The Night Before Christmas

My dearest friends

Thank you so much for your company this year here at the Village. I have been privileged to meet your aquaintance from about mid year and have been tremendously enriched by each of you. I have decided not to name anyone as it would fill up a whole block so to borrow a recent main article, I would have to say...."et al". In the spirit of Christmas let me share this story. 

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. 

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it, if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. 

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her. 

Wishing  you and yours a very Blessed Christmas and prosperous 2011.  Peace, joy, love to all.

Smiles :)  {{Hug} and a Kixx....

Pat  

(aka Spring Fragrance )

SPRING>>>DON"T DIE

oh wait, that was allegorical,right?

Now you've set me off RY...
 
Funny Christmas QuotesWhat do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus? Claustrophobic.
Anonymous

Christmas is a time when everybody wants his past forgotten and his present remembered. What I don't like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.
Phyllis Diller

The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in Washington, D.C. This wasn't for any religious reasons. They couldn't find three wise men and a virgin.
Jay Leno

Christmas is a race to see which gives out first - your money or your feet.
Anonymous

I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.
Bernard Manning

Anyone who believes that men are the equal of women has never seen a man trying to wrap a Christmas present.
Anonymous

Come to me. I want to plow you like a Calgary driveway at Christmas.
John Cleese, "Mony Python"

Patricia  {Spring  Fragrance},   I  was  honored  when  you  accepted  my  invitation  to  join  us  at  The  Eye.   All  of  our  lives  have  been  brightened  by  your  perky  wit,  encyclopedic  array  of  knowledge,  and  kind  heart.   Were  you  not  10,000   miles  away,  we'd  be  dancing  (even  though  for  me  it's  not  quite  7  AM).   Merry  Christmas,  best  wishes  to  that  wonderful  son  of  yours. 

I like "Goodbye Mr. Chips" (original version), even though it's not officially a Christmas movie. The story of a teacher with a heart of gold and true professional dedication takes the viewer through many Christmas seasons, generation after generation of boys made into men in no insignificant part by Chips' mentoring and example of personal integrity & thirst for knowledge.

Pat -- a wonderful story, thank you.
 
When I was a little girl, a very early memory is of me telling my mother that if anyone asks me if I believe in Santa Claus, I will say "yes".  Because, if you believe in Santa Claus, you get presents.  My mother must have thought that was funny and repeated and that year my uncle Davey (I later learned it was he) filled my mother's stockings with all kinds of goodies and put them on our bedposts to be found in the morning.  For years I hung a stocking hoping to have Santa visit again.
 
We double-dip with Channukah and Christmas.  Our children married out of their religion and so our grandchildren think they're the luckiest kids alive -- they celebrate everything.  As well, our anniversary is today, Christmas Eve, 49 years and holding.
 
Wishing you all a beautiful Christmas and all the best of the best in the new year.

Good morning everbody from snowy North Wales.
Thanks for your Christmas message, Spring, and best wishes to you and all you love.
I can't remember how long I've blthered on this page, but this is my Christmas Story:
Mum was in hospital & Dad had us kids making miles of paper chains out of coloured paper off- cuts to decorate the house for Christmas. Mum would be coming home Christmas Eve & we had to make everything just right. The car came up the drive as if Dad had dozens of eggs in the back and Mum emerged carrying something wrapped up in a white blanket. It was our new baby brother, David Michael. Having a brand new baby in our house made that Christmas very special.
A Merry Whatsit & a Happy thingamyjig to you all.
I'm off to trudge round the village handing out pots of Hyacinths that I have grown as gifts. They smell lovely. If I get a glass of sherry & a mince pie at every port of call, I will be very merry by the time I get home again.

I pulled up in my Boss Supersled at the Igloo Bar and Grill dressed in my J Peterman holiday threads & ordered an eggnog martini and one of those sausage ball appetizer plates. Nick, a real saint of a guy, was tickling the ivory and gave me a wink. I tossed a cookie in the tip jar when he banged out a little Gershwin and tiptoed out the side exit when a big green hairy guy came in the door looking for a dame named Who. Looked and smelled like trouble to me.     
 
"Peppermint Patty" - Never too early for a good story and a Monty Python quote!
 
Andy- I celebrate every holiday I can. People want to overthink and in doing so forget to have fun. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!!!!!!
 

