of Advent I hang a few pine garlands around the house and put up some other decorations.  Pink Candle Sunday is Christmas-tree day.  Fourth Sunday of Advent, anything else--and animals (only) in the manger.  Christmas Eve:  Holy Family in the manger.  Christmas Day:  shepherds in the manger.  Epiphany:  Wise men in the manger.
• Speaking of Christmas Storybooks, this may be the first year I don't bring those out.  They're all picture books and no one in this house is still reading those.  I guess it's time to put them in a nice safe container and save them for when we have grandchildren.  And unlike Denise, I'm not ready for that to happen anytime soon.
• I've really got to get down to business and figure out the timing for the Thanksgiving Morning Cook-a-Thon.  I've done all of the "nonperishable" shopping and secured a promise from TheDad that he will get the kids off to school on Monday or Tuesday morning so I can go to ShopRite the second they open (7 AM) and avoid all the Amateur Shoppers who are in search of unusual Thanksgiving ingredients, but who have no clue how to even find the canned gravy and Red Delicious apples.  I'm banking on the hope that most of the Amateurs don't wake up that early.
• Too Good Not To Share:  Heidi's prayer for the Adventure Boys in her neighborhood.  Pray this one for Adventure Boys everywhere:  Heavenly Father, watch over all the children in my community whose parents aren’t there to influence their daily choices and habits. Give these children wisdom beyond their years, to protect their hearts from the evil one and his schemes. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

We had a lovely day. A little sleep-deprived, but lovely. Little Brother woke up at 2 and saw that Santa had been here. It took some doing to talk him out of opening his gifts right then.

We attended early Mass because it was for my father-in-law. But the later Mass was the one that the folk group was going to play. Big Brother offered to attend two Masses if I would, so we both went back for "round two." The doubleheader was definitely worth it. It was wonderful to sing all the Christmas carols with the other musicians in the folk group, and a couple of other friends who joined us for the day. Afterwards, Father H. (the parochial vicar) told us that the music was wonderful and that it had filled the church. So we did what we were there to do. I love Christmas carols!

Tomorrow I will drink my coffee in the "My mom is great" coffee mug that Little Brother got me at Santa's Secret Shop. Then we'll head up to my parents' house for "Christmas: The Day After." But now, I'm off to sleep. Hopefully it'll be a calmer night tonight!

Deflatables

I like driving around town looking at people's displays of outdoor Christmas decorations. There are lots of pretty lights, fresh green wreaths with red bows, vintage sleds, stars and more. There are reindeer on the lawn, or the occasional wooden cutout Nativity scene.

Of course, some houses have all of the above.

And then there are the inflatable decorations. There's a house that I pass on the way to Big Brother's school that has no fewer than eight inflatables: Frosty, Santa, a huge snow globe, and others that I can't remember just now. Problem is, most people don't inflate their decorations until it gets dark, so all day long people drive by and see Frosty doing a face-plant on someone's lawn.

That's not a pretty sight.

The only inflatable I was ever tempted to consider displaying was a Snoopy-as-World-War-I-Flying-Ace, complete with doghouse. Now that was cool.

The saddest thing, though, was what I saw today. The house had an inflatable Nativity scene--but it wasn't turned on. So the Holy Family lay flat and crumpled on the dead winter grass.

Jesus and the Griswolds

I was thinking earlier that Jesus didn't come so we could have a "Griswold Family Christmas" with the perfect tree, perfect family reunion, perfect meal. Of course, the Griswolds didn't get that either, but Clark just kept on dreaming that they would.

So even though there are parts of that movie that are a little "mature" for my first-grader, I think the Griswolds' story really does show what Christmas is all about--and what it can do to you.

In his quest for an over-the-top decorated house (indoors and out), a fabulous "cut your own tree" experience complete with carols all the way, and a terrific family dinner, Clark is trying, in his own way, to create something special for his family. He knows that Christmas is something special and he wants his family to know that too.

