Nah-tivity Nonsense

I am constantly irritated amused amazed by the stuff I read on the Internet. That it only really started in the form we now know nearly 20 years ago and people have taken to it -- and complaining on it -- without reservation...is, like, wow!

We have a generation of people, some call the Millennials. I see them more as the Baby Boomers 2.0. They seem to complain about, er, um, question everything.

I came across a photo the other day about a nativity set someone had at her house.

She brought up the idea that white entitlement or privilege was prevalent in Christmas stuff, that her nativity scene figurines were blond and that made them from Ohio (not sure how many blonds live in Ohio, but idle grass...) She claims that they are miscolored because Jesus was Jewish...and this is apparently a #christmasfail.

Three people agreed with her -- with vehemence. One even complained how she'd been on a quest for a "non-blond" more "culturally accurate" set. She promised to get two, if she found one.

...

First of all, none of us was there. There are no photos, pictures, drawing, paintings of Jesus and his parents at that time period. Why couldn't they be blond? What is that "white privilege" or "entitlement"? Blond people exist today. Who's to say they weren't the coloring of the first people and the rest changed pigmentation as people moved away from the Garden area? No one knows what color came first. And who really cares? At the end of the day, we are all people with different pigmentation. That's it. No colors. Just people.

I know. I know. Spoken like a true white person.

Sigh.

Second of all, the person in question is white. Or, as I prefer to say, Caucasian. What gives? Why is she "white bashing" when that's her own background? It seems to me that a person who bashes her own skin tone is just trying to be part of the crowd, beating the tired drum of the liberals of our country. She has no credibility.

Thump. Thump. Sigh.

And third of all, who cares? I know I already added that to my "first of all," but it bears repeating. I am white and my family is white. Not one of us is blond, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a nativity set that is blond...and white...and in a wooden building -- eek! -- (because they apparently used a cave). The idea is that a nativity scene -- with a little baby Jesus -- points us to the true meaning of the holiday. Does it really matter if he's black, white, brown, green with polka dots? Not really. It's something we bring out once-a-year for about a month or so. We add it to the other decorations and gaze at it occasionally. We don't worship it. We don't think it's the be-all-to-end-all. It's just part of the scenery.

And if having a more culturally appropriate set is important to your family because culturally you are different, then kudos to you. But if you're white and your set is white, enjoy it for what it is: a small reminder that Christmas is a gift, a blessing, a privilege in itself -- not another time to complain and jump on the liberal millennial band wagon.

Your whiteness precludes you from that.

Let's just be people. Together. Celebrating. Worshiping. Without reservation.

That's Heaven.

Sweet Sunday

Back in December, we were treated again by 

our kids to the annual Foote Family Christmas Show. 

Here's Ethan (age 6) "singing" for us:

Saturday Sweetheart

Emily took this photo of our sweet Rosie. Doesn't she look festive?

Boxing Day Observed

Since my hubby is British, I often think that he must get homesick for some of the traditions and goodies he enjoyed around the holidays when he lived in England. I asked him one year what fun things he wanted to incorporate into our family traditions so that it might lessen those feelings, and he said he missed Boxing Day the most.

Boxing Day, for many Brits, is like Christmas Day Part 2. All the same foods and fun but repeated at a relative's -- grandparents' or aunt/uncle's -- house. It was the day that Stuart said they got their prezzies from their grandparents. An extension of the fun, so to speak.

When we lived in Britain, we were always invited over to a friends' home to join in the fun. A beautiful and tasty roasted meal with Christmas pudding, mince pies, Christmas crackers, and a small present afterwards.

So now we try to recreate this goodness in our house each year.

Only this year, our turkey decided NOT to thaw in time. I took it out of the freezer at the suggested moment, but it must have been in a deep freeze when I bought it because that bird was still a bit frozen even a week after I started thawing it. We delayed our meal for a few days, and it was still as lovely and fun as always.

Great food. Great company.

We ended with a demonstration of bunny hopping and a meeting of the piggies.

On Christmas Day in the Morning!

MERRIEST CHRISTMAS to ALL!

It's hard to believe, but this day has come! It feels like just last month we were starting school and not long after was Halloween...and wasn't it last week that we enjoyed Thanksgiving?

Phew!

It was a beautifully fun and leisurely morning for all of us. It took Stuart and me hours to wrap all of the presents...and the kids, well, they unwrapped everything in minutes. Amazing and fun!

But everyone had a good time and enjoyed their gifts -- both given and received.

We hope you enjoyed your Christmas Day, too!

Christmas Eve...

There's something about this day.

Emily summed it up well by saying how she likes it a little bit more than Christmas Day.

Maybe it's the anticipation?

Maybe it's the excitement of what's to come?

Maybe it's the stillness?

Or maybe it's the light that shattered the darkness and brought new hope to Israel...

Silent night. Holy night.

