Sunday Stealing

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE ...


1. What’s your favorite thing about the holidays? The good will. The hugs and kisses and wishes for a happy holiday season.

2. Do you send out Christmas cards and if so how many do you send? I sent 25-30.

3. Be honest: holiday newsletters. Love ‘em or hate ‘em? Hate 'em.

4. Be honest: photo cards. Love ‘em or hate ‘em? Depends on how I feel about the family.
5. How soon do you start shopping? I shop all year around.

6. Real or fake tree? No tree. I won't be home on Christmas to enjoy it.

7. When do you put up your tree? See above.

8. When do you take down your tree? See above above.

9. Describe your typical tree (size, decorations, type) Here's my tree, the last time I put it up. That's Reynaldo trying to decide how to respond to this massive temptation for mischief.

10. What do you top your tree with? A cat angel

11. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house? Nope

12. Is there a wreath hanging on your door? Yes. It's a grapevine wreath (no needles). I spray it with cinnamon and apple once/week. That scent makes me happy when I put my key in the door.

 13. Do you hang up stockings? No

14. Your favorite Christmas Movie(s) Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol and Die Hard

15. Be honest: A Christmas movie you don't like I just watched Dick Van Dyke's Fitzwilly (1967) for the first time. It pains me to say this, because I adore DVD, but it's stupid.

16. Favorite Christmas Song(s) Andy Williams singing "Happy Holiday."




17. Be honest: If I hear this/these Christmas songs again I will throw up Dean Martin's version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside." It sounds particularly lecherous from him.

18. Give or Receive? Yes

19. Eggnog or Mulled Cider? I haven't had mulled cider in so long, I'm not sure.

20. Ham or Turkey?  I like them both.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

This past week I toasted Christmas twice -- once with my friend, Kathleen, and a second time with my nephew.

Kathleen and I had a delicious dinner here in town. I had the butternut squash ravioli, she had the cheese/charcuterie. I had a cosmorita, she had wine. We caught up on each other's lives. (It's been six months!) We exchanged gifts:

•  I got  a cool handbag and a special edition package of Reynolds Wrap renamed Rizzo Wrap after my favorite Cub (and she picked up the tab for dinner)
•  She got a decorative tile for her collection, this one from Key West, and a canvas portrait of her family (I stole it from her Facebook page and sent away to have printed onto canvas)

Today I celebrated Christmas with my nephew. I gave him a pair of t-shirts befitting his enthusiastic participation in The Resistance: CNN and "Democracy Dies in Darkness/The Washington Post." He gave me a copy of Joe Biden's book, purchased when he went to see the former VP at The Chicago Theater last week. (You can tell what we talk about when we get together!)

He had cheese pizza, a chocolate shake and an order of fries. I had the pulled pork, fries and root beer combo. This time I paid.

I feel comfortably Christmasy today.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Silent Night (1957)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) How well do you know "Silent Night?" Without looking up the lyrics, could you sing along with Elvis? Certainly the first verse. I've got that down. Second verse? I'm a little shaky. I know it opens with "Shepherds quake at the sight" and then there's another line I can't recall, and, "Heavenly hosts sing 'Hallelujah!' Christ the Savior is born." Third verse? I need my hymnal. (PS Singing this by candlelight is my favorite part of the Christmas Eve service.)

2) The Christmas with Elvis album hit the stores in October 1957. Were you already preparing for Christmas back in October? Yes. I pick up gifts for people as I find them. I bought my first Christmas 2017 gift before Christmas 2016. My friend Kathleen displays decorative tiles and I brought one home for her from Key West last year.

3) Clearly Elvis liked a flocked white Christmas tree. Is your tree flocked, aluminum or pine green? Real or artificial? Or do you skip the whole tree thing altogether? All I have here at home is a wreath on the front door. I skip the tree altogether because I'll be visiting my friends in Key West again. I will decorate my hotel room with a tiny nativity scene and a Santa door hanger.


4) Back in the late 1950s, Elvis left his hair its natural brown color. In the 1960s he began having it dyed black. Do you have a salon appointment scheduled between now and year end? Today is my last hair cut and color of the year. I really don't need the cut just now, but if I wait two more weeks (the next opportunity for an appointment), my hair will get all swoopy and swishy, like Hermie the Elf.

That's me on the left. There are even more cowlicks under my cap.

5) Have you ever peeked, looking for a Christmas gift you know is hidden for you somewhere in the house? Ever? I may have as a child, but I don't recall specifically. And as an adult, I've lived alone, so snooping would be silly.

6)  Which do you prefer, candy canes or gingerbread?  Gingerbread!

 

7) Is anyone receiving a home made or do-it-yourself gift from you this year? Nope

8) Do you wrap holiday gifts in paper, or do you take the gift bag route? Usually I wrap. With paper. As opposed to rapping. As in, "I'm just like my country, I'm young, scrappy, and hungry and I'm not throwing away my shot." (Hamilton, of course.)
 
9) This time of year is big for charitable fundraising. Here's your chance to plug a cause or organization that's near and dear to you. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Because every child deserves a little magic at Christmas.