PEACE.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas brings back some fond memories.  Clement Moore was a 1798 graduate of Columbia College, now the undergraduate liberal arts men's college of and precursor to Columbia University.  He was later on the faculty.  I graduated from there in 1966.  At that time it was a custom to have a reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas as part of the Yule Log Ceremony.  For that Ceremony, several male students dressed in colonial costume and brought in the log.  It was placed in one of the huge fireplaces and light.  After the Ceremony, the College put on a Christmas party with egg nog and other goodies.  The reader every year at that time was Moses Hadas, the renowned scholar of ancient Greek.  He was a WW II veteran, raised in an orthodox Jewish family in Atlanta, and fluent in six or eight languages, including German and French, along with Hebrew, Yiddish, Greek and Latin.  During the war he was a spy in Germany and very successful, though always in tremendous danger since he was obviously a spy, but also Jewish.  He was an immensely charming man, not terribly tall, with a wonderful white beard and a charming light southern accent.  His reading of the poem was the thing memories are made of.  He died in 1966 after I graduated.  Brilliant scholar and fine gentleman.
So, with fond memories, I bid all of you a Happy Christmas.  May Santa put sugar plums in your stockings.

"Tiny Tim" is a personal favorite hero. Notwithstanding the cruel hand that life dealt him, he was always optimistic, inspirational to others. Even Ebenezer Scrooge, who most thought was beyond redemption, finally came around, "adopting" Tim as the grandson he never had...

And before someone corrects me, Columbia College went coed in 1983, much to the chagrin of Barnard College, the women's college of Columbia University.  Fortunately, the shift did not impact on Barnard.  Even in my day, it was possible to take courses in either of the colleges, though I only took one at Barnard.

Good morning all! It must be beautifully white in your part of the world.
Its 1/2 hour to midnite here and its raining non stop as has been for the best one month.
 
A special greeting to Andy ...HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! 
 
Mr Peterman...tsk tsk...surely the best Christmas story poll must include one Nativity story?
The 2006 version The Nativity starring starring Keisha Caslte -Hughes and Shohreh Aghdashloo has been rated as the best Nativity story ever made......
 
The trailer .....
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G78OdmY32IM

I posted this last night, but, hey, I still like it today.  If you missed it, here it is:                  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyviyF-N23A          Otherwise, please pardon the repetition...  willie.

Tommy -- me too. 
 
Spring - Thank you!
 
A few years ago, our daughter's in-laws were moving to a new house.  It should be said that this grandma has been in training to be a grandmother her whole life and she has it nailed.  So when I was in Wegman's, I saw a large ornamental key.  It was for Santa to use for those who lived in apartments and didn't have a fireplace for him.  I bought the key and gave it to my granddaughter to give to her Nana, just in case her new house doesn't have a fireplace.  Casey, all solemn-eyed and serious, held the key in two hands and presented it to her other grandmother.  She said that Grandma saw Santa, and since they had moved, he wasn't sure that they had a fireplace.  And so he gave Grandma this key to give to Nana so she could get it to him ... "just in case".  Nana took the key with the reverence with which it was presented.  She said that "yes, they have a fireplace, but she would leave it out for Santa with the cookies and milk so that he may use it for other children who, perhaps, don't have one.  And she did.  This then, to me, is the magic and beauty of Christmas, it's always the children.
 
And tonight, we will go out for a nice dinner to celebrate, toast each other's health with Grey Goose (of course) and leave a big tip in the spirit of the season.

Just called in to get second batch of Hyacinth deliveries - only transport is my trusty wheelbarrow, an ancient thing that has a ball instead of a wheel & will trundle over new-dug soil, snow, whatever with ease.
Tommy Typical~ I was blown away by your "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." It's on my bedroom wall in the form of a cross-stitch antique sampler and as a bit of spray-on graffiti on a wall in my nearest town. It's been there for years - "they" remove all the obscene stuff pronto, but have left that one alone. Interestingly, the spray-can artists do not defile it.
Ho, ho, off with the wheelbarro - no reindeers to haul it ..... It's nice how delighted people are with a simple home-grown gift made with love.
 

RY-Thanks for "setting Spring Fragrance off"!!!
 
SF- You're a funny girl!... and so beautiful a British pilot invited you to sit the pilot's seat while landing at Heathrow???..what John Cleese said!
 
Merry Christmas to you all!

Happy Christmas Mr. Peterman. Merry Christmas everyone.

What a gift - the sharing of such fine stories by the PE Village! Thanks to all for sharing and the depth of feeling that shines forth in the personal experiences. You make a potpourri of wonderful humans here, diverse, geographically scattered, but modeling all the great spirit and intelligence that must be the best of what our species holds dear.
 
We are in Atlanta, anticipating a lovely evening with city-dwellers, son, daughter and granddaughter with roasted hen, dressing, sweet potatoes, deviled eggs, and desserts --pumpkin pie, apple pie, chocolate pie, and carrot cake, all homemade by granddaughter and moi.)
 
