Christmas time is here.....

I hope that your celebrations, whatever they are, were wonderful. We have enjoyed the Christmas cards, although I admit, mine are still in the box! Ah well, according to our pastor, Christmas begins on the 24th and then goes for 12 days.

We start our Christmas by attending the Children's Mass. It is the vigil service, but from the year he arrived, our pastor made it a habit to read a story for the homily. He invites all the children to go listen. Even BRE, the13 year old, who was an altar server, sat with the kids, as did the Magpie. We were concerned that Magpie wouldn't be attentive, but the little stinker was able to summarize the story quite well on the ride home.

We then watched A Charlie Brown Christmas, a classic that will never go out of style. (Neither will Rudolph, despite its antifeminism, nor the animated version of the Grinch.) Magpie did not want to go to bed, but did, even almost at her bedtime. BRE has a terrible cough, but was also able to sleep.

Christmas morning started early. Magpie had to use the bathroom at 6:30 and then decided it was morning. She had to snuggle her dad until I showered, then she woke up her sister. They came out to the living room and placed the statue of Jesus in the creche. Okay, both, since I now have the one I painted and the one that was my parents'. Then they sang, 'Happy Birthday" to Jesus.

At this point it was time to attack the stockings. Santa gave them cookies, a snowglobe ornament and....and....electric toothbrushes. I think their dentist talked to Santa.

The, cruel parents that we are, the long wait for grandparents to arrive began. While Knight showered and took care of the animals, the girls and I made cinnamon buns. The girls ate breakfast and stared at the tree. Grandma and Grandpa arrived first...and then GrandpaJ.

FINALLY!! It was time to open gifts. BRE received more Harry Potter accoutrements and a beautiful opal neckace. Magpie received a dolly and Barbie and dress-up clothes. GrandpaJ loved his DVD player and DVD sets of old tv shows.

The surprise gift of the day was.... a Wii. Both girls know how to play, and the Knight and I aren't too proud to let them teach us.

Blessing on the Solstice and Happy Hannukah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43J-gYOnLoI

Light one candle for the Maccabee children
Give thanks their light didn't die;
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied;
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand;
light one candle for the wisdom to know
When the peacemaker's time is at hand!
chorus:Don't let the light go out,It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!Let it shine through our love and our tears!
Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe;
Light one candle for those who are suff'ring
The pain that we learned long ago;
Light one candle for all we believe in,
That anger not tear us apart;
And light one candle to bind us together
With peace as the song in our heart!
(chorus) What is the memory that's valued so highly
That we keep it alive in that flame?
What's the commitment to those who have died?
We cry out "they've not died in vain,
"We have come this far, always believing
That justice will somehow prevail;
This is the burden and This is the promise,
This is why we will not fail!
(chorus) Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!

And may all your Christmases be white

Living in Upstate New York is always an adventure. We are in a weather pattern right now. We are in storm number 3, with 4 and 5 on their ways. Beautiful snow, lazily falling.

And the snowblower works today.

It doesn't always, it thinks it is a lawn mower.

We are wrapping the last of the gifts and I am on vacation until the 5th of January.

Maybe I will catch up blogging.

Heralding the news

I find at times that the pastor of my parish is rather broad-minded. He was speaking today of John the Baptist heralding the news. The major point he was making is that John was telling people that their points of view were skewed away from what was right, and that they had to change. He started naming other 'John the Baptists' who 'heralded the news". This included: Mohandas Gandhi; Rosa Parks, Rev.Dr. King; Nelson Mandela; and Jdimytai Damour, the Walmart worker who was trampled. Father was most adamant that, as he said, in this season in which many cultures celebrate unity, forgiveness and good-will, a person's life must be made more important than saving a few dollars.

Rather ecumenical of a Catholic priest, as well as insightful.

Welcome to December

I have my Christmas socks on!