Tip of the Day 12/22/11

Day 10 of The 12 Days of Christmas.

What are your 10 most loved Christmas Ornaments or decorations and why?

1) The first ornament that has always gone on our tree is a little basket with a cardinal sitting in it from our dear friends Betty and Bill Linsenmeyer.
2) A tiny ornament of 3 tiny pinecones tied together with wire that hung on my Nanny and Papa's Christmas tree. It always goes at the top of the tree right below the angel.
3) All the Hallmark ornaments my Aunt Jean collected for us. She sent so many every year our tree was packed full. So, it was good when the girls left home and took theirs with. We can actually see all of ours now. :)
4) The ceramic Nativity my Grandma Hanks made.
5) My Christmas China my Mom and Dad gifted us with.
6) A Christmas quilt from Richard's brother Jeff and his wife. It is the only gift we ever received from him and he died the next year.
7) A corn husk Nativity that we purchased in Nairobi. Unfortunately we have deaf sheep in our set. When we were purchasing some as gifts and the vendor we were talking to was charging more than another one, she said it was because her sets did not have deaf sheep and were worth more. The other vendor sold ones that had sheep without ears, so they weren't as expensive. :)
8) A Menorah we purchased in Israel.
9) A stained glass snowman my mother-in-law had made for me. It is the last gift I received from her. The package was lost in the mail and arrived at our house the day we got the call that she had a brain tumor, Good Friday. It is a treasure.
10) A Hallmark Daughter ornament that my Mom gave to me the year Richard and I were married. The day the tree fell over it was broken and so was my heart, but I was able to take the band with the words off and put it on another ball that was the right size. The ball was one I got at a luncheon I attended with my Mom, so it was just right.

Tip of the Day 12/21/11

Day 9 of The 12 Days of Christmas.

What 9 Cookies, Treats, or Dishes do you look forward to every Christmas?

1) Wedding Ring Cookies

2) Oatmeal Scottchies

3) Harvest Loaf

4) Cranberry/Apple/Banana Salad

5) Fudge

6) Clementines

7) All kinds of nuts in the shell that you have to crack open and dig out. I remember getting to have them at my Grandma and Grandpa's house

8) Chocolate Covered Cherries-my Grandpa gave me a box every year

9) Raspberry Filled Hard Candy-my Mom sent me a bag every year and I savor them all year. When I pulled out the candy jar there were still some left from the last bag I will receive from her.

Tip of the Day 12/20/11

Name 8 items you have either put in a stocking or received in your stocking.

1) My Mom would put cookies she had baked in ours. When I reach inside I can still feel the crumbs from 50 years ago.
2) Oranges (given and received)
3) Garfield and Odie (received) I get a stuffed animal or similar every year
4) Toothbrush (given and received)
5) Chapstick (given and received)
6) Crayons (given and received)
7) Avocado (we loved to give one to our daughter so she had her own that she didn't have to share)
8) Undie wear LOL (given and received)

Tip of the Day 12/19/11

Day 7 of The 12 Days of Christmas:

Share 7 ways you celebrate Christmas.

1) As we hang the ornaments on the tree and when we take them down we talk about and pray for the giver of that ornament.

2) We have always eaten cheese/crackers/apples as we decorate.

3) Give Shoeboxes through Operation Christmas Child in honor of others.

4) Since we don't live near family and can't be gone at Christmas we have always gone out to eat on Christmas Eve. The girls loved getting dressed up and going out for a "Fancy Dinner."

5) After dinner we drive around looking at Christmas lights.

6) Richard puts an unwrapped gift like a stuffed animal in my stocking as soon as we decorate and I have to look at it for a month without touching it. This year it is a U of M gnome.

7) Our Christmas candlelight service is the highlight- the time to stop and read the passages and sing the songs, familiar and yet always new.

Tip of the Day 12/18/11

Day 6 of The 12 Days of Christmas:

Name 6 gifts you received for Christmas, at least 3 before age 12.

1) Small "vanity stool" to be used at a dressing table. Age 3. I still have it.
2) Red AMF Roadmaster Jr. Age 6. I still have it.
3) Baby First Step. Age 10. I still have her.
4) White Bible with my name engraved. Age 12. I still have it.
5) Diamond Earrings. Age 17. I still have them.
6) A handmade stained glass window that my husband traded jack stands for because we were broke. Age 24. Yes, I still have it and it is hanging in the window.

Tip of the Day 12/17/11

Day 5 of The 12 Days of Christmas:

Name your 5 favorite Christmas Albums and if there are any traditions behind them.

1) Amy Grant's-A Christmas Album, we decorate the tree listening to it

2) Nat King Cole-A Christmas Album, the first Christmas record I remember hearing

3) Andy Williams Christmas, loved his TV specials

4) John Denver-Rocky Mountain Christmas, makes me think of my Mom

5) Sugarland's Gold and Green-my new fav

Tip of the Day 12/16/11

12 Days of Christmas Day 4.

Please share 4 favorite Memories of Christmas.

