Songs of the Season

I love Christmas music. I have nearly 100 different songs from iTunes to prove it. But which ones are my favorites???? Hmmm....If you go by play count on iTunes, the results of the poll suggest I love Frank Sinatra singing "The Christmas Waltz". If you ask Justin, he would tell you my favorite Christmas songs are sung by the great Burl Ives. Who doesn't love "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" or "Silver and Gold"? Although, " A Holly Jolly Christmas" is quite nice. But the truth is that my all-time favorite, can'tgetthroughtheseasonwithouthearingitsong is "Winter Wonderland". Yup. Without a doubt. Tonight, I was feeling a little blue and the most magical thing happened!!!!!!!!!! A large group of carolers passed through my neighborhood!!! They paraded up and then down our block singing merrily of j-i-n-g-l-e bells, and frosted window panes despite the fact that it is warm enough to stand outside and grill. I stood on the front porch watching as many of my neighbors came out to enjoy the sounds of the season. Now I think presents and twinkling lights are wonderful, but tonight I got that old Christmas feeling. The one that makes your stomach uneasy with excitement and your mind wiz with anticipation. What a delightful Christmas present from these singing strangers.

SIGNS OF THE SEASON!!!

THE COOKIES AND CANDY!!!!

THE SNOW!!!!!!

THE DECORATIONS!!!!

HAVING MYSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS!!!!

Listen to me rant...

I am excited. Christmas butterflies and all. I worked very hard on some of my presents this year and I can't wait to give them. I am still waiting on several things to arrive on my doorstep from eBay. Surprisingly, almost every gift I am giving this year has some tie to eBay or the internet. I forget when I changed over from a regular store shopper to a confirmed online bargain hunter. At any rate, it surely beats dragging my poor body through any more stores. I used to love seeing all the holiday shoppers bustling around with holiday decorations in every window. Anymore it is just a contest to see who grab the most "stuff". And people fight over stuff. Right out in the aisle with everyone watching. Kids fighting in a playground have a better grasp on reality than these people. I saw two women screaming at each other over the last remaining child's table and chair set. Apparently having Dora the Explorer emblazed on the table top was a necessity for both of these women, and let me just say- neither of them were backing down.

You can't even walk through the mall without being bombarded with a dozen foreign, sales people offering to exfoliate your hands in the middle of mall or accessorize your cell phone. I despise that. If I need accessories, I'll call on you- not vice versa! So, I'm standing in returns at Sears and some lady cruises up with her flat shopping cart loaded down with what I can only guess was a snow blower and blasts it into one of my tendons. I will say, had I not cried out in pain/surprise, I don't think she would have even noticed. I then stated the obvious, "you hit me!" to which she replied, "oh, it's so crowded in here." Is that a backhanded apologie? or none at all? You be the judge! So, I like the internet cause it's easy on the tendons.

I love to wrap Christmas presents. I could do it for hours. I like making those neat creases and folds with Scotch tape. Actually, I will share a little secret here. I love the smell of scotch tape. Always have. It reminds me of our school library, where I spent the majority of my last two years in school. Smelled just like scotch tape.

So, I don't have any pictures to post. I have been too snug in the house since my steps have disappeared beneath a shelf of snow. I can't find my winter boots and my latest sneakers actually don't have a back in them. They're slip-ons. I don't wear coats or hats but boots I cannot forego. I hope the mailwoman is wearing snow shoes, because that is the only way she's getting to my mailbox!