Thursday, December 4, 2008

Celebrating the Season Blog Carnival


My sweet friend Molly at counterculturalmom asked if I wanted to participate in her Celebrating the Season Blog Carnival. I said this was just what I needed to get posting again. So I did two posts tonight.

We are suppose to post our favorite songs, books or things we are doing special this Advent season.

Music always plays a huge part in our Christmas celebration. Christmas music can be heard in our home actually anytime of the year as it is one of my favorite things to listen to if I am stressed. Christmas and not being stressed, an oxymoron in today's society you are thinking. Maybe, if you don't look beyond the lights, gifts, shopping, food, running, traffic, fighting for the parking space, toy catalogs marked up with things that the kids want. To me the music is what helps take me beyond that. To the calm and peace and wonder and joy of the season.

I love any type of Christmas music. Those who know that I love music are probably not surprised. We have everything from Amy Grant's Christmas CDs to Garth Brookes and Michael W. Smith. We have Mannheim Steamroller and Disney's Christmas collection. I grew up with Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Gene Autry, and that era. I haven't gotten any of those yet for our house, but I have the sheet music and try to learn a new one each year, or as the case may be this year, remember how to play the ones I can.

I learned my favorites and my Dad's favorites first to play for him. Silent Night, Joy to the World, The First Noel(this one needs work), The Twelve Days of Christmas was learned for my kiddos to dance to and count to, Away in a Manger-I used to sing this to them for a lullaby every night, Mary's Boy Child. I also learned Ruldoph and Frosty, and Silver and Gold. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is a real favorite as I hear it playing like the eight track while I play the piano. The music is calming for me. It helps me focus on the fun and joy of celebrating with family the birth of my Savior. I haven't found the sheet music for Little Alter Boy, one of my Mom's favorites and mine too.

The most special thing with music this year is both kids are learning to play Christmas Songs. A1 on the piano and A2 on the guitar. It is fun to listen to them play and now I understand why my Dad missed it when I moved out and my piano came with me.

We aren't reading any particular book this year for Advent. I have been reading to them the verses and history lessons at my other sweet friend Chris's Blog aka. Coach Mom has on her Advent Calendar. Maybe we will even get to one of the activities this year or I will plan for next year. Please go look it is awesome. My Sunday School class is reading The Blessing Book by Linda Dillow. It has been a wonderful reminder to remember what all He has done for us. Before opening gifts we read the Christmas Story at our home and at my parents home we did this until they found a story type book when the grandkids were littler and attention spans were shorter. When they started to read they would take turns reading pages. This has continued. The story is The Christmas Path-The Legend of the Luminaries by Sue Wright.

I also have a special surprise to post later, because I can't find it right this minute. A gift that came to me on the way to the store and had me scrambling to find something to write it on.

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