"Christmas Tree Catastrophe" - by Anna

'Twas December 21st,
and we were decorating our tree
with lights glowing brightly
for all to see.

After thirty or so minutes,
we sat down to gaze
at what we'd accomplished
in that half-hour phase.

Colored lights strewn
all the way to the top,
where topper St. Nick sat
with beard like a mop.

Ornaments of all kinds
and shapes and sizes;
some so amazing—
such colorful surprises!

But little did we know
peacefully watching a movie,
something would happen that was
NOT so groovy.

Our tree toppled over,
all the way to the ground;
yes, very sadly,
our tree had fallen down.

Setting it back up,
excluding one ornament broken,
in my head a tiny voice
was very outspoken:

"Don't fret about this;
it's another Christmas memory
of the strange and mysterious
Christmas Tree Catastrophe."

"Mr. Frost"

Our third official snowman is "Mr. Frost" — born on December 15, 2007. I think he's more dignified than our "Mr. Freeze" (Jan. 2005), though maybe not quite as cool as our "Mr. Kool" (see bottom photo from Jan. 19, 2002). But then life rarely duplicates itself from year to year. (I just hope Ellen won't find out that "Mr. Frost" was trying to make "bunny ears" behind her head when this (top) pic was taken!)

"The 12 Days of Christmas Revisited" (Secret Santa 2005)

Two Christmases ago, each member of our family was the recipient of the gracious gift-giving generosities of a "Secret Santa" who disappeared from our doorstep for 12 consecutive evenings leading up to Christmas day. Included in our email "thank you" we decided to to re-write the lyrics to "The 12 Days of Christmas" to highlight the gifts bestowed on us by "Secret Santa" that Christmas of 2005. This revisited song, shared with you below, now also serves as our memorabilia of that extended period of Christmas blessing.

(To be sung with great vigor)

On the first day of Christmas, “Secret Santa gave to us:
Some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii.
On the second day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Lots of family games… And, some cof-fee from Ha-wai-ii.
On the third day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Brace-lets and a ham, Lots of family games, And, some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii.
On the fourth day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Four pairs of gloves, Brace-lets and a ham, Lots of family games, And, some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii.

On the fifth day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Homemade loaves of bread . . . Four pairs of gloves, Brace-lets and a ham, Lots of family games, And, some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii.
On the sixth day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Family member gift cards, Homemade loaves of bread . . . Four pairs of gloves, Brace-lets and a ham, Lots of family games, And, some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii.

On the seventh day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Ornaments and chocolate, Family member gift cards, Homemade loaves of bread . . . Four pairs of gloves, Brace-lets and a ham, Lots of family games, And, some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii.

On the eighth day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Pop-corn and so-da, Ornaments and chocolate, Family member gift cards, Homemade loaves of bread . . . Four pairs of gloves, Brace-lets and a ham, Lots of family games, And some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii.
On the ninth day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Nice snugly blankets, Pop-corn and so-da, Ornaments and chocolate, Family member gift cards, Homemade loaves of bread . . . Four pairs of gloves, Brace-lets and a ham, Lots of family games, And, some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii.
On the tenth day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Sticker books and trivia, Nice snugly blankets, Pop-corn and so-da, Ornaments and chocolate, Family member gift cards, Homemade loaves of bread . . . Four pairs of gloves, Brace-lets and a ham, Lots of family games, And, some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Do-mi-noes and snack foods, Sticker books and trivia, Nice snugly blankets, Pop-corn and so-da, Ornaments and chocolate, Family member gift cards, Homemade loaves of bread . . . Four pairs of gloves, Brace-lets and a ham, Lots of family games, And, some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, “Secret Santa” gave to us:
Narnia audio CDs, Do-mi-noes and snack foods, Sticker books and trivia, Nice snugly blankets, Pop-corn and so-da, Ornaments and chocolate, Family member gift cards, Homemade loaves of bread . . . Four pairs of gloves, Brace-lets and a ham, Lots of family games . . . And, some cof-fee from Ha-wa-ii!

The Innkeeper

I wonder what it might have sounded like. If you have could have eavesdropped on the participants at the "Bethlehem Inn" some 2000-plus years ago, I wonder . . . what might you have heard? 

Listen to "The Innkeeper"

("The Innkeeper" is a  radio dramatization of the some of the events, as they might have occurred, surrounding and resulting from Jesus' birth. This 5-minute audio dramatization was written by Pastor Burt Williams and produced by Robert Wermuth at WPJS-FM, Orangeburg, SC — 1977.)