~*Day Five*~

Yes, I'm a day late again. The hope is that I'll catch up tomorrow. And unlike like last time I was late, I actually have something to share. 

This post is all about Christmas movies. Despite the fact that there are easily hundreds, more keep being made each year. Honestly I think they should slow down on the production of them, as most are...less than wonderful. But once ever few years a Christmas movie is made that is more than wonderful, that captures the spirit of Christmas and becoming and instant classic. Today, I would like to share some of my favorite Christmas movie. A couple of them may be purely nostalgic, but they are still my favorite. 

To start things off, I have a classic movie that everyone knows about, that has been spoofed about a gillion times, yet not near as many people as you would think have watched it. The move is...

George Bailey as some big dreams. He wants to see the world, travel, and do great things, to live an extraordinary life. As time goes on though, George must give up his dreams, whether it's because he needs to stay with his family, take care of the women he loves, or support the town in his business. A point in his life comes when he begins to wish that his life had been different. Luckily, a angle desperately wanting his wings comes to help George, and reminds him that just because your life isn't extraordinary, doesn't mean it isn't wonderful.

The second movie is probably a favorite purely for nostalgic reasons.

And you would not believe how hard it was to find a picture of this movie! The main thing I got when I typed in "Jack Frost" was the live action movie and some tacky horror flick. When I was a little kid, I loved all the  claymation Christmas movies that they would show each year, on ABC family. Along with "Little Drummer Boy" and "The Year Without Santa Clause". I remember "Jack Frost" being my favorite though, perhaps with "A Miser Brothers' Christmas" as a close second.

This movie is a combination of nostalgia, and the twelve year old boy inside of me, perhaps one of my favorite Christmas comedies, it's...

I love both the original cartoon and the newer movie. As far as comedies go, I prefer it over "A Christmas Story," and other's that I can't remember the titles of. I think that it may be that I grew up with the Grinch story, and I have always loved the works of Dr. Seuss, even now when I'm older I have a soft spot for him.

There are many more where that came from, for modern, serious, and funny Christmas movies, but if I was to list all of my favorites, well, this would be a very long post.

~*Day Four*~

Hello, this one is coming a day late. The original idea was to write a poem for today, but I wrote a couple of short ones and didn't like any of them, so instead here is a poem written by Henry Vaughan entitled "Christ's Nativity." 

Awake, glad heart! get up and sing!

It is the birth-day of thy King.

Awake! awake!

The Sun doth shake

Light from his locks, and all the way

Breathing perfumes, doth spice the day.

Awake, awake! hark how th' wood rings;

Winds whisper, and the busy springs

A concert make;

Awake! awake!

Man is their high-priest, and should rise

To offer up the sacrifice.

I would I were some bird, or star,

Flutt'ring in woods, or lifted far

Above this inn

And road of sin!

Then either star or bird should be

Shining or singing still to thee.

I would I had in my best part

Fit rooms for thee! or that my heart

Were so clean as

Thy manger was!

But I am all filth, and obscene;

Yet, if thou wilt, thou canst make clean.

Sweet Jesu! will then. Let no more

This leper haunt and soil thy door!

Cure him, ease him,

O release him!

And let once more, by mystic birth,

The Lord of life be born in earth..

~*Day Two*~

Okay, in all truth this is kind of a cop out day...and Tuesday may be that too, but after that all days are planned ahead and good. I have been fiddling on my computer for about ten minutes now thinking of a topic for today. I thought back over the Church service of this morning and decided to do one on advent.

Every year our Church lights the candles of an advent wreath. The traditional is four candles for the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, and often a fifth candle in the center to light on Christmas day. Each Sunday a new candle is lit, as well as the one before it, to show the passage of time. Every candle has significant meaning about the story of Christmas, Christ's birth and coming. 

First Sunday: The first candle is The Prophecy Candle/The candle of Hope. It is represented by a purple candle. John 8:12 and Isaiah 60:2-3

Second Sunday: So this Sunday the Prophecy Candle, and another purple candle, The Bethlehem Candle/The Candle of Preparation. 

Scripture: John 14:6 and Mark 1:4

Third Sunday: Is The Shepherd Candle/The Candle of Joy, represented by the pink candle.

