Merry Christmas!

Since today is the last day of work before CHRISTMAS, I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for coming here (even when I have very little to say...*cough* lately *cough*). You're fabulous.

I hope you each have a wonderful holiday!!

In the Mood

I can't believe I forgot Going My Way on my list of holiday movies! So it's not a Christmas movie per se, but it's Bing, and that puts it in our must-watch Christmas list.

We started the season last night with The Bishop's Wife. I had a moment of doubt when the credits were rolling--"Do I really want to watch this movie AGAIN? Will I like it as much?"

Yes. Yes, I did. :) I'm not really sure why I love the angel theme so much. I've written several short stories about them, but watching that movie made me want to write another one.

This was a busy weekend. We took Child to the ballet with Gram and Opa on Saturday. It was excellent--a young company with lots of kids, but really well trained and professional--and she loved it. That night she put on an entire performance for us, with costume changes and all, copying the dances she saw. Yesterday we took her to the Symphony's Christmas performance, which included a Christmas carol sing-a-long. I am definitely in the Christmas spirit now.

I'm coming into the homestretch on finals and research papers. It won't be over for another 10 days, but it's in sight. I decided I would definitely take it easier next term: only 4 units, and 3 of those are an independent-study class.

In other news I may have another big secret I can't tell y'all yet. Yes, I do this just to drive you crazy. {g} I will tell you when I can on either one, though. Promise!

Medieval Word of the Day: belly-flaught: Headlong; precipitate.

The Red and Green Screen

Keeping in the Holiday spirit...

What are your favorite Christmastime movies?

Hubby and I have a pile that we try to watch every year. We don't always make it--last year was particularly bad for movie-watching--but even if I don't actually see them I think about them. These movies are part of Christmas for me now.

--Holiday Inn. We usually start with this one, because it's not ALL Christmas, though it has a lovely version of Bing singing White Christmas. Bing and Fred Astaire, I love it.

--White Christmas. Another Bing extravaganza, with a quite different version of the song. This time with Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen. Wonderful singing and awesome dancing.

--The Bishop's Wife. I admit this is my favorite. Of Christmas movies definitely, possibly of all movies. (Okay, Dead Again is a close contestant) But Cary Grant as an angel? It's hard to top that.

--Christmas in Connecticut. Barbara Stanwyck as a pretend Martha Stewart type columnist, who suddenly has to act the part for Christmas.

--It's a Wonderful Life. Of course.

--A Charlie Brown Christmas. Yeah, I don't know why, but we still watch it every year. Maybe it's to see Snoopy dancing.

--How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The original one, not the remake (bleah). My favorite song is "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch". Chuck Jones rocks.

So pony up. What are your favorites? Is there one I'm missing that I need to add to the pile?

Medieval Word of the Day: kemp: A coarse or stout hair, as those of the eyebrows (obs.); now, hair of this kind occurring among wool.

Tag--I'm it!

I got tagged by Sara Walker Howe! And it's a good one for getting into the Christmas spirit (which I need a little of--it's frigging -15 F here this morning!!!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Eggnog. Used to be hot chocolate all the way, but lately it's been too...sweet for me. Actually I really like eggnog lattes.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Almost everything is wrapped, unless it's a huge unwrappable present, like a playhouse. Only a few things are actually marked from Santa, though. The rest are from Mommy, Daddy, Mommy & Daddy, Mommy Cat...

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? No lights on the house, but colored twinkly lights on the tree. I have fond memories of the big ones, but we use the little mini-bulbs.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope. Does anybody? :)

5. When do you put your decorations up? It has to be after Thanksgiving. Usually sometime around the first of December so Child can start the advent calendar/tree on time. But this year she really really wanted them up last weekend, so up they went.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? English toffee. It's something my mom made every year, only at Christmas, and I do the same. Now I have to make two batches because people like it so well they want more every year.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Stockings. I LOVE stockings; they're my favorite part. When I was 10 or so my brother and I decided to give stockings to our parents too, and that tradition has stuck. So everybody gets stockings Christmas morning, and we all open them up together.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I was 5, and the neighbor across the street--Sally Civitanich, told me. I was standing in front of our fireplace; I remember the moment. I was heartbroken.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No. We hoard everything until Christmas morning.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Eclectic. Lights go on first, then a few beads and paper chains, and the star on top. Then we hang the zillions of ornaments. Hubby and I used to collect funky ones from CostPlus and such, so we have chili peppers, tigers, chickens, cats, santas shaped like moons...you name it. Plus a bunch from my childhood and his, and quite a few that we all made together.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I'll echo Sara here. I love it for the first 2 months or so, and then I'm done. Sadly we have snow for at least 5 months.

12. Can you ice skate? Not yet. I'm still working on skiing. (Hey, I'm a California girl, transplanted.)

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Not really. I remember the process more than the presents.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family time, relaxing together. The songs, the candles, the food, the atmosphere. Holidays make me happy.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? English toffee, above. Also Holiday fudge and my new addition, sugared pecans.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Opening our stockings together, while listening to Christmas music and drinking coffee. Watching Child enjoy Christmas.

17. What tops your tree? A frosted star.

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? Giving. I love to see Hubby and Child's reactions.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night. Just like Sara, I actually get chills with this one! Always.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Eh. I like 'em better for hanging on the tree.

I tag...let's see...Cindy and Diana Peterfreund. Have at it, and Happy Holidays!

Returning briefly

Because "more later" always means "see you in 4 days". :)

I had a lovely 4-day weekend. Thanksgiving at Mom's house, with requisite turkey, pumpkin pie, etc., to which I added my fancy roasted cauliflower recipe. Well, not mine, but I make it, and man it's good.

Friday we tried to avoid the malls--got sucked in briefly, but managed to pull ourselves out of the vortex before it was too late. Saturday I took Child to a Teddy Bear tea in town, with Santa and all, and Sunday we put up the Christmas tree. Aaaaahhh. Unfortunately squeezed in there I had to do and turn in 3 assignments for one of my grad classes, and I have to write a rough draft of a paper today. But school is over for the term December 12th, and I'm looking forward to that.

I don't know if I'll be able to work on Book 2 today at lunch, as I have the dreaded research paper in addition to a bunch of other stuff, and I'm behind here at work. We shall see. In the meantime, must get off the blog and back to the pile o' stuff waiting for me!

Medieval Word of the Day: windle: To move circularly or sinuously; to turn over and over, or round and round; to whirl; to meander.