Tuesday, December 28, 2010
2011
Christmas is over, I'm still reading Great Expectations, and I am not sure that I am ready for 2011. Guess what, it will be here anyway!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Countdown to Christmas - Day 8
I thought I didn’t have anything to blog about in the way of a Christmas countdown for today. I’m not feeling great and didn’t do anything Christmas-y. I am, however, reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and what could be more Christmas-y than Dickens. So there, now I can get back to my book.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Countdown to Christmas - Day 7
The cold has arrived, and I ain’t talking about the temperature outside! In spite of my best efforts to ward it off or convince myself otherwise, I am officially “with cold.” At least I made it through the first holiday party, which is fortunate because I was the host. The cough began as soon as I got in bed last night and has turned into something similar to the bark of an angry seal. All Christmas preparations are temporarily on hold awaiting my recovery, which better be before Friday, as I am leaving for an out of town soiree that I will not miss.
Tissue, cough drops, Nyquil, Mucinex, hot tea, and anything else I can think of will be my constant companions. I’m also making garlic soup for dinner – a sure cure if there is one.
Tissue, cough drops, Nyquil, Mucinex, hot tea, and anything else I can think of will be my constant companions. I’m also making garlic soup for dinner – a sure cure if there is one.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Countdown to Christmas - Day 6
The perils of holiday weight gain. In October I attended a business conference in New Orleans. One can’t possibly go to New Orleans without gaining weight – it is a physical impossibility. From the moment the plane touched down at Louis Armstrong International I could feel my waistline expanding. Walking through the French Quarter, Hurricanes at Pat O’Brien’s, muffulettas at Central Grocery, gumbo, etouffe, boudin sausage, and seafood on every corner, I began to feel like Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor morphing into an obese version of myself.
New Orleans was just the beginning. Next came my birthday and two vacation trips – more excuses (as if I need an excuse!) for excessive amounts of food and drink. Then it was Thanksgiving and now December. My goal for December is to not gain another pound.
I will be faced with every form of food temptation this month. My favorite food group is one the USDA has yet to identify, but I’ve know about it since college – Happy Hour Food. The delectable little nibbles on tiny plates, eaten with your fingers, served to counter massive amounts of alcohol. Sweets and savories, this is the food of December. From the office break room to Christmas cocktail parties, Happy Hour Food will reign. Ah, it appears innocent enough – it is all mini. Mini sausages wrapped in biscuits, a miniature cupcake, a wee dab of dip on a tiny cracker, small slices of French bread slathered in butter – what harm is there in such a small bite? I’m here to tell you, Happy Hour Food is big trouble in a little package. Run away when anyone, even your favorite aunt, tells you, “just taste it.” There is no such thing as one taste.
And then there are the spirits. What holiday gathering is without alcohol? (Okay, I’ll rephrase. What holiday gathering that I’m attending is without alcohol?) Beer, wine, fancy cocktails, punch bowls, eggnog, after-dinner liqueurs. I once attended a party where the dessert intoxicated me and I had to phone for a designated driver. Have you ever figured the calorie count in a glass of wine? About one-hundred calories in a small glass. I will be bringing my own bottle to parties this year, my own bottle of sparkling mineral water – nary a calorie to be counted.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to at least hold steady on the bathroom scale this December. In January when the masses begin battling their December weight gain, I’ll tackle my New Orleans and November pounds. Bon Appetite and cheers!
New Orleans was just the beginning. Next came my birthday and two vacation trips – more excuses (as if I need an excuse!) for excessive amounts of food and drink. Then it was Thanksgiving and now December. My goal for December is to not gain another pound.
I will be faced with every form of food temptation this month. My favorite food group is one the USDA has yet to identify, but I’ve know about it since college – Happy Hour Food. The delectable little nibbles on tiny plates, eaten with your fingers, served to counter massive amounts of alcohol. Sweets and savories, this is the food of December. From the office break room to Christmas cocktail parties, Happy Hour Food will reign. Ah, it appears innocent enough – it is all mini. Mini sausages wrapped in biscuits, a miniature cupcake, a wee dab of dip on a tiny cracker, small slices of French bread slathered in butter – what harm is there in such a small bite? I’m here to tell you, Happy Hour Food is big trouble in a little package. Run away when anyone, even your favorite aunt, tells you, “just taste it.” There is no such thing as one taste.
