Friday, December 10, 2010

A Christmas Solo (and 5QF)

Well, the Christmas season is in full swing now! Chloe's little pre-school class sang in the elementary program last night, and I think I was more excited than she was. She complained for two days about being "a bit nervous", but she was great. She was the only child waving at her mother as they lined up, and I even got a "Hi, MOM!"  They sang "Where is Santa" (like where is Thumbkin), and when they finished, Ms. Sue told them to sing louder on the next one.

I think Chloe thought she wanted them to re-do the song. As all the other children sang "S-A-N-T-A" (like Bingo), Chloe was singing "Where is Santa" at the top of her lungs, never noticing the other kids were on another song. As they sang, "...and Santa was his name-o!" finishing the song, Chloe picked up, thinking it was the start of the song. They all stopped singing, and she continued the entire song solo. When she finished the whole audience cheered for her. It was unforgettable. So for everyone who thinks she's my clone, there's proof she's her own person. I NEVER would have been so brave or such a ham!

Ok. Now for five questions. Are you ready? I love these holiday ones!

1. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
As long as my brother lived at home, he and I always opened our gifts to each other on Christmas Eve. When we were younger and my dad lived alone, we also always spent Christmas Eve with him. I really loved those Christmas Eves. It started the Christmas celebration for us, and passed the time a little better than sitting at home.

Now days you just never know. It depends how the twenty seven Christmases schedule out. We don't typically open our home presents on Christmas Eve, but I'm thinking about doing so from now on just so we aren't under the tree for four hours on Christmas morning. Plus with such a busy Christmas schedule, it would give little Missy more time to play with her new toys before we tote her off somewhere else.

2. What is your favorite Christmas cookie (or candy)?
I have to go with the traditional sugar cookie. One of my favorite things (still) is making that delicous sugar cookie dough from scratch, cutting out all the festive shapes, baking them (they smell sooooo good!), and decorating them. I also love eating them, but I'm sure you guessed that ;)

My mom used to make fudge and cherry-coconut chocolate candies that were really good. She also makes a red-hot (the candy) cranberry hot punch that is delish!

3. What's the worst Christmas gift you've ever received?
I usually got great gifts. My grandma wasn't one of those "ugly Christmas sweater" people. She always took me shopping a few weeks before (to Maurices, Stage, or Penney's in Sedalia..or all three). I would be allowed to try on everything I wanted, then she would send me out to the car and pick a "few" things (she usually got it all). She would box them up at her house, then I would wrap them (and all her other gifts).

There was one time I got an awful gift, but I attribute it to Andrea's law. We had a gift-exchange at my youth group one night. We all had to bring a gift, probably a fifteen dollar limit. I bought the new Jars of Clay cd, and that was a big deal, because I wanted that cd SO badly! We did one of those games where you open something and then people can steal it. By the end of the game someone had stolen my gift, so I had to open the last present. It was one of those country mix cds. Not a good one. One that had weird artists and old songs. Oh. And it was all scratched up. Yep. A re-gift. It came from a kid in our group who was "exceptional" (is that the PC term now?) so he obviously wasn't scolded, and I, with all the Christmas spirit I could muster, didn't say a word. That's why I don't participate in those type of things anymore, becaues it ALWAYS happens. Always.


4. Christmas song that you love?
SongG as in one? Sorry can't tell you just one! I will tell you my favorites from four distinct categories, though :) I love Christmas music. I just love it. But these here songs, (intentional hickism and stretch of a reference to Christmas Story.."now this here's a tree!") these are the ones I'm STILL not tired of after listening to KGBX for four weeks :)

I LOVE contemporary Baby Jesus/True Meaning songs. Examples?
New Again by Brad Paisley
Strange Way to Save the World by 4Him
While You Were Sleeping by Casting Crowns

In the traditional category?
O Holy Night
Silent Night

Country, you ask?
Let it Be Christmas (Alan Jackson)
Baby It's Cold Outside (Lady A)
The Angels Cried (Alan Jackson with Allison Krauss)----AMAZING.

And upbeat?All Alone on Christmas (Darlene Love)
Baby Please Come Home (Mariah Carey version) (Oddly mentioned in All Alone on Christmas)
All I Want for Christmas is You (Also Mariah Carey)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Barenaked Ladies)

Also Wintersong and River from Sarah McLachlan


5. How many trees do you put up?
Just one, unless you count the bitty baby one that may be located anywhere from Chloe's room to the bathroom at any given time ;)

4 comments:

  1. I LOVE Barenaked Ladies version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman (w/Sarah McLachlan)!

    Tell Chloe we're glad she did so well in her program, Cam's first one is next Thursday!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's really the ONLY version of that song I like :) I bet Cam will be great! It's sad when they grow up, but it's also fun :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is a wonderful, wonderful story about Chloe! You'll have to share it with her time and time again! Kids are so pure and innocent...and then they grow up. I hope someone was able to videotape her!

    My favorite Christmas song is "Mary, Did You Know?' by Kenny Rogers and Wynona Judd. I almost cry every time I hear it! Every since I heard Jill Eason and Kevin Schildknecht (sp?) sing it in church, I've LOVED LOVED it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jen, I forgot about that song! Also a great one. And I think you spelled his name right lol. The music teacher tapes everything and sells the DVD for 5.00 so we will have it captured for good memories (and embarrassing her in front of boyfriends he he).

    ReplyDelete