Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Every year there is usually one Christmas song that kind of sticks with me. This year it’s “Happy Christmas,” originally by John Lennon, but I like Sarah McLachlan’s take on it too. It’s fairly bittersweet as Christmas carols go—that crazy John Lennon and his messages to the people—but that suits my mood right now.

Maybe because of the state of the world at the moment, maybe because friends and family are far away, maybe because weather in San Antonio is gray with a chance of grayness, maybe because I’d rather be at home frosting sugar cookies with family right now rather than killing time in a cubicle because I’m low on vacation days…

Whatever the reason, “Happy Christmas” is the song I’m humming this year. Even though there is an air of melancholy to it, I like the impetus for change at the end. War is over, if you want it. Want things to be better? Make them better. Good stuff.

Much Love to You and Yours

Christmas 5x5

5 Favorite Christmas Movies:
1. Her Majesty’s Secret Service
It’s Christmas Eve and James is on the run from Blofeld and his skiing henchman. He huddles near the ice rink sure the end is near. With a wonderful whoosh, a mini-skirted angel glides to a stop in front of him. He looks up into the glowing face of one Miss Diana Rigg framed in the glowing lights of an Andes Christmas.
“Tracy!”
She saves his ass, he proposes that night, because - well, wouldn’t you?
2. The Thin Man
Nick: “Did I buy you that fur coat?”
Nora: “Yes you did.”
Nick: “I spoil you.”
3. Love Actually
I stole this one off of Murat’s list, but you’ll never see a more lovable Liam Nissan.
4. Die Hard
This one is a quick shout-out to my Dad. Nothing says Christmas like blowing away Euro-trash terrorist thieves.
5. The Bishop’s Wife
This one is a quick shout-out to my Mom. I love Cary Grant’s sly take on angelic behavior, most especially the gift of wine that never runs dry.

5 Favorite Christmas Songs:
1. Ave Maria
Song properly by a trained opera singer. Otherwise it’s just wrong.
2. White Christmas
The Drifters version, Bing’s take always makes me sleepy.
3. Santa Baby
The Eartha Kitt version is the only one. How I wish I could purr “the deed to a platinum mine…” like that.
4. I Saw Three Ships
I grew up with Nat King Cole’s version, but I’ve recently come to love Sting’s.
5. The Little Drummer Boy
Don’t know why, but I’ve always loved this one.

5 Christmas Memories
1. Lighting luminarios
The softly glowing light in everyone’s yards leading down the road to St. Mathew’s with Mt. Christo Rey behind.
2. Frosting sugar cookies
Once my brother hit college, the cookies took on a decidedly post-modern feel.
3. Rearranging the Nativity
My mom has a gorgeous, extensive one that is displayed every year. She and I disagree on the best placement of the wise men/holy family/guiding angel/shepherd/etc. Pretty much everything except the baby. Consequently, the attendees to the Christ child move around quite a bit during the holiday season.
4. Shooting with my Dad
You have your traditions, we have ours. Nothing like plinking cans to bring a family together.
5. The stacking of Christmas presents
For quite a few years, my brother and I would awake on Christmas morning to discover the elves had stacked the presents like cairns.

5 Favorite Christmas Cookies
1. Pecan Tasties
2. Sugar cookies swathed in sugar frosting
3. Chocolate peanut brittle
4. Peanut brittle
5. Fudge

5 Favorite Christmas Specials
1. 007 Days of Christmas
So I like James Bond. A lot.
2. Charlie Brown’s Christmas
To this day I feel the need to rescue scraggly pine trees from the lot and decorate them.
3. Food Network Christmas
This one is new this year. I’ve become enamored of the Food Network and there is just something delightful about Rachel Ray telling Bobby Flay to stop trying to add the prosciutto so soon.
4. Rudolph
In days of yore I couldn’t get enough of that claymation.
5. Muppets’ Christmas Carol
It’s always better with Muppets.