1)Driving to Tulsa from Denver each year and seeing the National Bank Building Lights first

2) The smell of all the good things baking at my Grandma Hanks house

3) My girl's squeals of joy the year they found their look-alike Cabbage Patch Dolls under the tree

4) Mom never bought 1 thing on our list, she got it ALL!

Tip of the Day 12/15/11

Day 3 of The 12 Days of Christmas.
Name 3 Christmas SONGS (yesterday was Carols) that you just have to hear every year. There are some songs that just say Christmas to us, I would love to know your list.

For me--"The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole; "Preiset Dem Konig (Praise the King)/Emmanuel/O Little Town of Bethlehem" by Amy Grant; and "A Baby Just Like You (Zachary's Song)" by John Denver. Of course there are many more, but these 3 are at the top of my list.

Tip of the Day 12/14/11

12 Days of Christmas Day 2-What are your 2 favorite Christmas Carols? (Not Christmas songs, there is a difference.) and who do you want to hear sing them. Mine are "O Holy Night" by John Denver and "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" by Sugarland. If you haven't answered yesterday's question please still do. I love seeing your answers.

Tip of the Day 12/13/11

Today is the 1st Day of my "12 Days of Christmas Question of the Day." I hope you will participate. On the 1st Day of Christmas-Name the first Christmas gift you remember making or buying with your own money? I bought my parents an avocado green electric popcorn maker from my first paycheck as a gift wrapper at Frougs Department Store when I was 16. They still have it.

Tip of the Day 12/12/11

Still shopping? Try using the gifts of the Magi as a guide. Gold, a gift of high value, not expensive, but desired, like an item on the receivers list. Frankincense, represents a relationship with God, a gift to help the receiver draw closer to God. Mhyrr, a spice used to prepare the body for burial, so a gift to comfort the body, anything from PJ's to body lotions. Hope that helps.

Tip of the Day 12/10/11

Tradition is not the foundation for true worship, but is rather the basis of treasured memories. As we celebrate the Birth of our Savior in Worship this season may we also continue the traditions of our families that bring us the treasured memories that are so important to our well-being. So let's enjoy our traditions and create some memories that last a lifetime. I am thankful for them.

Tip of the Day 12/9/11

We enjoy a tradition at our Christmas Family gathering of a game the grands call "the Pickle Jar." It is a jar filled with little cards of things to do like sing a line from a carol, play "telephone" with a phrase, pantomime a Christmas scene, and about 100 more ideas. You could make your own. Games are a great way to interact while the family is gathered. The time is about togetherness.

Tip of the Day 12/8/11

Consider starting a 12 Days of Christmas Tradition. Celebrate with some fun little gifts or activities leading up to Christmas Day. If you have a big celebration on the 24th you might want to start on the 11th to culminate at your celebration. Do just one act of kindness a day or give a small token to family members or friends. A great alternative to the calendars you open each day.

Tip of the Day 12/7/11

A few movies to enjoy--A Christmas to Remember-Jason Robards; A Christmas Affair-Robert Mitchum; The Christmas Box-Richard Thomas; Christmas in Connecticut-Barbara Stanwyck; Miracle on 34th Street-Original or 1994 version; Little Women-Original or Susan Sarandon version. Discover some new ones for a your Christmas tradition.

Tip of the Day 12/6/11

Tradition-Tevia sang of it in Fiddler on the Roof and this time of year is perfect for traditions. They can be a source of comfort. Movies are a popular tradition, but this year try reading some Holiday Short Stories as a new tradition. A good resource is a series of books compiled by Joe L. Wheeler "Christmas in my Heart." There are numerous volumes containing many Old Fashioned stories.

Tip of the Day 12/5/11

Start some new traditions this December. We started one many years ago from the example of our friends Bill and Mary, we call it Decembered Prayer. During the month we seek guidance for our family and Church and do not make any major decisions. After Christmas we share with each other what we believe the Lord has shown us for the coming year and move into the year with new focus.

Tip of the Day 12/3/11

We all like the ambiance the decor of Christmas brings and part of that is due to the lighting we use. An easy way to have those pretty lights throughout your home is to use the LED battery operated strings of lights. The ones with timers are awesome and they also make candles that look just like the real thing. It is nice to not have to be concerned a candle is put out and lights off.

Tip of the Day 12/2/11

Consider an artificial tree. I miss the fragrance of the real one, but I don't miss the mess. There are plenty of ways to still have the fragrance and there are many beautiful trees to choose from. To enjoy the fragrance, this year we purchased a bag of Balsam Fir needles. I put them in containers around the house and in tea balls hanging in both trees. Try a florist or tree lot for the needles. A wreath is another way to enjoy the fragrance without as much mess.

Tip of the Day 12/1/11

When decorating your home for the season do a thorough cleaning as you go. Dust all the surfaces and then dust each item as you put it in place. Blow the dust out of the greenery before you place on the mantle or staircase, wipe down all of the glass items as well. By cleaning as you decorate you should be able to go through the season with just light touch-ups, cleaning the floors and bathrooms, and be able to enjoy your break from the ordinary.