Six Million Christmas Lights

It was New Year's Eve 2009 at Disney World.  Rob, Thomas, Jacqueline and I had just dined at Coronado Springs Hotel.  We were sitting at the bus stop, under the lamplight, listening to the crickets chirp.  It was magical:  I had never heard crickets on New Year's Eve before.  After several minutes, the bus made its way along the palm-tree lined boulevard, pulled up and we climbed aboard, heading to Hollywood Studios.  Outside the amusement park, a giant Christmas tree sat, covered with Merry Christmas signs in many different languages.  Inside the park, we headed to Residential Street on the Back Lot where we were treated to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights.  Six million Christmas lights adorned the buildings.  Christmas music played on a loudspeaker and the lights danced in time with the music.  The display took our breath away.

Back in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1986, a little girl named Allison Brianne Osborne asked her father if he would make a light display in front of their home.  Her father, Jennings Osborne, complied by hanging up 1000 lights.  By 1993, the display had grown to 3 million lights, attracting not only locals but also tourists to the house.  News crews would often visit the house to film the lights.  Six neighbours filed lawsuits claiming the spectacle of lights caused traffic jams from sunset to midnight on the 35 days they were lit.  Mr. Osborne's response was to add another 3 million lights to his already brilliant display.  The Supreme Court shut the display down completely in 1995. 

But Mr. Osborne would not give up.  Disney World offered to display the lights at MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios).  With 20,000 man hours, 10 miles of rope, 30 miles of cord, 6 million lights and 800,000 watts of electricity, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights shined again in 1995.  Christmas visitors (mid-November to early January) are treated to the Christmas lights every year, thanks to the generosity of the Osborne Family.


Photo courtesy http://s.imwx.com.

Christmas Stamps

I came across some beautiful Christmas stamps today. 

Here is one from Hungary in 1943.

Here is the United States in 1963.

Here is the United Kingdom in 1983.

Here is Peru in 1997.

And here is Canada 2011.

White Christmas

"Snow!  It won't be long before we'll all be there with snow.

Snow!  I want to wash my hands and face in snow."

I'll never forget the first time my husband Rob watched the movie "White Christmas"; he would crack up everytime Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen broke into song.  Yes, the movie is corny, but it's the corniness that makes it so endearing:  the corny songs, the corny sets, the corny plots.  The opening scene takes place during Christmas of 1944 in battle-torn Europe when a building is about to fall on Bing Crosby's character, Bob Wallace, and Danny Kaye's character, Phil Davis, saves him at the last second.  Forever after, the former is beholden to the latter and he never lets him forget it. 

After the war, Wallace & Davis start a song and dance act and become famous on the radio and on Broadway.  They meet a female act in Florida, the sisters of an army buddy named Freckle-Faced Haynes, and listen to their floor show ("Sisters").  After an impromptu dance to "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing" between Phil and Vera-Ellen's character, Judy, the sisters are charged with damaging their hotel room rug and make a hasty exit, with help from the men.



Photo courtesy http://4.bp.blogspot.com.

Matchmaker Phil learns that the women are travelling to Vermont to do a stage show for Christmas and he talks his friend into going along.  Boarding the train, the foursome gets to know each other better in the dining car, as they cozy up in a booth and sing "Snow".  Arriving in Pine Tree, Vermont, the entertainers are surprised to see greenery everywhere:  it has not snowed for weeks.  At the inn, Phil and Bob discover that the owner is their old commanding general from the army.  General Waverly is sinking into debt after investing all of his money into an inn that has no customers due to the lack of snow.  Bob and Phil wrack their brains to find a way to bring patrons into the inn. 


Photo courtesy http://cincinnati.com.

Meanwhile, Bob and Betty grow closer by the fire munching a midnight snack, singing "Count Your Blessings".  Nosy housekeeper Emma eavesdrops on a conversation between Bob and Ed Harrison, a variety show host, who suggests that they invite all of the soldiers formerly under General Waverly's command to the inn and film the evening, giving Bob and Phil free advertising for their act.  Emma fails to hear the rest of the conversation (Bob rejects the host's angle) and blabs to Judy who assumes Bob is just an opportunist. 

At a rehearsal party that night, Bob and Betty argue, prompting Phil and Judy to announce a phony engagement, hoping that the news will make Betty realize her baby sister is taken care of and now she is free to settle down.  The move backfires and Betty accepts a job offer in New York City.  Bob follows her there and sits in the audience listening to a black-velvet gowned Betty sing "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me".  Later, he reveals to her that Phil and Judy's engagement is phony. 


Photo courtesy http://4.bp.blogspot.com.

In the meantime, Bob asks Ed Harrison to announce on his show that night that all of the soldiers formerly under General Waverly's command should go to the Vermont Inn on Christmas Eve as a show of support to the general and his failing business.  Phil fakes an injured ankle to prevent General Waverly from watching "The Ed Harrison Show" that evening.  Meanwhile, Betty realizes the real reason that Bob is getting Ed Harrison in on the act and races back to Pine Tree just in time for the show. 

Back at the ski lodge, columns of soldiers fall into line as they sing a rousing rendition of "The Old Man" for General Waverly, bringing a tear to his eye.  After the song, he gives them an inspection for old times' sake, criticizing them in one breath and then saying what a beautiful sight they are in the next breath.  The movie closes with snow falling outside the inn.  The two couples, dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus, declare their love for each other as they sing:  "May your days be merry and bright.  And may all your Christmases be white."


Photo courtesy http://4.bp.blogspot.com.

