Thursday, November 29, 2012

Tell Me Again

Tell me again of my childhood Christmas. Please...tell me the stories again. I seem to have forgotten somehow, just what it was like back then. Remind me of the magic. Help me recall how I believed. Reindeer could fly and you and I, found it very hard to sleep. The innocence, the wonder, the laughter, have I let them slip away. As I’ve grown has the spirit flown, to a place so far away. So, tell me again of Christmas. I need a child’s heart now. For how do I give the gift of love, if I’ve grown too old in spirit...to remember how?

Monday, November 26, 2012

I Never Heard That One

Seeing as how it’s my favorite time of year, I was amazed to find out that there are obviously well known Christmas stories I’ve never heard. I thought I was pretty well versed in Christmas lore, but I never knew. I mean, Christmas tree ornaments reflect the traditions, stories, songs and memories of the Holiday…right? That’s why we have little sleighs, stars, mangers, snowmen, Santas, angels and reindeer hung on our trees every year. All very significant stuff. So…surprised I was while shopping to see them on the shelf in the “seasonal” department. I’d never heard the story of the “Christmas Firemen” before. But there they were! Six to a box with shiny red coats and hats…complete with boots and fire hoses. Very cute I must say and even though I’ve never heard it, I’m certain that the story of the “Christmas Firemen” has warmed many a heart over the years. It must have. The “Christmas Firemen” have acheived ornament status haven’t they? The story probably goes something like this. Once upon a time, there was an elf named Stinky who liked to take smoke breaks out behind the reindeer barn. Then one foggy Christmas Eve he absentmindedly tosses his butt into a pile of dried reindeer poop and starts the whole thing on fire. Luckily the North Pole “Christmas Firemen” get there in time to douse the flaming poop using candy cane hoses shooting egg nog. Thus, saving Christmas for all the good little boys and girls and achieving ornament status. And everybody knows that you don’t get to become an ornament without a good heartwarming story about saving Christmas for all the good little boys and girls unless you’re a manger, shepherd, nutcracker or angel. So, I’m sure it went something like that…right?

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Giving Thanks

Thank you for squirrels and pine trees and autumn colors and Altoid Smalls wintergreen mints. Thank you for computers except when they decide to reformat my work mid-document. Thank you for snow…and 4-wheel drive. Thank you for meatloaf and pistachios. Thank you for first steps and last dances. Thank you for pumpkin ice cream and Christmas trees. Thank you for the time I had with my Dad and the time I still have with my Mom. Thank you for music. And the ability to make it. Thank you for words and being able to put them together in ways that can move a heart or give a smile. Thank you for Josh and Andy and Jaime. Thank you for my beautiful Amelia and Bella. Thank you for my best guys Brady and Brennan. Thank you for and to my wife. Thank you for the joys and sorrows of this life I get to live. Thank you for the chance to try again tomorrow.

Monday, November 12, 2012

The Decorating Seasons

Ahhh…it’s here. Autumn has arrived and that signals the official start of the decorating seasons. It begins when we start decorating our kids with new clothes, backpacks and haircuts for Back to School. Then comes Halloween. We decorate our kids again, but this time we throw in the house and yard as well. All those scary Power Rangers, Spidermen, Brave Ladies, Elmos and Cookie Monsters make their way through neighborhood streets adorned with Jack-O-Lanterns, spider webs and tombstones. And then…here comes Thanksgiving. We keep the pumpkin motif going, but now we add in some colorful autumn leaves, corn stalks, a Pilgrim or two and of course, the turkey. Christmas may be the most fun decorating season of all. The world twinkles and sparkles, draped in magic lights and dancing candles. Christmas trees can be seen through frosted windows and Santa Clauses, snowmen and reindeer gather in snow covered homes everywhere. The decorating seasons…all too quickly followed by the holy crap it’s gonna be a long winter…season.