I wish you a Merry Christmas!

I wish you a Merry Christmaaaaasss.....
AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Merry Christmas! Christmas! I Love Christmas! Drinks all around! Oops! Sorry there my dear Hannah, I do believe I spilled some cider on you!

So how was your Christmas, everyone? I am very happy to say that mine was wonderful, in every way. I was thrilled to be in such an eager anticipation and excitement for the approaching holy day. The only emotion I can remember from last year was, well, nothing, and then relief when it was all over. But last year (2007) - for some reason or another - was not a good year for me. But this year, I was almost afraid at the amount of excitement and joy that I had. Usually with a high like that, it's followed right up by a severe drop in the opposite direction - but that hasn't happened yet, so here's hoping! This year was kind of like the words of the song by Josh Groban I am listening to right now.
When it seems the magic slipped away...
We find it all again on Christmas Day.

Christmas is such a wonderful time, and I'm not sure where I am going from here so I need to pause for a moment and collect my thoughts....
-Intermission-
It is the season of the heart
A special time of caring
The ways of love made clear
It is the season of the sprit
The message if we hear it
Is make it last all year

A part of childhood we'll always remember
It is the summer of the soul in December
Yes, when you do your best for love it feels like Christmas
-End-

Love the muppets! Ha ha.
Ahem, anyhow. Would you all think me terribly trivial if I talked about gifts and gift giving? No? Great! Actually, Jesus Christ Himself was a gift, so there you go!

There is something about gifts and gift giving that I just love, and it is one of my favorite parts of this whole season. There is something in the anticipation, wondering what could be inside the boxes, what could it be in there? We all know it must be something wonderful. I wonder if that is not how the shepherds felt, rushing towards a much bigger "box" of sorts, a stable, wondering about what exactly was inside, wait to open and see just what a tremendous gift it was. They had an idea, like many of us do when we see our gifts under the tree, but they didn't know for sure what was inside.

For me, the much of the specialness about gifts is not so much the gift itself, but the idea of the gift. Not so much what it is that I got, but the fact that someone took the time to think about what it is that I would want, went to the trouble of getting it for me. I am always so touched and delighted when given a gift from someone. There is such meaning for me in that simple gesture. Again, it's like that with God. He took the time and trouble of preparing all those years ahead of time to give us the gift of His Son, and showed more love in that gift than any of us could ever imagine.

I love to give gifts as well. I get more pleasure in seeing someone accept and open a gift I have made or bought them as I do in getting one myself. I've thought this many times, and I heartily agree "'Tis Better to Give than to Receive". It must give God great joy when we recieve the gift of His Son on Christmas, and every time we recieve the Holy Eucharist. And how upset He must be when we recieve His gift without joy or gratitude.

Moving on to Christmas music briefly before bidding you adieu until the next time I feel like posting. Christmas music is so great, from the awe inspiring, peace giving, love-inspiring hymns to the bouncy holly jolly carols. Some of my favorites are
O Holy Night - in my opinion one of the most beautiful and graceful songs of the season.
Carol of the Bells - This is just a cool song, especially the Celtic Woman version. Can't say why I like it, but I like it!
Holly Jolly Christmas - Ugh! I'm sick of this song right now! But I love it anyways, it's so fun!!! "O ho the mistltoe, hung where you can('t) see! Somebody waits for you! Kiss her once for me! Have a holly jolly Christmas, and in case you didn't here, O by golly have a holly jolly Christmas, this year!"
It Feels Like Christmas - From "The Muppet Christmas Carol", one of my favoritest Christmas movies ever. So happy, and joyful and sing-a-long-able!

Well, alas my dearly beloveded readers and devoted fans, I must leave thee all now to do, er, something and in the words of Tiny Tim
"May God Bless us Everyone!"

Merry Christmas To All!

The Story of Christmas, in Photographs

The Annunciation - The Angel Announces that Mary will be the Mother of God

The Innkeeper brings the Holy Family to the Stable

Joseph readies the stable for Mary

Mary and Joseph rest and pray

Angels come to the Stable

The Christ Child is Born

The Shepherds Asleep in the Fields

The Shepherds Are Awakened by the Arrival of the Angels

The Angel Expresses the Birth of Christ to the Shepherds

The lives of the people of Bethlehem

The Shepherds kneel before Jesus

The Shepherds spread the news of Christ's Birth to the townspeople

The townspeople adore Jesus

The three Kings travel to Bethlehem

The Three Kings visit King Herod

The Three Kings give gifts to Jesus

May the love of Christ our Lord
Be with you this day,
To guide you and to hold you
As you go upon The Way.


Merry Christmas!

O Come O Come Emmanuel, and Ransom Captive Israel

Twas the Day Before Christmas...

by yours truly

‘Twas the day before Christmas and the Wal-Mart was packed,

With holiday shoppers, in lines back-to-back.

And I in my sweatshirt and Papa with his staff,

Tried to make our way through the season’s mish-mash.

I looked about in horror, Papa exclaimed with fright,

“Why all these shoppers are a terrible sight!”

We grabbed a few things, and fought our way through,

All the while dodging every Dick, Harry and Lou.

Then looking about, I exclaimed with glee,

“Well what d’ya know, this aisle’s empty!”

We entered the aisle sighing with relief,

Then more shoppers came, bringing us nothing but grief.

We tried to get through, to get to the door,

But a stampede of shoppers knocked us onto the floor.

I said, “Dad, this is crazy, let’s get out while we can.

We can swing on the lights, then run to the van."

So we jumped and jumped ‘till we reached the ceiling,

Than Papa looked down and said with feeling,

“The sight of those shoppers is making me sick,

Let’s leave right now, make our exit, and quick!”

So we swung over the heads of those holiday shoppers,

No one saw us because they were busy spending their coppers.

Then finally we reached the far away door,

We let go of the lights and dropped to the floor.

Landing on our feet, we ran to the car,

And did not speak ‘till away we were far.

Then Papa said, looking like a partially plucked hen,

“We’ll never go shopping on Christmas Eve again!”

Poem copywrite ladyoftherose.blogspot.com

It's Begining to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Ah, Christmastime is nearly hear again, as evidenced by the springing forth of Christmas decorations. Every year on the Saturday before Christmas, we pull out the ornaments and the tree tucked away since the past year. (And yes, we have an artificial tree. We did get a real tree one year, but us kids all missed putting together the artificial tree - and besides, it didn't have a scent anyhow! - that we all declared that the next year we'd go back to our dearly beloved 'fake tree'.)
Anyhow, here are some of