After all, Baby Jesus wasn't born in a nice clean hospital with all the amenities. He came into the world in the humblest of circumstances, to parents who were basically homeless and probably social outcasts due to Mary's pregnancy. He was laid in an animal's feeding trough. That's not the kind of cozy bed most moms envision for their children.

Similarly, Clark's well-planned Griswold Family Christmas goes all awry due to snobby neighbors, crazy (and senile) relatives, technical difficulties with lights, extension cords, and squirrels in the tree, a discarded cigar and a misguided boss. But in the end he learns that what matters is that the whole family is together--mess or no mess. And that's what's important.

Baby Jesus didn't come to bring us perfection here on earth. He came as an expression of the love the Father has for all of us. And he came to lead us to something better.

Merry Christmas!

Very Merry!

The tree is up--and re-lit. Yes, re-lit. I learned the hard way that when you put 1500 lights on your Christmas tree, one extension cord is not going to cut it.

This time I've got multiple cords and all are plugged into a surge protector. I think Bill would be proud.

The gifts are wrapped, but the ones belonging to people who live here are not tagged. I did that on purpose, since some people here should answer by the name of "Snoopy." (You know who you are.) I have employed a secret code for the packages for easy tagging later.

Santa's plate of cookies is wrapped and already on the table, since we do not want to neglect the Big Guy in Red!

Today all the figures will go into our empty manger.

I'm as ready as I'm going to be. Early this morning was the last quiet time I'll get until Saturday.

Come, Lord Jesus!

And Merry Christmas to all my blog buddies, near and far!

117 People

This afternoon our Secular Franciscan Fraternity once again hosted our Living Nativity at Greccio celebration.

It was a little different this year. Actually, it was very different this year. First of all, we had it in a new location, as our parish merged with another parish and has leased the property where we used to hold this event.

Second, we held the celebration indoors because of the morning's very nasty weather: ice and freezing rain and then damp cold.

Third, we had to cancel the animals as we could not have a pony, a llama, two sheep and two goats in our parish gym.

BUT we found a four-year-old boy who was there with his grandparents and willing to put on a fleecy costume and walk along with the shepherds--even if he did have to exit the scene before it was over so he could take a potty break.

This year, "Baby Jesus" was a very happy little one, so Middle Sister (as Angel Gabriel) and "Mary" didn't have to go looking for the Holy Binky as in years past.

We had a nice big choir and the audience actually sang along. And there were tons of little angels and shepherds.

I did have to zip home to pick up a forgotten costume part, but made it back in plenty of time.

Our indoor Greccio was better than I expected--especially since I didn't have to freeze my fingertips off while playing my guitar.

7 Random Christmas Things

Ellen tagged me for a "7 Random Christmas Things" meme.

I may have mentioned some of these before, so I'll link to that if I have.

1. I just learned this week (because my cousins are on facebook) that my parents' tradition of "Santa decorates the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve" was actually my father's family tradition, so it happened in all my cousins' households as well.

2. We only bake one kind of Christmas cookie here, and it's still too early to do those. If we bake them now, there'll be none left for Santa!

3. Other than the Nativity Scene, my favorite Christmas decoration is the set of "doily on a toilet paper tube" angels that my older children made in pre-K.

4. I love Christmas carols (not "winter carols" like "Sleigh Ride") but my all-time favorite has to be "O Holy Night," followed by "Silent Night" and "Angels We Have Heard on High."

5. TheDad likes to taunt me by "hiding" my unwrapped Christmas gift practically in plain sight. For some reason I never notice it, which mystifies everyone (including me). Of course, he's a last-minute shopper, so he never has to hide it for too long.

6. Childhood Christmas present that I still have and still use: a couple of pairs of mittens knitted by Granma. She had 15 grandchildren and I don't know how many step-grands, and every last one of them got a new pair of mittens every Christmas.

7. I'm all done shopping AND wrapping! Woohoo!

I know it's a busy time so I won't tag anyone, but if you want to play, just say so in the combox!