And then there are the spirits. What holiday gathering is without alcohol? (Okay, I’ll rephrase. What holiday gathering that I’m attending is without alcohol?) Beer, wine, fancy cocktails, punch bowls, eggnog, after-dinner liqueurs. I once attended a party where the dessert intoxicated me and I had to phone for a designated driver. Have you ever figured the calorie count in a glass of wine? About one-hundred calories in a small glass. I will be bringing my own bottle to parties this year, my own bottle of sparkling mineral water – nary a calorie to be counted.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to at least hold steady on the bathroom scale this December. In January when the masses begin battling their December weight gain, I’ll tackle my New Orleans and November pounds. Bon Appetite and cheers!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Countdown to Christmas - Day 5
Ugh – I feel like I might be catching a cold. I won’t, I won’t, I won’t! I will not get sick! I’ve been drinking Echinacea tea, sucking on Zicam lozenges, using the “nose boat” (sinus rinse), trying to get plenty of sleep, and taking massive doses of vitamin C to ward off any potential germs that might be heading my way. I may even pull out the “big gun” and make garlic soup. Being sick, having a cold, at any time is no fun, but during December it can nearly bring your life to a screeching halt and that can’t happen – there is way too much to do. The decorating is done, but there is still shopping (lots and lots of shopping), cooking (lots and lots of cooking), cleaning (no comment), and holiday* parties (lots and lots of holiday parties). I cannot get sick. I will not get sick.
*If anyone is offended by my use of the word “holiday” please don't be. When I mean Christmas I’ll use Christmas, but in this case I am being inclusive. I do have parties with my non-Christian and Christian friends who celebrate other holidays during December.
*If anyone is offended by my use of the word “holiday” please don't be. When I mean Christmas I’ll use Christmas, but in this case I am being inclusive. I do have parties with my non-Christian and Christian friends who celebrate other holidays during December.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Countdown to Christmas Day Three
Tchotchke (Typically pronounced "CHACH-kee") are small toys, gewgaws, knickknacks, baubles, lagniappes, trinkets, or kitsch. The term has a connotation of worthlessness or disposability, as well as tackiness.
Thirty years of Christmas decorating has left me with a lot of Christmas “crap.” Ornaments and decorations that I can’t bring myself to throw away because they have some strange sentimental value attached to them. Typically, when I decorate the house for Christmas I use my discretion about what I will (or won't) put out on any particular year. This year, however, I am not the one decorating, my husband is, and apparently he doesn’t know about the discretionary rule – he’s putting everything out. Now, I realize it sounds like I am complaining – but I swear I’m not! I am thrilled that I don’t have to decorate. I am thrilled that my husband is taking care of everything this year. I’m even thrilled to see some of the tchotchkes that haven’t left the storage boxes in years.
If you are familiar with the origin of this blog you know that I have trouble throwing anything away, and Christmas items seem to be especially difficult to part with – even if I know I will never put them on display again. What kinds of things am I talking about? Let me give you just a few examples:
A cardboard Christmas wreath ornament with shell macaroni glued to it and spray painted gold.
A wooden triangle painted green to look like a Christmas tree with kindergarten candy canes drawn on it.
A bazillion circa 1980 wooden Christmas crafts purchased at craft shows.
All of my mother’s glass ball Christmas ornaments, most of which have faded and have splotchy surfaces.
Three felt elves with plastic faces that were once (probably 1955) decorations on a Christmas package.
My youngest daughter’s green handprints in the shape of a wreath dated 1991.
This is only the beginning of the list – but I won’t go on, I’m too busy looking at all of my cool stuff (I mean "crap") that I haven’t had on display for years. I’m glad my husband didn’t use discretion while decorating the house for Christmas - I'm having a really fun walk down Christmas tchotchke memory lane.
Thirty years of Christmas decorating has left me with a lot of Christmas “crap.” Ornaments and decorations that I can’t bring myself to throw away because they have some strange sentimental value attached to them. Typically, when I decorate the house for Christmas I use my discretion about what I will (or won't) put out on any particular year. This year, however, I am not the one decorating, my husband is, and apparently he doesn’t know about the discretionary rule – he’s putting everything out. Now, I realize it sounds like I am complaining – but I swear I’m not! I am thrilled that I don’t have to decorate. I am thrilled that my husband is taking care of everything this year. I’m even thrilled to see some of the tchotchkes that haven’t left the storage boxes in years.
If you are familiar with the origin of this blog you know that I have trouble throwing anything away, and Christmas items seem to be especially difficult to part with – even if I know I will never put them on display again. What kinds of things am I talking about? Let me give you just a few examples:
A cardboard Christmas wreath ornament with shell macaroni glued to it and spray painted gold.
A wooden triangle painted green to look like a Christmas tree with kindergarten candy canes drawn on it.
A bazillion circa 1980 wooden Christmas crafts purchased at craft shows.
All of my mother’s glass ball Christmas ornaments, most of which have faded and have splotchy surfaces.
Three felt elves with plastic faces that were once (probably 1955) decorations on a Christmas package.
