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Friday, November 27, 2015

Holiday Humor

I prefer eggnog "with" when I celebrate this auspicious moment:


Since turning 60, with each passing year, I decorate less and less. But I'm not quite as minimalist as the above graphic. Yet, that is.

16 comments:

  1. Laughing here! I SO get the sentiment....particularly since Mr Z died, it's just not as much fun to have the house decorated for Christmas, I must admit. SO, I plan dinner parties, etc., which "force" me to get into the decorating and I'm always glad I did afterwards...until after Christmas and things need to be put away, that is...right?
    Less and less....you're absolutely right. And, probably, less and less is also about how our yen for 'things' becomes outweighed by our appreciation for the real 'reason for the season'? Just a thought! Happy eggnog! mmmm
    And, by the way, re the eggnog "with"...THAT seems to be enjoyed 'more and MORE'~!!!

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  2. ______ YES SANTA EXISTS ______

    

Yes, dear children, Santa Claus is real,

    Even though so many don't agree.

    Santa lives wherever people feel

    Sweet and kind in all sincerity,


    And show their love with understanding gifts,

    Not gaudy, foolish, merely costly things.

    The gift of Recognition often lifts

    A sagging spirit high, and lends it wings.

    
Elves aplenty fashion tokens bright, as

    Xanadu excursions, jewels and such.
    
If connected well, these brings delight. As

    Substitutes for love, they're not worth much.

    The more we spend, sometimes, the less we give.
    
Santa comes to hearts that love to live.






    ~ FreeThinke - The Sandpiper - Christmas, 1995

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  3. It's that time, ain't it? Last weekend the weather was beautiful and the neighbors were putting up lights and decorations, but I went for a bike ride instead...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SF,
      I got the last of the outside lights put up today.

      Except for polishing the silver, my biggest Christmas decorating is done -- and the earliest ever this year because last week my good friend Sharon came to help me with some housekeeping (waxing floors and washing windows). She helped me haul out and put up our little Christmas tree and some other Christmas decorations. Every room in the house, except for my home office, has something Christmasy in it now. I'll grab a few Christmas knick-knacks for the office later this week.

      Getting the decorations out of that tiny and cramped closet is a difficult task. It's a useless closet, really, and too small a storage space for this house.

      For the most part, the Christmas shopping still remains. I have some online ordering to do (meat-o-grams, one for Warren and former blogger The Merry Widow).

      On November 25, I managed to order two gifts for delivery. Amazon rules!

      Delete
  4. ____ A Visit with Pa Grouch ____

    'Twas the week before Christmas
    And Papa Grouch here
    Made a pact with the Devil
    To stay home this year. 

    The cupboard was bare
    And the table unclad
    Because of this grumpy
    Self-centered old Dad, 

    Who'd decided it all
    Was too much of a strain
    That denuded his wallet
    And caused him great pain.

    Mama was despondent
    The babe on her lap
    Did nothing but howl
    And spit up its pap.

    The children were mopey
    Their eyes sullen slits
    They thought Papa'd gone mad
    And had lost all his wits 

    When on the front lawn
    There arose a great clatter
    The neighbors had come
    To see what was the matter 
     
    With no wreath on the door
    Or lights on the eaves
    They thought Papa'd grown poor
    Or been looted by thieves 

    So up to the housetop
    With garlands they climbed
    Stringing green'ry and lights
    Till they got all begrimed 

    The ladies walked in
    With caskets of food
    Then set up a tree
    While the children they wooed

    With carols in harmony
    Sung at the door
    With lighted red candles
    That dripped on the floor.

    Then in marched Tom Turkey,
    Who went straight to the oven,
    Saying, "Pluck me and stuff me,
    I'm dyin' for lovin.'" 

    He made not a squawk
    While they chopped off his head
    Plucked out all his feathers
    And stuffed him with bread 

    And onions and apples
    And sausage and sage
    And quite enough butter
    To pay a week's wage.

    The cranberry mold
    Like a rubicund belly
    Shook and shimmered itself
    Like a gem made of jelly.

    The scent of cinnamon
    Ginger and pine
    Along with the turkey
    Smelled simply divine

    A baker on crutches
    Who only could hobble
    Said, "Soon that old bird
    Will be ready to gobble." 

    The men midst cold ashes
    Placed branches for Yule
    Their crackling splendor
    A marvelous tool 

    For cheering and warming
    Pa Grouch with his pain,
    Who was soon moved to say,
    "I've no right to complain.

    "With neighbors like you,
    I feel it's a shame
    I ever indulged
    A desire to maim

    "The Spirit of Joy,
    Good Will, and Good Cheer.
    I promise you all
    I'll be nicer––next year." 

    Then placing his thumb
    At the tip of his nose
    He waved them Good Night
    And to bed up he rose.

    But I heard him exclaim,
    As he moved past our sight,
    "Don't let the door hit your butt,
    When you leave. Now GOOD NIGHT!


    ~ FreeThinke 

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  6. AOW, I NEVER had more responses to an email I've sent with a 'joke' like I did when I sent this to people very early this morning!
    My sis's was the best "Smell and everything!" :-)
    I hadn't even thought of it being an air freshener! ...

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    Replies
    1. This photo was one of my Facebook finds. When I posted it there, my FB friends raved!

      If only we COULD get away with such carefree decorating!

      Delete
    2. Yes! And isn't it so SO much more fun to put things UP than to take them down :-) Still...I may get my rear in gear and get some things out this weekend; early for me. I have Christmas pillows for the couches, various other things that are less overt than other things that will come out about two weeks before!
      I have planned some dinner parties so it'll make me get more decor up!

      Delete
  7. FT,
    My Christmas decorating is not as minimalist as what is depicted in the photo.

    However, this year I have cut back a bit more. I need to have the time and the energy to enjoy the Christmas Season, which I love.

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  8. Yes, less and less. We gave away our tree 2 years ago, and now I put up a small ceramic lit tree I inherited from my mom. But I still remember our bible teacher who died this year. Well into her 80's (and a widow) she still got her tree up. She had so much joy in her face when she'd mention her decorating for Christmas. We're pretty much down to that one tree and a wreath. But I still get joy out of it.

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    Replies
    1. that's because some of US decorated her house :-) I believe she had something like 50 Crystal crosses and 50 crystal angels, too...beautiful stuff! I miss her so much.

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  9. We've gone to a 3 foot tree from our yard on top of a table, but this could be next.

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  10. Baysider and Odie,
    A similar situation here. With all the medical paraphernalia here in our living room, there is no space now for the tree we used have. How glorious that tree was from 1982-2008! Mostly handmade ornaments from my students -- and a few family heirloom ornaments as well.

    But life is what it is. This old house has no other first-floor room to accommodate Mr. AOW's hospital bed, potty chair, and scooter.

    I love decorating the house, but I hate all the trouble and effort later when it's time to put the Chrsitmas decorations back into storage.

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  11. I just find it hard to get into all of it with only one visit of the grandchildren.
    And the furniture has to be relocated.
    And I'm lazy anymore.
    And a procrastinator.
    So, I'll do it tomorrow. I've got lots of time, they won't visit til Christmas Eve.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Once, when it was becoming clear that the software company I was working for was going down the tubes, my suite mates and I, in response to a 'decorate your suite for Christmas' event, took some Christmas wrapping paper, rolled it up into a ball fo trash and tossed it into a corner. When the judges came through, we just pointed to it. We didn't win. But that's Ok.

    ReplyDelete

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