The weather is threatening ice, snow, rain, sleet to start about 3 am, so we will get back on the road to our mountain home an hour north of the city around 10 tonight so as not to get caught/stuck here on Christmas Day.  Night temps are predicted in the 20's for the next 5 evenings, so the wetness will freeze ( into black ice in many places.) It hurts to leave before seeing the child get up and be surprised and overjoyed, but our backroads and hills are impassable with even an inch of snow when the temps are below 30, and we need to get back to our hilltop before the roads close up. (GA will keep the interstates and main roads open, but our backroads, local counties do not have the road equipment to sand or clear the small roads, as we get snow so seldom.) The main danger is inside our development where there are steep hills, no guardrails, and a history of cars in ditches with snow. Last Wed. over 200 fenderbenders in our county alone, and a dozen residents of our development spent the night in their cars on the country road leading up to our residential gate. I guess I am just running on,  trying to justify my decision to go home on Christmas Eve and leave the kids to do Christmas morning without me, but I know our roads and weather. I cannot afford 4 days in this hotel, and my cat is alone at home.
 
Wishing you each and every one a joyful time with your families and friends, celebrating the season, the winter solstice, whether Christmas, Channukah, Kwanza, anniversaries, birthdays, or some other significant event.
 
(Historically, we know that Jesus was born in the spring, so the manger scene for Dec. 25 is really  misplaced. However, it is now tradition, so I am ok with it, as with other cultural memorabilia. Our present Christmas combines observances from many lands, and represents the melting pot that is Western culture -fine!  The joining of humans who care about each other in celebration and happiness is the good thing!) PE is also a good thing.
Deck the halls, light the log, trim the tree, don the gay apparel, and let it snow!

Spring~ Did Santa bring you everything you wanted? Do raindeer swim?Were there pontoons on the sleigh?

I went shopping a few days back, with my lovely stressed bride, for the first time in three years. I'm not so terribly adverse to shopping, I just have a really bad knee and ankle left over from an unsuccessful union between a ten speed bike (me) and a two ton Jeep that left a somewhat physical reminder that I can't walk for hours. I'm a former college football player (yes, I graduated) and I tell you that so you'll know I'm a big fellow, handsome yet humble (OK, I THREW THAT ONE IN MYSELF), much gray hair and beard. My story set up is to tell you what transpired at the mall this week.

I had decided to find a bench to sit on while my bride finished up her quest to find the right gift for our two year old grandson. I told her that a giant box would make him happy, and was met with what I call the "Merry Christmas lazer beam look of death", meaning, I might as well get comfortable it was going to be a while. I found that seat, sat and watched the massive throng of people conducting their commerce, most looking unhappy save for a few, kids looking like they were in a wintery toy/Christmas heaven dispite the parents protests for them to keep up. I sat and pondered new year's resolutions, one of which was to lose weight. I am looking jolly right now, and 50 pounds off would probably do me a world of good. My confirmation of that resolution was about to reveal itself.

I was sitting with my cell phone reading the EyE, when in my periferal I noticed a young boy, maybe seven, blonde, looking like a rounder from the twinkle in his eye, and this young man looked concerned. I didn't engage him, knowing all the awful stories one might endure if a giant dude was caught talking to a kid in a mall, etc. I did notice his mom, on a cell phone, and overheard her conversation with her husband concerning how it was crowded and the kids and his parents coming...and all the while the little kid is staring a hole through me, and edging closer and closer. Finally, he's right up against me, and I asked him if he might like to sit.

"No, I only have a minute, but I need to tell you something" he trailed off, shuffling his feet as he looked down at them.

"Shoot" was all I said.

"I know you're taking a few days off before Christmas, but last week, when we talked at Macy's, I told you I wanted Mario Brother's Cart 3 for X-Box. I was wrong, I wanted HALO 4, my brother told me he'd beat me up if I asked for HALO 4, but I'm ready to fight him over it, so, HALO 4 is what I really want and the other stuff, just leave the same "

I sat there for a split second and said "I like bravery in a kid, but I may have to exercise the Naughty/Nice clause on you for fighting with your sister..."

"BUT SHE ALWAYS STARTS IT!!!!" he interrupted.

"Look, I know that, but she always suckers you into getting in trouble. Be smart and avoid her when she's trying to throw you under the bus, OK?"

"OK" he said.

"What about scrapping with your brother?" I asked, knowing any kid with the twinkle was a middle kid, of which I'm, so at this point I wanted to help him out.

"He beat me in Dragons of Destiny and told me I have to wear the Ring of Gorgon for two weeks as part of my shame" he said with his head hung.