My youngest daughter’s green handprints in the shape of a wreath dated 1991.
This is only the beginning of the list – but I won’t go on, I’m too busy looking at all of my cool stuff (I mean "crap") that I haven’t had on display for years. I’m glad my husband didn’t use discretion while decorating the house for Christmas - I'm having a really fun walk down Christmas tchotchke memory lane.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Countdown to Christmas - Day Two
Scrooge, Grinch – whatever you want to call me, I was dreading the countdown to Christmas this year. I think the thought of all the work involved to get ready for the holidays depressed me. I asked my husband on Thanksgiving night if he thought anyone would mind/care/notice if I didn’t decorate the house for Christmas. His reply: “You will regret it by December 22nd, and then try to do everything in two days.” He was right. Visions of Jamie Lee Curtis in Christmas with the Kranks flashed through my mind. I was wondering how I would muster the desire/energy/motivation to pull the boxes of Christmas décor out of the garage when, what to my wondering eyes did appear when I came home from work yesterday – my tree was up and the house was mostly decorated – Thanks to my wonderful husband.
With the decorating issue out of the way my next dread became gift giving. Buying presents for family and friends has become harder over the years. Who really needs anything? Just when old Ebenezer was about to take over my mind and soul - my daughters surprised me with Angel Presents. Angel Presents have been a tradition in our home for over twenty-five years, but was dropped a couple of years ago when the girls grew up and moved away. The tradition began when my friend, Debra, and I made felt angel wall hangings when our children were toddlers. The angel has twenty-four pockets on her skirt into which I put a slip of paper with a clue as to where to look for that day’s angel present. The presents were typically small tokens of holiday love (which grew larger and more expensive with each passing year) specially selected for my girls. I shopped year-round to come up with twenty-four just-right Angel Presents and we all looked forward to December first when the gift giving began. The scavenger-hunt type clues were sometimes even more fun than the actual gift.
Last night, at our weekly family dinner (Wednesday Winers), my daughter handed me a slip of paper with a clue written on it. I was momentarily dumbfounded. What in the world did “Big Red’s version of the A.A. Serenity Prayer” mean? Then it clicked. This was a clue. I found my way to a small wooden plaque in my grandmother’s den that reads, “It is okay to drink like a fish provided you drink what a fish drinks” and there I found a wrapped gift – an Angel Present for me! After I finished crying and opened my gift I learned there will be twenty-three more – a role reversal of Angel Present gifting from my two daughters. Wow! Their thoughtfulness has inspired me to look at gift giving in a new light. Rather than the chore/drudge/torture I was anticipating, I am now excited about finding my loved ones the perfect expression of my holiday goodwill.
Ladies and Gentlemen – the Grinch has left the building!
With the decorating issue out of the way my next dread became gift giving. Buying presents for family and friends has become harder over the years. Who really needs anything? Just when old Ebenezer was about to take over my mind and soul - my daughters surprised me with Angel Presents. Angel Presents have been a tradition in our home for over twenty-five years, but was dropped a couple of years ago when the girls grew up and moved away. The tradition began when my friend, Debra, and I made felt angel wall hangings when our children were toddlers. The angel has twenty-four pockets on her skirt into which I put a slip of paper with a clue as to where to look for that day’s angel present. The presents were typically small tokens of holiday love (which grew larger and more expensive with each passing year) specially selected for my girls. I shopped year-round to come up with twenty-four just-right Angel Presents and we all looked forward to December first when the gift giving began. The scavenger-hunt type clues were sometimes even more fun than the actual gift.
Last night, at our weekly family dinner (Wednesday Winers), my daughter handed me a slip of paper with a clue written on it. I was momentarily dumbfounded. What in the world did “Big Red’s version of the A.A. Serenity Prayer” mean? Then it clicked. This was a clue. I found my way to a small wooden plaque in my grandmother’s den that reads, “It is okay to drink like a fish provided you drink what a fish drinks” and there I found a wrapped gift – an Angel Present for me! After I finished crying and opened my gift I learned there will be twenty-three more – a role reversal of Angel Present gifting from my two daughters. Wow! Their thoughtfulness has inspired me to look at gift giving in a new light. Rather than the chore/drudge/torture I was anticipating, I am now excited about finding my loved ones the perfect expression of my holiday goodwill.
Ladies and Gentlemen – the Grinch has left the building!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Countdown to Christmas - Day One
Okay – the entire theme of December was going to be a whiney-pout-y “Oh, I have to do all of the Christmas decorating by myself” Blog, but NO – my nice husband had to go and pull out all of the Christmas decorations today while I was at work, put half of them up, and inform me that he would take care of all decorating this year. So, where does that leave me? With no blog topic for the entirety of December! Oh well, thankful for a considerate husband.
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