Merry Christmas

Preach it, brother Linus.

It's the most overdone time of the year

From Straight No Chaser, the guys who brought us The Twelve Days of Christmas, comes another soon to be classic, The Christmas Can Can!

Best Christmas special

At this time of year there is always a debate among bloggers which Christmas movie or television special is the best, and which are the worst, and so on. Ignoring the worst, because I can't be bothered with the terrible stuff and others have done a good job, and admitting there are several good ones out there I like and enjoy watching, I will go straight to the best.


This one.

Viva Viva La Befana

La Befana:

According to Italian legend, La Befana was a witch living at the time of the birth of Jesus. The three wise men (also known as the three kings) were on their way to Bethlehem, when they invited La Befana to come along. She was busy with her housework and declined. Later, once she had finished her cleaning, she set off on her broomstick with toys for the Gesú Bambino (Baby Jesus). However, she could not find the Three Kings and soon lost her way. Italian children believe that La Befana is still looking for Baby Jesus, and on the eve of the Epiphany, she flies down the chimney (or, if a chimney is not available, the keyhole) of each house, and leaves gifts in the children’s shoes, which are left by the fireplace (or by the door if; there is no fireplace,) just in case Baby Jesus is there.

Read more at Suite101: Christmas in Italy: Italian Holiday Traditions

It should be noted that Children leave her a glass of wine and a plate of food. Also, being such a conscientious housekeeper, she will also sweep your floors, so that your house is clean on Epiphany morning.

Happy Epiphany to each and all.

Puff and Bear and the younguns wish you a Merry Christmas!

May the Joy of the Christmas fill your homes and hearts

And by way of apology for the "O Holy Night" post below, I would like to post this one:

Many people believe that Luciano Pavarotti was the best tenor ever. Il Pavarotti believed this guy was.

End of the Holidays

Because Christmas fell on a Thursday this time around I got a longer break than usual from work. It has been a good break mostly. I've spent a fair amount of time with the kids and the wife. Money was extremely tight this year, so we didn't go out and do much of anything, but we got along well enough at home.

"Spending time with the kids" involved watching a fair amount of television with them when we weren't playing games, which meant watching their shows, not mine. As such I've developed an intense hatred for most of the Disney/Family Channel programming schedule. At the top of my most despised list would be several of my kids favourite shows: Hannah Montana, Zack and Cody, Corey in the House and so on. The last two are particularly irksome. Those kids have no talent whatsoever. They can't act, they aren't funny- I wonder who their parents have blackmail material on, because that's the only way I can think anyone would give these talentless things their own shows. Their downfall will provide years of tabloid fodder.

At any rate, I have spent time with the kids. Talking and telling them stories when they're in the mood to listen, that sort of thing. We've all gotten along this time around. For myself, this normally isn't my favourite time of year, and hasn't been for some time, but this time I've pulled through pretty well. The black dog, as Churchill used to say, has been barking around me for much of the holidays, but no real bites this year.

And tomorrow it is back to work, where I will be one of the many nameless and faceless people toiling away at a job they hate surrounded by people they can't stand. The most bitter joke of the holidays is this: By this time tomorrow, I will feel as though the holidays never happened. That's always the way when I take some time of, but it feels a bit worse when it is Christmas that has come and gone, and left without a trace.

Here and there, again.

Christmas went off pretty well this year. We were with our families and there were no major disasters or fights. Dinner last night was delicious. My only complaint is that it wasn't at my house, so I don't get any leftovers.

The kids made out like bandits, as always. I was broke this year, and gave them things I had made in my shop. I made Elder a desk. I gave younger a doll house that isn't quite finished. As is typical of me I went over my head on that one. I could have made her a simple box with a triangular roof on top and called it a dollhouse, but noooo.... I saw a plan for a Georgian style dollhouse and off I went. At least younger is excited at the prospect of the two of us finishing the dollhouse together. I made my mother a card table, so she can have a decent table for her euchre parties. Maybe she'll get rid of one of her ancient folding plastic ones where the legs keep collapsing, usually when I finally have a decent hand.

I wonder why I feel guilty about giving out hand made gifts, as if they aren't good enough.

I used to give even more hand-made gifts, but that stopped for many on my list. One year, a few months after Christmas, I saw my in laws lighting the charcoal barbecue with pieces of something I had given their son.

Now that my shop is no longer an outreach branch of Santa's toyshop I can get back to other things, like the pipe organ project and a few other things. Younger now wants me to make a desk for her. She flipped through my plan books and came up with a style she likes- drop front, Queen Anne. I'll give her this much, she has taste.

***

I wonder if when younger leaves home she'll want me to make her furniture. "Please Daddy, I've always wanted my home done in Chippendale style, with a bit of Hepplewhite. That's not too much, is it?"

***

I've read a few places about the Pope's recent "year in review" or "State of the Church" speech. Most bloggers are concerned about how the MSM reported or distorted the speech. Blogging about the media distorting papal messages- or any message for that matter- is a bit like blogging about how water is wet. The media always distorts, puffing up those the reporter likes, ripping those the reporter dislikes.

The speech itself touches on several important issues, including the environment, which the Pope weaves into the Church's concern for life. I was glad to see this. I have said in the past that if we are to have dominion over creation, we should hold that dominion like benevolent and loving rulers, not like creation's tyrants and dictators.

***

Weather here is getting a little crazy. We got a fair amount of snow, and now it is all set to melt as the temperature rises for the next few days and it rains.

***

That's it for the moment. I was going to say something about the politics in Canada at the moment, but I'll wait a day or two for that.

Merry Christmas, everyone, and... What Tiny Tim said.

Merry Christmas, and God bless us, everyone.

Best wishes for a Very Merry Christmas

From the immortal pen of Bill Waterston comes a picture of what Christmas morning will look like at our home: (Click to enlarge)

In the meantime, we shall all remember what the day is truly about: