paper snowflakes

i have been so excited in preparing for "christmas in july" that i have literally injured myself in the process.

i spent the weekend working on cutting out some tropical colored paper snowflakes, and it seems to have aggravated my carpal tunnel syndrome from using the scissors.

all is well that ends well, so i am going to rest up a bit. do not expect very long, wordy posts during july as i cut back a bit on activity for my right hand for a few weeks.

i will be celebrating so i will try to post every day except for sunday during the month of july, starting tomorrow with the kick-off!

what it means to celebrate christmas all year

in 6 months, we will all be preparing our christmas eve feasts, wrapping gifts, and sharing time with the people we love.

what does it mean to celebrate christmas all year round?

at christmas time, we are all a little more generous. we throw in an extra tip or lend an extra hand to a local charity.

at christmas time, we are all a little more indulgent. we savor a bite of chocolate or stop and celebrate with a strong, delicious cup of coffee or enjoy the smell of fresh pine.

at christmas time, we believe in magic. or if we do not believe, we celebrate magic. we are all awaiting something exciting and wonderful things to come - whether that be through a religious celebration, the meeting of loved ones, or a brand new calender year.

so, what it means to me to celebrate christmas all year is just that.

believing in magic and miracles. believing that positive things are all around and more to come.

being extra generous if i can afford to be by throwing in an extra tip, sending an unexpected gift, or offering to pay for lunch with a friend.

having a little indulgence because life is to be savored.

being a little light in this world.

christmas trains

choo-choo! all aboard for christmas fun - i just added the disney "a christmas carol" train tour stop in chicago to our calendar. it looks very exciting - my husband loves trains and i love christmas so this is a perfect event for us both.

for more information, visit: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/christmascaroltraintour/

Disney is pulling out all the whistle stops and taking its show on the
road with a spectacular immersive and interactive 40-city train tour including a 3D sneak peek of film
footage from the upcoming movie “Disney’s A Christmas Carol.” Set amidst a snowy backdrop—complete with all of the
sights and sounds of Christmas including carolers, decorations, giveaways and many more surprises in
each of the 40 cities—the Train Tour is being launched with HP on board as the title and technology
sponsor and driven by Amtrak. This family event is for guests of all ages and is free to the public.
Starring Jim Carrey and directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, “Disney’s A
Christmas Carol” opens in theatres November 6 in Disney Digital 3D™ and in IMAX 3D®.

Featuring four custom-designed vintage rail cars full of behind-the-scenes attractions, entertaining
demonstrations, and fun activities, the tour will have its inaugural stop at Los Angeles’ Union Station over
Memorial Day Weekend, from May 22nd through May 25th. During the next 24 weeks, the train will make
40 stops in 36 states, as it travels its way across more than 16,000 miles of track. The tour will finish at
New York’s Grand Central Terminal over the weekend of October 30th through November 1st.

aloha friday

it's aloha friday, and i was reading my hawaii magazine this morning on the train.

i think i found what would be a great christmas gift - the gift the would make any nature and music lover so very happy, and one that gives back as well.

from the national marine sanctuary foundation:

Four-time Grammy Award winner Daniel Ho, singer-songwriter Jack Johnson, and ki-ho‘alu master Kawika Kahiapo are just a few of Hawaii’s finest musicians to collaborate on a new CD dedicated to ocean conservation. Kai Palaoa honors Hawaii’s deep and ancient connection to the ocean and encourages others to help protect and conserve its special treasures. Kai Palaoa was made possible through the support of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation through the Ernest F. Hollings Ocean Awareness Trust Fund.

The 11-track album features a number of Hawaii’s top artists; some of whom created original composition specifically for the CD. Joining Ho, Kahiapo and Johnson on the musical compilation are The Makaha Sons, Tia Carrere, Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, Pali, Herb Ohta, Jr., George Kahumoku, Jr., Steve Sano and Kaukahi. All of the musicians donated their work and time to raise awareness of the importance of Hawaii’s ocean resources and the need to protect them.