All is calm, all is bright

'Round yon virgin, mother and child.

Holy infant so tender and mild  

Sleep in heavenly peace,

Sleep in heavenly peace.

The Eve of Christmas Eve

Way back in 1988 -- on this very date, in fact -- we took a picnic to the park. Let me explain the "we." I had just moved to England at the end of October and met some friends named Sarah, Stuart, and Euan. We got this crazy idea to have an "American meal" by way of a picnic in the nearby Lydiard Park (one of my very favorite places to visit whilst living in England).

It was freezing cold and damp, the kind of cold that penetrates through whatever you're wearing and makes you cold down to your toes. We took peanut-butter-and-jam sandwiches, salt-and-vinegar crisps, a pint of milk, and Euan was kind enough to find a can of Schweppes American ginger ale (I'd mistaken ginger beer for ginger ale at our first time out as a group) for me.

It was fun. We were young, crazy, and silly. People stared as they passed. But a memory was made. I think Stuart and I remember it more vividly and with far more nostalgia than the day deserves, but it's still fun.

Years later, in the heart of our living room, we decided to revive the "Eve of Christmas Eve picnic in the park" idea with the same menu...and our kids. It's been a fun remembrance with them.

Fast forward to this year. and we decided to go one further and picnic in Central Park with them. We didn't quite make it to the park (it was the "perfect" weather) due to the wetness. Still, a memory was made.

Our first stop was a surprise visit with Santa in Macy's Santaland.

Ethan had requested this earlier in the season, but we didn't think we'd get there. When he told Santa he had been hoping to see him, Santa said he wondered when Ethan was going to come and visit, that he'd been waiting for him. Ethan was amazed!

We made it to Central Park, but we were so tired and cold 

that we decided to forego having our picnic there.

Our "selfie"

The Build-a-Bear Workshop was on our list of places to visit.

Ethan found a huge bucket of Nutella.

Waiting for the subway.

Edward found a newly-retired LEGO set he'd been wanting...

the last set in FAO Schwartz. Christmas money well-spent!

Emily used her Christmas money for some sale clothing

she found at Aeropostale in Times Square.

Love visiting our lion friends outside the New York Public Library.

And we finally got our "picnic" (the one that Stuart lugged all around New York City for us): our own homemade sandwiches and salt-and-vinegar crisps. We had some Schweppes ginger ale in the car, but we enjoyed that at a later date. 

This year's picnic included Starbucks.

Saturday Sweetheart

Christmas Sweetness

King John’s Christmas

King John was not a good man –
He had his little ways.
And sometimes no one spoke to him
For days and days and days.
And men who came across him,
When walking in the town,
Gave him a supercilious stare,
Or passed with noses in the air –
And bad King John stood dumbly there,
Blushing beneath his crown.

King John was not a good man,
And no good friends had he.
He stayed in every afternoon…
But no one came to tea.
And, round about December,
The cards upon his shelf
Which wished him lots of Christmas cheer,
And fortune in the coming year,
Were never from his near and dear,
But only from himself.

King John was not a good man,
Yet had his hopes and fears.
They’d given him no present now
For years and years and years.
But every year at Christmas,
While minstrels stood about,
Collecting tribute from the young
For all the songs they might have sung,
He stole away upstairs and hung
A hopeful stocking out.

King John was not a good man,
He lived his live aloof;
Alone he thought a message out
While climbing up the roof.
He wrote it down and propped it
Against the chimney stack:
“TO ALL AND SUNDRY - NEAR AND FAR -
F. Christmas in particular.”
And signed it not “Johannes R.”
But very humbly, “Jack.”

“I want some crackers,
And I want some candy;
I think a box of chocolates
Would come in handy;
I don’t mind oranges,
I do like nuts!
And I SHOULD like a pocket-knife
That really cuts.
And, oh! Father Christmas, if you love me at all,
Bring me a big, red, india-rubber ball!”

King John was not a good man –
He wrote this message out,
And gat him to this room again,
Descending by the spout.
And all that night he lay there,
A prey to hopes and fears.
“I think that’s him a-coming now!”
(Anxiety bedewed his brow.)
“He’ll bring one present, anyhow –
The first I had for years.”

“Forget about the crackers,
And forget the candy;
I’m sure a box of chocolates
Would never come in handy;
I don’t like oranges,
I don’t want nuts,
And I HAVE got a pocket-knife
That almost cuts.
But, oh! Father christmas, if you love me at all,
Bring me a big, red, india-rubber ball!”

King John was not a good man,
Next morning when the sun
Rose up to tell a waiting world
That Christmas had begun,
And people seized their stockings,
And opened them with glee,
And crackers, toys and games appeared,
And lips with sticky sweets were smeared,
King John said grimly: “As I feared,
Nothing again for me!”