"Gorgon, Smorgon little dude, I don't see a ring on your finger and anyway, I know purdy much everything that goes on between you two. You've heard the song, right? " I asked.

He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake..."

Then he chimed in like he'd just remembered the secret code, "He knows if you've been bad or good" and he finished the song solo, with refrain "so...be good...for goodness sake"...like he just realised he had been caught.

"Here's how I see it kiddo. You've got, say, four more days till Christmas day, right?" I asked.

"Yes Sir" he said with a note of hope in his voice.

"I'll make a deal with you. I may not be able to fix the Mario Brothers foul up but I'll try, but you have to be super duper good to your Mom and Dad, and not fight with with your brother and sister, agreed?"

"AGREED!" he said, sticking his hand out to shake mine, which I did.

"Merry Christmas kiddo!" I said as he skipped back to his mother, her looking at me with the "I'm so sorry he's been a neusance look"

I gave her the thumbs up telling her it was OK. Kiddo grabbed her hand and looked over at me one more time waving as they walked away. I noticed him and his slightly bigger/older brother talking. I was sure he'd told him to take his Ring of Gorgon and shove it. Pointing back at me, him telling his brother under whose authority he answered to that Day. His brother looked back at me as he walked away, me giving him the two fingers pointing at my eyes then pointing at his, the military sign for "I'm looking at you".

The brother's eyes got bigger than saucers.

I'm starting my diet a little earlier than New Years....

Ummgawa***You may well not be St. Nick, but you are definitely a saint to have such composure and wit under the circumstances.  Those are the moment that make many say with soft assurance, "Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus."  Oh....you deserve an extra cookie or two and some eggnog--diets can wait another week or so.

For those that say "Bah,Humbug", here is a little something stolen for you:

A guy was getting ready to tee off on the first hole when

a second golfer approached and asked if he could join him.

The first said that he usually played alone, but agreed to 

the twosome.

They were even after the first few holes.  The second guy said,

"We're about evenly matched, how about playing for five bucks

a hole?"

The first guy said that he wasn't much for betting, but

agreed to the terms.

The second guy won the remaining sixteen holes with ease.

As they were walking off number eighteen, the second guy was

busy counting his $80.00.   He confessed that he was the pro

at a neighboring course and liked to pick on suckers.   

The first fellow revealed that he was the Parish Priest.

The pro was flustered and apologetic, offering to return the

money.  The Priest said, "You won fair and square and I was

foolish to  bet with you.You keep your winnings."   

The pro said, "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

The Priest said, "Well, you could come to Mass on Sunday and

make a donation. And, if you want to bring your mother and

father along, I'll marry them."

Happy Saturnalia.......and other good seasonal wishes to all. 

happy holiday's all................do we know if santa's in the air yet and his route?

Merry Christmas to everyone. Lots of snow here,but to look on the bright side with so much snow my lawn looks as good as any of my neighbors lawns. Stay positive.

Ummgawa and RY -- great stories. 
 
My husband is a little chubbier than when we married all those years ago and has that beautiful white hair and beard -- while I visit Miss Clairol -- but back to the story -- little kids seem to gravitate to him as well. 

Merry Christmas from slightly off the coast of North Carolina. My Christmas wish would be that we could all meet somewhere, in person, and speak to each other face to face (or face to whatever). Merry Christmas, or whatever floats your boat!

Merry Christmas to every single one of you here, you wonderful, crazy, smart, funny people who I've had the pleasure of knowing now...(thinking...) oh my, a little over a year and a half.  Some of you have changed my life, and I thank you. Some of you are changing my life, and I thank you in advance.  The pleasure has been mine, all mine.  In return, I have little to give but my friendship for always...Merry Christmas dear Eye Villagers,  From snowy Wisconsin to all points north and south and east and west, with love, Paula

Official NORAD Santa Tracker www.noradsanta.co

A visited from Saint Nicolas gives us a fine example of how
word use and definition can be misinterpreted. 
At the time that it was written a common use of the word fly was to
indicate speed.  In the poem “away they
all flew” meant that they moved very fast not that the reindeer flew threw the
air.   A fast runner was a flyer.  Later in the century  an express train was a flyer.  To prove the point the reindeer leaped “from
the top of the porch to the top of the wall” 
clearly indicating that they traveled on the ground.

So a 20th century misinterpretation has produced
the image that we have today

Goes to show how we can argue over the meaning in the
Constitution

thank you hazel leese for posting that link!!!