“Kai Palaoa, in the poetic form of the Hawaiian language, means the place where two currents meet,” said Naomi McIntosh, superintendent of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale Sanctuary, which also provided support for the CD. “It is this definition that inspired this musical compilation, with the goal of supporting education for the future of our ‘One Ocean’ that connects us all.”

[source: http://store.nmsfocean.org/Kai_Paloa_p/kaipalaoa09.htm]

on the web, information about the hawaiian islands humpback whales marine sanctuary can be found here: http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/

top ten tuesday

today i decided to list my top ten favorite christmas traditions, in no particular order.

10. visiting the window's at macy*s downtown

9.   having a hot cocoa at the chicago christkindlmarket in daley plaza

8.   going to go see "the nutcracker" performed by the joffrey ballet the saturday before christmas

7.    bell ringing for the salvation army

6.    midnight mass

5.    christmas morning breakfast casserole

4.   buying a new christmas ornament every year for my husband and me

3.   decorating for christmas on the sunday after thanksgiving

2.   mcdonald's for christmas eve dinner

1.    baking cookies & dropping the off personally at our friends' homes

monthly planning

since rudolph day for june 2009 is only 10 days away, i wanted to finalize my plans. it is also a thursday so i will be working and will have less time to work on things.

right now i am planning on watching "elf" the movie and working on my christmas notebook and figuring out which crafts i'd like to complete for gifts this year. i have some bracelets to work on and luckily i have all the supplies for those.

hopefully i will get a chance to test out another recipe next month!

trivia thursday: christmas songs edition

i have always wondered about the 12 days of christmas. here is what i found:

One of the holiday's best-loved songs, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," marks the longest holiday in the Christian calendar -- the time between Christmas Day and Epiphany, celebrated on January 6.

The song's origin is unknown, but some believe the song was written to help Catholic children remember various articles of faith. These are:

True love
God

A partridge in a pear tree
Jesus

Two turtle doves
Old and New Testaments

Three French hens
Faith, Hope, and Charity

Four calling birds
Four Gospels

Five golden rings
The first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, which records the history and laws of ancient Israel

Six geese a-laying
Six days of Creation

Seven swans a-swimming
Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, or the Seven Sacraments

Eight maids a-milking
Eight beatitudes

Nine ladies dancing
Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit

Ten lords a-leaping
Ten Commandments

Eleven pipers piping
Eleven faithful disciples

Twelve drummers drumming
Twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed

[source: http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/christmas-trivia2.htm]

tasty cookies for christmas

mmm even though i am gluten free, i have some favorite cookies. here are the top ten:

10. macaroons

9.  almond butter cookies

8.  sugar cookies

7.  chocolate chip cookies

6.  maraschino cherries cookies

5.  oatmeal raisin cookies

4.  peanut butter cookies

3.  potato chip cookies

2.  white chocolate cranberry macadamia cookies

1.  lemon cookies

200 days!!!

just 200 more days until christmas! what a wonderful day...

trivia thursday: the santa edition

just about 200 days left until christmas... a little santa trivia for you on this friday eve.

• Santa Claus began life as a sort of Christian version of Poseidon, Greed god of the sea and all waters. Poseidon became known as the giver of all good things and festivals were held to celebrate his existence in December in the third century B.C., the event officially becoming known as the feast day of St. Nicholas in the fourth century B.C. Later Christian in Rome gave him the name of Nicholas and claimed he was a bishop who gave anonymous gifts by night.
• St. Nicholas is also the patron saint of pawnbrokers.
• Our current vision of Santa Claus came from an illustration by Thomas Nast in 1863 made for Dr. Clement Moore’s tale A Visit from St. Nicholas

christmas in chicago: the lions

it is a tradition in chicago to drape the lion sculptures outside of the Art Institute of Chicago with beautiful christmas wreaths, green and lovely.

The Art Institute's famous western entrance on Michigan Avenue is guarded by two bronze lion statues created by Edward L. Kemeys. The sculptor gave them unofficial names: the south lion is "stands in an attitude of defiance," and the north lion is "on the prowl." When a Chicago sports team makes the playoffs, the lions are frequently dressed in that team's uniform. Evergreen wreaths are placed around their necks during the Christmas season.

there is a ceremony where the wreaths are added to the sculptures.