“I did want crackers,
And I did want candy;
I know a box of chocolates
Would come in handy;
I do love oranges,
I did want nuts!
I haven’t got a pocket-knife —
Not one that cuts.
And, oh! if Father Christmas, had loved me at all,
He would have brought a big, red,
india-rubber ball!”

King John stood by the window,
And frowned to see below
The happy bands of boys and girls
All playing in the snow.
A while he stood there watching,
And envying them all …
When through the window big and red
There hurtled by his royal head,
And bounced and fell upon the bed,
An india-rubber ball!

And oh Father Christmas,
My blessings on you fall
For bringing him a big, red,
India-rubber ball!

~A. A. Milne

Simply Simon's Cat,,,

...with a holiday wish for you!

Happiest Christmas from Our Home to Yours!

Merriest Christmas Eve!

We read the story behind this beautiful carol tonight before the kids headed to bed.

Silent Night

The origin of the Christmas carol we know as "Silent Night" was a poem that was written in 1816 by an Austrian priest called Joseph Mohr. On Christmas Eve in 1818 in the small alpine village called Oberndorf it is reputed that the organ at St. Nicholas Church had broken. Joseph Mohr gave the poem of "Silent Night" ("Stille Nacht") to his friend Franz Xavier Gruber and the melody for "Silent Night" was composed with this in mind. The music to "Silent Night" was therefore intended for a guitar and the simple score was finished in time for Midnight Mass.

"Silent Night" is the most famous Christmas carol of all time!

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Sweet Reminder...

I found myself once again remembering this fun adventure from 21 years ago. Still a sweet reminder of another time and place...

==================

Saturday, December 23, 2006

The Eve of Christmas Eve

18 years ago today...

That's when my hubby and I -- along with two other friends -- had a picnic in Lydiard Park, just outside Swindon, England. We had peanut-butter-and-jam sandwiches, a pint of milk, salt-and-vinegar crisps, and a Schweppes Ginger Ale the one friend brought for me since I was missing some familiar drinks from the States....and had ordered Ginger Beer instead of Ginger Ale at the pub a while before.

It was freezing as I recall....and we got some rather strange looks from the few passers-by who must have wondered at this group of 17- and 18-year-olds having a picnic on the 23rd of December.

1988.

Half a lifetime ago.

Still makes me smile.

Wise Words...at Christmas

Emily: Never look a Santa donut in the eyes.

Friday Funnies

A Christmas-Jammies 10-on-10

Keep It Simple, Stupid!

I remember seeing that above someone's desk at the newspaper where I worked years ago. It was a reminder to the reporter to keep to the facts and make things understandable.

While I didn't have it written above my desk, I did have it in my head.

It's a good reminder now in the craziness of the holiday season with the hustle and bustle of trying to make everything perfect...

Keep it simple, stupid!

It's not about money...or presents...or the perfect decorations...or the tree...or the cookies...or the cards/photos.

It's about remembering a quiet night in Bethlehem when a baby was born.

Maybe it's because I was so out of it by the time each of my babies arrived so I might not remember correctly, but it seems to me that it was very very quiet.

A hush. A calm. A stillness shattered only by the sound of a baby's cry.

Let's remember that this Christmas.

And hush. And be calm. And enjoy the quietness of remembering the first Christmas, where they had no tree, no cards, no presents, no money.

Just each other and the knowledge of a God who loved them and chose them to raise the Savior of the world.

Wow! Simple.

And pretty awesome, huh?

Santa Bunny

Today was probably the busiest day of the holiday season so far. So much is/was planned for this date and much of it had to be cut out because there's just so much we can do, right?

Sigh.

We started our day with breakfast at the Reading Inn where we got to see Santa Claus.

Not quite the same as last year...

Every year Stuart's company hosts Santa and the children of employees for a breakfast. There's a buffet for breakfast and presents and balloons for the kids. Some years they've even had craft tables.




And every year we get a photo of the kids with Santa.

Sometimes they look like this:


But mostly they look like this:


Still, it's always fun...and always yummy...and always a treat.

Later on, we'll perspire as we dream by the...

Oops. I mean, later on, we had our annual 4-H Christmas dinner.

Everyone brings a part of the meal and we feast until we're bursting and then move on to awards and presents. Emily got her 4th-year pin this year. Wow! I can't believe it's been that long. She served as the vice president of the club last year...and she was re-elected for the same role next year.


The club members and their families bring presents to exchange anonymously. It's a "give-and-take-back" kind of game. It's interesting, and there are some fun choices out there.



Ethan didn't participate, but he enjoyed milling about in the present pile.

And a fun time was had by all!

Advent Calendar

Every year we give our kids a chocolate advent calendar to count down the days until Christmas.

This year we bought a third one so that the baby could join in.

It's amazing how quickly he learned that behind each of the little cardboard doors is a little piece of "num-num" (his word for yummy).

Because life is made up of sweet moments, right?