 Reindeer eat poison mushrooms, I have read, to get high. And the Shamen,it is also said, found that those mushrooms lose their toxicity passing thru the digestion of said deer, and a potion of "yellow snow" was ingested by the Shamen, which made people appear small (elf) and the reindeer looked as if they flew(running,small)and the Shamen dressed in the colors of those mushrooms,to celebrate, and guess what? The mushrooms are the colors of Santa; red and white...Now I know this is a theory,and I can not substantiate it, but I will guess somewhere, there may be some truth involved, and I will also posit that some research exists. So, "Yes Virginia, there is a Santa" (but he may be a norse shamen, high on yellow snow)

Owing to a shortage of time I will, if I may, sign on to the very excellently expressed sentiments of The Honorable United States Ambassador to Iceland, Park4.
The last of our lodgers are due in soon and, oddly. some of the nicest moments are when all the dogs and loved ones are upstairs asnooze and a different warmer quiet overtakes the old joint and the old man.
I think we are ready: "Having been some days in preparation, a splendid time is guaranteed for all."

Real peace, comfort and freedom from worry to you all.
S

I shop from 10-2 on Christmas eve as usual and complete all my shopping post haste and then a late lunch and the new Johnny Depp movie before a long winter nap followed by the annual visit from the subject du jour. If I can't believe in something fun and good, then shoot me. Our myths sustain us and our Truth is greater than our facts. And Frosty can keep his corncob pipe forever!

click this link right here > < for a list of all my sizes and favorite colors and flavors. Thank you all in advance, I know you will be generous. (Duplicate gifts will be donated,rather than exchanged) Merry Christmas

STONEY............I too am piggybacking on your piggyback for our lovely Icelandic Ambassadress................Miss PARK of the famous wink, dont'cha know???????? You're right about the quietr and the calm.........it's lovely................
 
TROLL..........Congratulations! You seem to have completely lost your painfully studied misspellings and garbled syntax............way to go dude or dudet!
 
May you all be safe, warm, and cozy tonight and tomorrow. You are the best!
 
p.s. I am turning on the outside light for HAZEL............I hear she's rolling around w/ a wheelbarrow delivering hyacinths...............I've got a hot toddy for you you baby when you get here!
 
RY...........I just sent you five of everything in various sizes and colours...............mantles were flying out of the barn. so I've got money to burn..........................
 
 

Ummgawa.... that is a hilarious story..I could see it playing in my head....Awesome!
BTW, I agree about the box. My boys were like that too. The boxes, expecially if a h-u-g-e one provided hours and hours of fun; the contents were usually boring after initial excitement.
 
RY - I wasnt expecting that ending...hahahhaha!!!! That unspoken punch line was BRILLIANT!

Bebe....I thought there are 7 days.......RY might not be decent for 2 days ...
 
Hazel...I hope you've survived that "bite of tea" at the neighbourhood's do.
 
I'm flying back to Tassie tomorrow (Boxing Day) as my parents fly back to Singapore. More rain all over the nation. Keep safe everyone as you travel to-and-fro

Hi, bebe! I am rolled in - the last house I called at offered me a "bite of tea" which turned out to be a full-blown feast of venison pie with mountains of vegetables AND dessert - a mousse/sorbet made from gooseberries from their garden - yum yum- they nearly had to take me home in the wheelbarrow, I'm so full. Thanks for the hot toddy, and for turning the outside light on.
RY~ The red ones with white spots are toadstools, not mushrooms. All the other stuff you say is correct. I also heard that persons who ingest said reindeer pee can get a second trip from drinking their own urine as the kidneys do not filter out the hallucinogenic properties of that substance very efficiently. 
Troll~ It's Christmas! Of course Santa's reindeer can fly - and all the ones who have been eating funny red mushrooms think they can.
It's turned midnight here, so I suppose it's Christmas.

Shrooms....mmmm....I hear Donovan singing Mellow Yellow. Kismet had me don my paisley retro short. The Tourist is of the Cary Grant caliber romantic mystery. True Grit is next. Jeff Bridges keeps raising his own bar. Loved the old man, Lloyd. Seahunt was a cool show. Yep-reindeer fly. I found reindeer poop on top of my car. Gonna play my Beatles albums backward now.

 Double distilled urine... funny that hasn't caught on.

Some of the cheap white wines I have bought tasted like that!

You know what they say about mushrooms.....don't partake unless the morel has been identified with great certainty by a mycologist, and then let him/her eat it first, and then wait at least three days to be sure the expert is still alive. Only then is it safe.

KSS..............when I was young my father was an amateur mycologist & we would go mushroom hunting.................he loved puffballs especially & when we had found our bounty we would go home & my mother would sautee them up in butter............great memory................