The Birth of Our Savior
Luke 2:1-14
Monday, December 25, 2006
December 25
Sunday, December 24, 2006
December 24
Today is the fourth Sunday in Advent. It is also the last day of Advent. I hope you have used this time to prepare your hearts to meet the King of Kings, who came into this world as a little Baby to die for you, so that you could live with Him in Heaven forever. This time of year is a very fun time, as well as a serious time. I hope you are having a special time with family and friends. I also wish for you a time of relaxation and reflection amidst all the busyness of this hectic time of year. Please take time out to spend by yourself if you can, and just relax.
Valerie and I wish you a very Merry Christmas. Don't stay up too late wrapping presents. Now go eat some chocolate!
How Silent Night Came Into Being
Children Say What Christmas Is To Them game: Christmas Online Coloring Pages Gospel reading: Luke 1:39-55
Saturday, December 23, 2006
December 23
The "Christmas Truce" of 1914
In 1914, on Christmas Eve, the German and British troops on the Western front of WWI ceased fighting for a day. It was an unofficial, unplanned cease-fire. It began by the Germans decorating trees with candles, and then singing Christmas carols (Stille Nacht). The British troops in the trenches across from them responded by singing English Christmas carols.
The two sides began to shout Christmas greetings to each other. Soon they were calling each other to cross enemy lines and visit. And that is just what they did. Small gifts were then exchanged. A game of football (soccer?) was played. Recently fallen soldiers were brought back and given proper burials. The artillery in that region fell silent that night.
The "truce" spread to other areas of the lines that day. Soldiers spent Christmas together, talking and playing soccer.
In many places the truce lasted through Christmas night, but in some areas it continued until New Year's Day or longer.
Letter Documenting WWI Christmas Truce Found
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Okay, so It's A Wonderful Life is not theologically correct in some ways. Angels don't earn their wings. But it is a cool movie in some other ways. Check out this link to read about the movie.
Check out this link also. But keep in mind the beginning of this little movie is not theologically correct. God is represented in two persons. As bunnies. Ok, so that's pretty bad, but we all know God is One God in Three Persons. And not a bunny. Watch the cartoon anyway and ignore the "God is a bunny talking to Clarence part" in the first second of the film.
It's A Wonderful Life (in 30 seconds, re-enacted by bunnies)
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No, I don't believe you should actually do what this next article says. I am kind of horrified that somebody would regift like this. What if the original giver is at the party? But I am including this article because it is so bizarre and funny!
How to Throw a Re-Gifting Christmas Party
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game: Sled Game
Gospel reading: Luke 1:57-66
Friday, December 22, 2006
December 22
Today is Miscellaneous Mish-Mash Day! I'm not feeling too cohesive, so you are going to get a few unrelated links and ideas! I hope you enjoy today's entry.
Cat Treats to make your cat for Christmas
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1/4 cup soy flour
1/3 cup dry milk
1 teaspoon catnip
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons Butter
1 Egg
1 tablespoon Unsulfered molasses
Mix dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients. Roll on a greased cookie sheet. Cut into bite sized pieces. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. Let cool. Store in air tight container.
Dog Biscuits
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour1/2 cups dry milk
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 egg, beaten
broth (enough to make a stiff dough). Combine flour, dry milk and garlic powder in a medium sized bowl. Add egg. Mix well, adding enough broth to make dough stiff. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness on floured surface. Cut into shapes and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.
How to Make Your Christmas Tree Pet-Safe
How to Prevent Pets from Chewing on Electrical Cords
Christmas Cranberry Punch
4 cups of Cranberry Juice Cocktail
2 cups of Orange Juice
1 - twelve ounce can of Sprite or 7 UP
box of Sherbet or Sorbet
Combine the Cranberry and Orange Juice in a punch bowl. Pour the soda down the sides of the bowl. Add box of sherbet or sorbet if desired.
Yields 16.
We have made this punch every year in my family since I was a child, and drank it on New Year's Eve. I think this recipe would be good for either Christmas or New Year's Eve.
We used to also replace the orange juice with grape juice in my family. I think either orange or grape would be delicious. I think I am going to try the punch with orange juice this year.
