What Do You Want For Christmas?
Well, it’s that time of year again…the time when I hold on to delicate threads of light and sanity and pray that it’s over soon.
I’ve given up my attempts to look at Christmas through spiritual and theological eyes and now I just embrace the sadness and wait for the 26th.
Make that the 27th…I have a minor heart procedure on the 26th.
I’m at that age when most of the things I want for Christmas are things that only God can accomplish…
What do you want for Christmas?
Do you have any family traditions that you are enjoying or plan to enjoy?
Any special music you enjoy during the holidays?
Special foods?
I try with all my might to avoid commercial radio so I can hopefully retain some sense of sanity and perhaps avoid hearing the 3 worst songs ever written, the titles of which I will not utter here.
On a positive note (um…k) regarding Christmas music, my favorite Christmas music off all time is Michael W. Smith’s first Christmas album, along with Bing Crosby.
Food? My mom made great Christmas cookies. She also made Lefse, a Norwegian delight. Nice to be Scandinavia.
Our family would always gather on Christmas Eve. This year as wife and live live 900 miles from my family, we plan on meeting via Zoom tomorrow afternoon for a visit.
I am not feeling Christmas this year. I was sick on Thanksgiving and it appears that I will be sick on Christmas too. Even if I have improved a whole lot I will need to look after my bride who is taking this sickness harder than me. The first day that I started working in the supplements section at our local health food store the young man who trained me said, “Be prepared to see as many sick people or more than you would in a doctor’s office.” Boy was he right.
The one thing I want for Christmas is for it to be over so the radio station at work can stop playing fifteen different versions of the worst Christmas song ever. However, for some odd reason this year you would think it was worthy being immortalized and placed into the Christmas canon. Lol.
Anyways, for what it is worth I wish you all the best and hope your procedure goes well.
A few lines from an Christmas song I attempted to write a year or two ago:
Clothed is a world wrapped in darkness
turmoil beckons the day to drift further astray
while the masses wander has the promise faded away?
Today a light glimmers in the pitch black sky
sign in the heavens single star shining brightly
sent to lead the estranged of heart back home
a mighty king born but yet to take His throne
Today a light glimmers in the pitch black sky
sent to lead the estranged of heart back home
Dan,
Do you eat that bleached cod thing?
Tried it once and gagged…
I do like the cookies though…
Shawn,
Praying that you and your bride recover…and they let you start wearing earphones at work… 🙂
Tangerine bread is a traditional item over here. I just baked five loaves to give to the neighbors who celebrate on the 25th.
I think if I hear that song Last Christmas one more time I will scream.
As I’ve explained many times over the years here, we have a Santa Claus/Jingle Bells/Presents-Under-the-Tree Christmas over here on the 25th with whatever family member wants to come by but it’s going to be a salmon dinner because it’s still the Advent fast. On the 7th it’s church and Christmas dinner at Fr. G’s house with a few dozen of his grand children and a couple of dogs. Very noisy, very wonderful. As an introvert I can only endure 4 or 5 hours of it and have to retreat to home but it is the best day of the year with the exception maybe of Pascha (Easter).
I think pretty much all my projects have been completed and mailed to the dispersed family. I knitted a lot of scarves, hats and stockings and other crafty items and I hope the recipients don’t find them to be too cheesy. We sent out a few boxes of Christmas cards and maybe we will get some back. Christmas cards seem to be a thing of the past. Well, I like them.
I really miss Em on the blog this time of year.
Merry Christmas, PhxPeeps.
I miss Em as well…as much as we fussed, she was always in my corner.
Tangerine bread sounds good…I love tangerines.
I don’t know what my duties are this year…in past years I came over, stayed for as little time possible and went home.
Now, this home…I’ll do the best I can…
Michael,
If you are referring to Lutefisk, I have never tried it and I WILL NEVER try it lol!
I’ll pray, Michael, for a quick and complete recovery.
What do I want for Christmas? Money, enough to retire on.
Do I have any family traditions that I enjoy? The closest thing is listening to Stille Nacht from Mannheim Steamroller and reading the Christmas story right around midnight, and before watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story and whatever Christmas-themed sitcom episodes I can find.
Any special music you enjoy during the holidays? A mix of classic and modern Christmas music, though I’ve slacked on that the last few years. Hasn’t felt very Christmassy.
Special foods? I expect turkey/ham and dressing from somewhere. I’d hate to settle for peanut butter.
We’re going to go with a prime rib and ham this year with a wide range of accompaniments. We’ve left the artificial tree up for four years now because we can’t agree on how to properly store it; but that’s another story and it has become a de facto tradition. 🙂 We always decorate the outside of the house with strings of alternating red and white lights–kind of a classic look. Chinese food Christmas Eve, hide the dill pickle ornament on the tree and the first grandchild to find it gets to open a gift first, then help pass out all the others.
Dan from Georgia,
My grandmother was 100% Norwegian. My aunt has horror stories of making lutefisk. I had a taste once-awful!
I don’t have much family near me, and they are traveling this year, so I have Christmas on my own. I enjoy some activities with Spanish church and greetings either neighbors. I still need to get some cards out, as well as thank yous to my very generous students for their many gifts.