Scripture: Isaiah 35:10

Forth Sunday: The Angle Candle/The Candle of Love. This Sunday all three purple candles or lit, and the pink one. 

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

Christmas/Christmas Eve: The white candle in the middle is referred to as the Christ Candle. Unlike the others it is not lit on a Sunday, but Christmas or Christmas eve. My church typically lights it during the Christmas eve service, but since we started advent only this week, I think it will only be four candles this year.

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

There is no consistent or official scripture to go with the days though. As such, here is a site with different scripture references than the ones I provided. The ones I gave are simply the ones in the pamphlet about advent from my church. 

One of my favorite things about advent that it is a great tradition to help return the focus to God and the story of Christ. I have always loved doing it, and even if your church doesn't do it, it is a great tradition to have at home. 

~*Day One*~

For today's subject I will write about one of the few things that can completely define Christmas in of itself.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but...

Even if the house isn't decorated and no one puts Christmas lights on their houses in your neighborhood, and even if you don't like Christmas.

...it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride with you...

it is a sure fire thing to get you in the holiday mood.

...where in meadow we can build a snow man...

I think you have guessed it. That's right! It's...

...and go home for Christmas to rock around the Christmas tree.

 CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!!!! Today I will post about four of my favorite Christmas albums. Despite the fact that there are over twenty albums on my MP3 player and several random solo flying Christmas songs, there are very easily four albums I could listen to every Christmas and never get tired of them

The first album is "Garth Books and the magic of Christmas."

Despite the fact that Garth looks like he's trying to mimic a sexy fish while awkwardly holding a big glass ball, this is easily my favorite, (and easily one of the best) country Christmas albums. Garth's smooth, sometimes gritty voice offers itself to several classic Christmas songs. 

The next album is a little less traditional. It's Rockapella's "Comfort and Joy"

With the guy's amazing harmonizing and impressive beat boxing, it's a delight when you're looking for an upbeat and different thing to listen to during the holidays. If features a couple of older songs, but mostly modern ones, which quite frankly go better with the style Rockapella sings in. 

The third album is one that was released only this year, but I have already fallen in love. Yes, it truly is, Michael Bublé "Michael Bublé Christmas." Very original title too.

It features near the perfect amount traditional and modern songs for me. I would have preferred maybe one to two more traditional songs, replacing Santa Baby, which should never, under any circumstances, but sung by a guy. And possible Feliz Navidad, which is an okay song...but kind of annoying after the first minutes. Other than those two songs this my very well be the best album of them all! And not only because of the good song selection, but also because of Michael's voice.

The last but certainly not least is perfect for playing while reading or writing, or as simple background music, as it is all instrumental. It's "The Christmas Box." 

A beautiful album of songs composed by Paul Cardall. Once again there is a mixture of songs you will recognize, and songs that are completely original. Every piece is beautifully played and wonderful to listen to.

The Accomplished WriMo and 12 Days of Christmas

Hello everybody! I am back and active in the blog world. I know I haven’t posted in over a month, but if you have followed me for a long time, you know that that was not my longest break. It was mostly due to NaNoWriMo, which was great this year. I wrote 75,000 words (a novel and a half,) this month, and I’m still about 20,000 words short of the complete novel. (Before editing and all that stuff.)

A part of me wishes I was one of those people who barely managed to scrape by through the whole month and during the last week pull it all together and won despite my constant lagging. A part of me wishes I had no idea what I was getting into and getting by just on me creativity and wits. A part of me wishes that I could actually use the dares on the form, and pulled several all-nighters just to reach my word goal.

But I’m not. I’m one of those people who can whip out 1,500 words in an hour typing at a comfortable pace, not hurried with some minor editing, and I had the luxury of having a couple hours a day to write. So I was the smug over achiever who was a bit down that I didn’t finish with twice the number of words needed to win.  

Now we enter December. The holiday month. In honor of this season, I will be doing...

Yes I know there’s a lot of people doing the same thing, and much more officially, but I wanted to do my own thing. For twenty-four days, every other day, I will write a Christmas themed post. There is no general thing, other than the fact that it is Christmas. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite Christmas songs, our traditions for this season, random Christmas trivia, and much more.