Krissy :)
The White House Decorated for Christmas!
Center and Cross Halls (wow!)
game: Snowman Salvage
Gospel reading: Luke 1:46-56
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Dec 21
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Recipes for Adults:
Favorite Brand Name Cookie Recipes
Children's Cookie Recipes:
Rocky Road Fudge (microwave recipe)
Kids In The Kitchen, Easy Christmas Recipes
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Christian Christmas email cards:
Vintage and Victorian ecards:
Christmas Greeting Cards Selection
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Mistakes in Christmas Specials:
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
The Year Without A Santa Claus (1974)
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game: ICE BREAKOUT
Gospel reading: Luke 1:39-45
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
December 20
Christmas in England
I thought many of you might want to know what Christmas is like in England, as we have many journal friends who live there. Click on the links below to learn a little bit about Christmas in England.
Christmas Crackers (these crackers are not Saltines like I thought they would be, LOL!)
Wassailing (now I finally know what this is!)
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Christmas in a few other places
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How to say Merry Christmas in Many Languages:
Merry Christmas In Many Languages
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Another present to make:
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game: Toboggan Sled Jump Christmas Game
Gospel reading: Luke 1:26-38
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
December 19
Okay, so I am feeling a little bizarre today and I want to have some fun!
Politically Correct Santa
'Twas the night before Christmas and Santa's a wreck...
How to live in a world that's politically correct?
His workers no longer would answer to "Elves",
"Vertically Challenged" they were calling themselves.
And labor conditions at the north pole
Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul.
Four reindeer had vanished, without much propriety,
Released to the wilds by the Humane Society.
And equal employment had made it quite clear
That Santa had better not use just reindeer.
So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid,
Were replaced with 4 pigs, and you know that looked stupid!?
The runners had been removed from his sleigh;
The ruts were termed dangerous by the E.P.A.
And people had started to call for the cops
When they heard sled noises on their roof-tops.
Second-hand smoke from his pipe had his workers quite frightened.
His fur trimmed red suit was called "Unenlightened."
And to show you the strangeness of life's ebbs and flows:
Rudolf was suing over unauthorized use of his nose
And had gone on Geraldo, in front of the nation,
Demanding millions in over-due compensation.
So, half of the reindeer were gone; and his wife,
Who suddenly said she'd enough of this life,
Joined a self-help group, packed, and left in a whiz,
Demanding from now on her title was Ms.
And as for the gifts, why, he'd ne'er had a notion
That making a choice could cause so much commotion.
Nothing of leather, nothing of fur,
Which meant nothing for him. And nothing for her.
Nothing that might be construed to pollute.
Nothing to aim. Nothing to shoot.
Nothing that clamored or made lots of noise.
Nothing for just girls. Or just for the boys.
Nothing that claimed to be gender specific.
Nothing that's warlike or non-pacific.
No candy or sweets...they were bad for the tooth.
Nothing that seemed to embellish a truth.
And fairy tales, while not yet forbidden,
Were like Ken and Barbie, better off hidden.
For they raised the hackles of those psychological
Who claimed the only good gift was one ecological.
No baseball, no football...someone could get hurt;
Besides, playing sports exposed kids to dirt.
Dolls were said to be sexist, and should be passe;
And Nintendo would rot your entire brain away.
So Santa just stood there, disheveled, perplexed;
He just could not figure out what to do next.
He tried to be merry, tried to be gay,
But you've got to be careful with that word today.
His sack was quite empty, limp to the ground;
Nothing fully acceptable was to be found.
Something special was needed, a gift that he might
Give to all without angering the left or the right.
A gift that would satisfy, with no indecision,
Each group of people, every religion;
Every ethnicity, every hue,
Everyone, everywhere...even you.
So here is that gift, it's price beyond worth...
"May you and your loved ones enjoy peace on earth."
This document is copyright (c) Harvey Ehrlich 1992.
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Rudolph and Friends Tie & other Christmas Ties -(Click on ties to enlarge. If you would like to look at or shop for additional ties just google "Christmas ties". There are some great Christmas ties out there!)
Christmas Bow Ties (click on bow ties to enlarge)
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game: ICE Slide
Gospel reading: Luke 1:5-25
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