I love “oldies” music (Perry Como, Bing Crosby) and Michael Card. I also Iove old holiday movies like White Christmas, Come to the Manger, The Bells of St Mary’s…
With two weeks off, I am hoping to get a lot done at home! Felix (my cat) is very happy to have me home, too.
BrianD,
Hope your recovery is going well.
I have to have turkeys and cranberry sauce…but I might be tempted to eat at fils…
Linn,
We’re never on our own when we have a cat…may you and Felix enjoy it to the fullest…
filistine….glad to know that my wife and I aren’t the only ones that have left a Christmas tree up for that long…going on 3-4 years for a table-top tree in our hallway and 1 year with a full-sized tree on the upstairs landing.
Linn – I was going to say I know no one that likes Lutefisk, but I think I know one unfortunate soul.
My wife does a lot of decorating having trees, wreaths, crafts and ornaments.
Unfortunately not any lutefisk for quite a few years. I like it but my wife doesn’t appreciate the taste.
A small ham usually covers both Christmas and New Years with vegetables, potatoes and pie rounding out the fare in our empty nest.
Praying for Michael, Shawn and others here that God will bring merciful relief.
I’m with BrianD on what I want for Christmas. The one item I’m looking the most forward to receiving is a large heating pad. My back and neck will be very appreciative.
Our church will have a simple service for Christmas Eve. We gather the chairs in a semi-circle around the piano, sing carols and pray. There will be lots of candles and hugs.
On Christmas morning, we’ll eat eggs and bacon with coffee, tea or hot chocolate. As we open gifts, some of us will start in on the cookies. In the afternoon, we’ll head over to my ex-wife’s house for dinner and games. I hate games, but I participate some because I don’t want to be the only grinch in the house. I think we’re having ham, potatoes and such, but I don’t know for sure. It changes every year. In past years, we’ve done Mexican, Italian and German (That’s my favorite. I love sauerbraten, latkes and pickled red cabbage).
As far as music, I like a variety. Renaissance motets, later works for chorus and orchestra, the old crooners (Bing, Nat Cole, etc.), smooth jazz, country, some contemporary christian stuff, but I’m picky about it. An album with which I became familiar recently is Behold the Lamb of God by Andrew Peterson. I’m really enjoying it.
While I think I’ll enjoy all that I mentioned above, the one thing that will dampen it for me this year is that I won’t have any of my children with me. That part sucks.
For me, Christmas is about having kids around. We have 2 grandsons (9 and 6) and they make the day fun with all of their excitement and anticipation. But, having an adult Down Syndrome son also keeps Christmas alive as he still somewhat believes in Santa Claus. I usually do some kind of mystery gift for all three of them that takes them time to figure out.
“The Word visits the earth, where he has always been present, and sees its evil condition. He takes a human body, born of a pure virgin in whose womb he makes human flesh his own, in which to reveal himself, conquer death, and restore life.”
Athanasius of Alexandria
A Blessed Feast of the Nativity to one and all…
Because I’m burned out on pop holiday hits, my Spotify playlist has evolved into instrumental acoustic guitar and jazz trio renditions of holiday classics. If I were to recommend one album, it’s Lawrence Juber’s “Holidays & Hollynights”. Crank up the system and enjoy the upright bass and jazz guitar version of your favorites.
Thanks for the tip, Terry. A really good album. I also like Wintersongs and Traditionals (Billy Mcglaughlin) for acoustic instrumental Christmas songs.
I’ll spend Christmas in the hospital where I was born facing the prospect that it may be my mother’s last. She’s very quiet in the face of mortal illness with her usual refusal to engage uncomfortable matters.
We will laugh and cry and remember. I may try to attend a Christmas Eve service nearby. We always went to the midnight service with candlelight and communion. All my churches kept the tradition, even my charismatic family.
Don’t need anything except the grace of Jesus.
Alan,
Praying for you and your family…may your heritage and the Lord hold you through it all…
Michael,
I am praying for your procedure!
Felix is very happy as my students were extremely generous this year. He is romping in the boxes and tearing up the wrapping paper.
Alan,
I’m praying for your mom, and I’m so sorry.
My own mother is also in the hospital since last night and I do not expect her to come home from there. She lives in North Carolina with my sister who has earned many crowns in heaven for taking such good care of her. She is 96.
May God receive our mothers into His embrace and grant them a peaceful end to their lives.
Linn,
Thank you, my friend!
Xenia,
Praying for you and your family as well.
My own mother passed this year so I am familiar with the loss…
Alan and Xenia, praying for you, your moms, and families.
Terry, thanks for the recommendation. Good stuff!
Gracious responses and wishing each of you blessing. I think I was largely offline when your mother passed Michael. Belated condolences. It seems so much of life is health crisis and grief in this era of life.
And so we share fellowship in sorrow — in and through Christ.
What I want for Christmas is to see my son. The want is fulfilled, I get to see my son!
Reuben, that’s wonderful! Merry Christmas!
That’s great Reuben!
Praying for Alan, Michael, and Xenia early this morning.
Alan and Xenia,
Having lost my mother and my best friend this year, I feel your pain. It’s a journey… Praying for you and your families
Praying for you michael and you Alan.
~Kirk