A Kitten for Christmas

On Christmas Eve, Jacqueline opened a card from Rob and me which read: "MERRY CHRISTMAS! HERE IS YOUR CHOICE: 1. A GERBIL 2. A KITTEN. PICK ONE, OKAY?" LOVE: MOMMY & DADDY." For years, Jacqueline had been asking for a cat or a dog and we had always said "No". Finally, this year she talked her Daddy into getting a gerbil for Christmas, or so she thought. When she read the question on the card, she answered, "kitten", although she was in complete shock. Later, when we travelled home in the van, it started to sink in: every sentence Jacqueline spoke was peppered with the word "kitten".

This morning, Operation Kitten commenced.  Winter arrived with a vengeance as yesterday's rain and wet snow turned to ice, crunching under our feet. Thomas and Jacqueline tugged at the doors of the van which were iced shut. Climbing into the driver's door, we snapped on our seatbelts and headed down the street, steam emitting from our exhaust.  Driving down Highway 99, we pulled into the laneway of the farm where Jacqueline's friend Joanna lives.  Making our way up the steep laneway, we parked and climbed out of the van, the cold air hitting our faces and forcing us awake.

We saw a solid tabby, a black and grey streaked cat and a calico cat on the porch as we knocked on the front door. Joanna's sister answered and said she was sledding. After tracking her down, we headed to the barn where we met a light tabby with white paws gingerly walked around the straw. Then a little black kitten named Midnight appeared: "She's so cute!" I exclaimed. It was the black kitten that immediately tugged at our heartstrings. Was it a male? Yes. No, upon further inspection, Joanna said it was a female. It didn't matter to me as long as it was healthy. I scooped up Midnight and talked to her in a gentle tone. Already accustomed to children, I handed her over to Thomas whom she took to immediately. Jacqueline petted her and she responded with a purr.

We invited Joanna to come home with us to play with Jacqueline and the four of us hopped into the van. Slowly we drove down the laneway with a special delivery seated on Thomas' lap. Back at home, Jacqueline's kitten got accustomed to her new surroundings. She sniffed the furniture and rubbed up against our dining room chairs. Jacqueline found a small squeegy ball for her to play with. While Jacqueline and Joanna played, Midnight curled up in a ball on the love seat in the living room, purring. Meanwhile, I took a trip to the store to buy a litter box, kitty litter and cat food.

After supper, I was just thinking of how smoothly we had executed Operation Kitten when Jacqueline discovered her kitten's calling card on my bed. I scooped her up and put her right in the litter box to start her "toilet training". One load of laundry and bleach treatment later, my bed was ready to sleep on again. Rob went to the gym and returned home two hours later with some mice toys for Midnight. And then to everyone's surprise, she went number one and number two in her litter box. Hallelujah! I think she is the perfect fit for our household. Welcome to the family, Midnight!



Photo courtesy www.housecatworld.com.

To Do List From God

 



I ran my life in search of worldly things;
My time and will were firmly in control.
I thought I had no need for what God brings;
I gave no heed to murmurs from my soul.



“You’re planning, doing all the time,” it said,
“But something else is missing deep inside.
Your mind is whirling, but your heart is dead,
So turn to God and let go of your pride.”



I did, and God said, “Here’s My plan for you:
Give your life to Me, and just let go.
Have faith and pray, and read the Bible through,
And you’ll have blessings more than you can know.”



So simple, yet it brings me perfect peace,
Living life for God the way I should.
Direction, purpose, fullness and release—
Life with God is very, very good Joanna Fuchs   Photo courtesy www.jesuit.org.     

 

Wren's Day

Although Westerners know it as Boxing Day, in many countries December 26 is known as the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr ("Good King Wenceslas looked out/On the feast of Stephen...").  In Ireland, they even refer to it as Wren's Day, due to the legends associating the life of Jesus with the wren.  Groups of people called Wrenboys or Mummers would travel capture a live wren, tie it to a decorated pole, and then parade it from house to house, accompanied by a wren, singing, dancing and playing music.  At each stop, the mummers would ask for a donation to be used later for a dance in the town square.  Extra money was often donated to a charity.  The following is a popular rhyme the wrenboys would recite.

The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,

St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze,

Although he was little his honour was great,

Jump up me lads and give us a treat.

As I was going to Killenaule,

I met a wren upon the wall.

Up with me wattle and knocked him down,

And brought him in to Carrick Town.

Drooolin, Droolin, where's your nest?

Tis in the bush that I love best

In the tree, the holly tree,

Where all the boys do follow me.

Up with the kettle and down with the pan,

And give us a penny to bury the wren.

I followed the wren three miles or more,

Three miles or more three miles or more.

I followed the wren three miles or more,

At six o'clock in the morning.

I have a little box under me arm,

Under me arm under me arm.

I have a little box under me arm,

A penny or tuppence would do it no harm.

Mrs. Clancy's a very good woman,

a very good woman, a very good woman,

Mrs. Clancy's a very good woman,

She give us a penny to bury the wren.

Drawing courtesy http://2.bp.blogspot.com.

Memories of Christmas

Every Christmas, I think of my grandparents and the traditions we shared.  I think of a small bungalow on Lankin Boulevard in Toronto.  I think of a large green bowl with chips in it attached to a small green bowl with dip.  I think of a stacked plate of Christmas cookies, 13 kinds in total that Grandma had lovingly baked.  I think of a cozy rec room filled with family opening presents under a miniature tree.  I think of my Grandma ripping open her presents and my Granddad carefully opening his with a knife; Grandma was done in 2 minutes whereas Granddad took two hours.  I think of Grandma falling asleep in her Lazyboy chair while Granddad folded all of the wrapping paper.  I think of Granddad tinkling the ivories on the upright piano, his tenor voice accompanying the song.  I think of Grandma telling funny stories and of Granddad's hearty laugh echoing in the hallway.  Thanks, Grandma and Granddad for making my Christmases so magical.  Merry Christmas!!!



Photo courtesy www.ong8ba8.com.