Tag: christmas

Christmas Tree Spiders

In response to Robert Sheldon’s “Christmas Tree Dilemma” article last week, a friend wrote in with a great story from their Christmas this year. Seems the whole “picking of the perfect tree” tradition is alive and well in her family as well, though this year it came with a surprising twist.

Christmas Morning Sunrise in the Mountains

After finding the World’s Most Perfect Christmas Tree, she and her family set the tree up in the living room and proceeded to celebrate a wonderful holiday around a most perfect tree. All went to bed on Christmas night with smiles on their faces, wonder in their heart, and warm feasts settled nicely in their belly. Little did they know that somewhere in the warmth of their tree lay the egg sack a spider left there last fall, lulled by the indoor glow into the illusion that it was time now for tiny little spiders to think about bursting forth into the world. Continue reading “Christmas Tree Spiders”

The Santa Revelation v1

I recall a cool December day many years ago. I’m driving toward home with my oldest son in the passenger seat beside me, just the two of us in the car. He’s probably 5 or 6 years old. He asks the question all parents of young children expect at this time of year:

“Hey dad, is there really a Santa Clause?”

I take a minute to gather my thoughts, and answer very thoughtfully. I carefully and artfully walk us through a discussion of how much fun it is to believe in Santa Clause. We talk about how the idea of Santa Clause is a really nice reflection of many of the things that are good to celebrate this time of year, things like the gift of light returning to us, and the gift of G-d’s presence in our life.

Regardless of whether or not there’s an actual and factual Santa Clause, we agree, it’s still a great deal of fun to pretend he exists. We agree that the little traditions associated with Christmas Eve are made more fun by pretending there’s a thing called Santa Clause. We smile at how nice it is to see the cookies on the fireplace half-eaten in the morning, even if it was dad who took the bites out of the cookies to make it look like Santa was there. Continue reading “The Santa Revelation v1”

A Christmas Letter – 2011

Merry Christmas.

Now, just because I consider myself a Christian, don’t assume I’m one of those who thinks only Christians get to celebrate these wonderful winter holidays. Folks of nearly all religions – and no religions – have been celebrating the Winter Solstice season as far back as records and myths go.

Image from Ecotime.blogspot.com

Continue reading “A Christmas Letter – 2011”

Christmas and the Praying Mantis

Christmas is a time for merriment; a time for caroling and inveterate expletives uttered at the strings of outdoor Christmas lights that inexplicably won’t light.  Yet beyond the generally festive mood, sometimes lurks a bit of Holiday tension.  At my house, this light-hearted strain  manifests itself as the perennial disagreement between me and my wife over the Christmas tree: artificial or real.  Just when the scrape has scabbed over from the previous year, here we are, picking at it as if trying to peel back the sticker on a Dole banana.

Continue reading “Christmas and the Praying Mantis”

Christmas Letter Coming

Shhh… Christmas Letter Coming – Don’t tell Anna

My daughter Anna was born on December 15. As a third child, and the only daughter, many say she was spoiled. She’s one that says that, proudly.

One thing we did when she was small was to defer Christmas decorating until after her birthday. We didn’t want her birthday to get lost in the Christmas celebrating. Plus, we really liked the idea of shortening up that lead-up to Christmas. As our corporate consumerism driven economy drives us to begin the “Christmas Season” ever earlier each year, I like the idea of rebelling by refusing to buy into it. Sort of like the election seasons getting longer and longer – my lord how long until they actually overlap, and one election season starts before the election before that one is even held?

As Anna grew older, she took up that mantle, and made sure each year that nobody slipped up and started putting up lights or in any other way started to focus on Christmas until after her birthday. (Would you expect anything less of a princess?)

So this year, I’m putting a little Christmas letter up on my blog, but I can’t publish it until after Anna’s birthday. So, on 12/15, join me in wishing Anna a happy birthday, and keep an eye out for any Christmas letter soon after…

Shhh…