Some Things Mom Doesn't Understand

My mother, upon seeing a flautist with a gold flute, wearing a gold dress: "Her flute matches her dress!"

My reply: "No, mother, her dress matches her flute."

Happy New Year, everyone!

My Christmas pudding would not come out of its mold, and by the time it did come out, it was in several pieces. I piled them up so they looked something like the mold, poured the cognac over it, and lit it afire. It had almost burned out when I got to the table. But, it was proclaimed delicious by one and all, and someone asked if it would be served again for breakfast tomorrow. So, thus ended my first adventure with "plum" pudding. (I've settled on calling it Christmas pudding, because though the McCall's calls it plum pudding, it contains no actual plums, and this annoys me.) Maybe next year it will come out of the mold.

Merry Christmas! 

Holly and Misteltoe

Christmas is Coming

Gifts have been purchased and lovingly wrapped,
Cards will be mailed out today,
The church has been decked out in ribbons and wreaths,
Poinsettias and gold lamé.

Menus are planned and the tasks are doled out--
I'm making plum pudding this year.
Grocery stores visited, bell-ringers passed,
Thank heaven the sky is still clear.

The table is still set for Advent, I guess,
Because Christmas isn't quite here.
But when it comes, I hope yours is merry,
And also, a happy New Year!

The Coolest Thing Ever

(Stolen from In Pectore)

Everything You Need to Know About The O Antiphions

Have I mentioned yet that Advent is my favorite season?

Coming soon: Profound Parisian Poetry, Daring Disney Distractions, and more Amazingly Awesome Alliteration!

1. Egg nog - yum or yuck? Yummy!
2. Stay up until midnight on New Years? Stay up.
3. Prefer white or colored lights? White. My eyes are very sensitive to light, and for some reason colored lights hurt my eyes worse than white ones.
4. Favorite holiday song? "Gaudete, Christus est natus," for the religious variety, and "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" for the non-religious.
5. What is your tackiest holiday decoration? Either the stuffed cat that meows, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," or the pink flamingo tree-ornaments covered with real feathers.
6. Do your kids have too much and you wonder just WHY you are getting more?? At this point, I am the kid, and I bet my parents are wondering why they are getting me more stuff.
7. If you celebrate Christmas, when does your tree go up and come down? It goes up after Thanksgiving and comes down after New Year's. In the past it has usually been January 2nd, because it had to be down before my parents went back to work, but this year they're both retired, so it may stay up until Epiphany.
8. Christmas again - open presents on Christmas eve, morning, or other? Presents from each other after dinner on Christmas eve, and presents from "Santa" on Christmas morning.
9. Favorite holiday tradition? Caroling, especially when kindly neighbors offer me hot drinks or fruitcake.
10. What do YOU want for Christmas? CD's, books, mittens, an electric mixer....

The Orthodox Grinch

I know some of you read "The Onion Dome," and I bow to the creative genius of Mr. Riggle. For those of who haven't explored the back page, and found "The Orthodox Grinch,"I suggest you click here. Please keep your arms near the keyboard, and refrain from drinking anything that might be hazardous if it winds up on your monitor.