You haven’t seen good gift wrapping until you’ve seen my dad do it! The man is meticulous: Every cut is precise. Every corner fold is symmetrical. Even the patterns on the paper match up flawlessly! Dad isn’t much for ribbons and bows, but if gift boxes were army cots, his … [Read more...]
Why “Xmas” Shouldn’t Offend You
There are some Christians to whom there are few sins greater than use of the word "Xmas". Because obviously the abbreviation is designed to remove Christ from the day, to X out any reminder of the whole reason we celebrate Christmas. Well, except that it isn't. Hang on for a … [Read more...]
Embracing the Ugly Christmas Tree
Note: I wrote this post a few years ago when the days of having a lovely themed Christmas tree seemed an eternity away for me. This year, for the first time EVER, I have a tree that is all about appearance and not so much about memories. But don't think for a moment my … [Read more...]
7 Things It’s Okay to Say NO to This Christmas
Unless you're one of those curmudgeonly, Scroogy types, Christmas holds an ethereal, almost magical quality: The music. The greenery. The lights. The gleam of anticipation in the eyes of children. It's a joyous, delightful season! So how is it that such a … [Read more...]
Behind the Scenes in Bethlehem — A Christmas Message to You and Your Family
I wasn’t there to see the place for myself, of course, but I would guess the Christmas card portraits of Bethlehem on the night of Jesus’ birth are probably…well…questionably accurate. I mean, they always present such a perfect little Judean town: Clean. Quiet. Peaceful. Charmingly aglow … [Read more...]
A Dickens Christmas Dinner
"It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that, while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor." Recognize that? Probably not, because it's not one of the more commonly quoted passages from A … [Read more...]
Testimonies to the Birth of Christ: Witness Accounts from the Nativity Story {Free Printable Script}
"I should know what happened better than anyone. Why, Mary and I grew up together! We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember! And so of course I was one of the first to hear the whole story. Honestly, it’s been pretty scandalous. A young girl expecting a … [Read more...]
Charles Dickens and the Scrooge in Each of Us
So is the tradition of sending Christmas cards dying a slow death? Seems we get fewer and fewer of them every year. Not that I'm criticizing anybody for that! How can I? I haven't done an actual card myself in years! People are just busier than they used … [Read more...]
