Essay for Advent Week One Skip Holiday Gift Exchanges and Donate

This is my annual Advent Week One (Hope) essay. Some might call my essays rants. So be it. If I sound more like Scrooge than Santa, it's because I'm sick of Christmas commercialism. Here's a non-traditional look at ways to spread hope by skipping the shopping rat race.

"Random gift exchanges are silly. I see no sense in trading gifts with extended family or people you're not close to. Many of us can't afford nor want to waste money on a meaningless token gift.

Some of us would prefer to donate gifts to those who actually need them. I long pushed for my extendeds to adopt a family or raise money for a gift to Heifer, International. That idea was nixed in favor of a gag gift exchange. Brilliant. Buy junk for each other that we don't need and will throw away, instead of doing some good. There's the holiday spirit." Read on Skip Holiday Gift Exchanges at School, Work
  

Advent Musings--Week Two, Hope

This is an Advent essay I wrote. Week 2 of Advent focuses on hope and here are my thoughts on that. "He slams into his second grade classroom, late as usual. He must have read Hitler's Mein Kampf, about the way to make a grand entrance. Arrive late;leave early. He does. He hides, sneaks off and causes adults to hunt for him whenever possible. Despite being only sub-pee-wee weight, about 50# and reaching only to my belly button, he packs a lot of p*ss and vinegar."  read more

Winter Holiday, Christmas Card Making Craft Contest

I'm a 25-year teacher and 24-year mom to four. In 1994, we started homeschooling and did that for 10 years. Most of our educational activities were done sans internet or computer. We did a lot of homemade, hands-on lessons. During Advent, we gave ourselves up to Christmas preparation. All lessons were based on the holidays. One of our favorite activities was the annual family Christmas letter accompanied by homemade cards. Since 'Green' and 'Saving Money' are bywords this Christmas, I thought you might appreciate a card-making craft includes a contest to create unique, green designs from recycled materials. What a nice medium on which to write your Christmas letters! Read on Writing, arts and crafts project

What was Christmas like for Mary, Our Blessed Mother?

What was Christmas like for Mary, Our Blessed Mother? I began this article in a more devotional vein, but found myself stuck on a part of Christmas that I had never given much thought to. What was Christmas like for Mary, mother or Jesus, our Blessed mother? I know that some Protestants are uncomfortable, even to the point of accusing blasphemy for calling Mary by her rightful titles: Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, Our Blessed Mother. I, like St. Paul, was one of the accusers, 'in fact one of the worst' at one time. Being pretty smart and smart-mouthed, I could out argue anyone. Being born and raised in a protestant environment, I knew nothing little about Notre Dame and what I had been taught was protestant anti-Catholic apologetics. Consequently, I was pretty vehement in her criticism. But the I went and married this Catholic guy, had kids, went to the grotto of Lourdes and accidentally fell in love with 'the lady of sorrows'....but that's another story. Back to the Mary of Christmas. Now even if I could make a case that Mary was not immaculately conceived (which I would not do), there are some glaring points in the Christmas story which prove unequivocally that Mary was and is Regina, Queen of Heaven. Read on...

Advent Hope Story

Advent Story He slams into his second grade classroom, late as usual. He must have read Hitler's Mein Kampf, about the way to make a grand entrance. Arrive late;leave early. He does. He hides, sneaks off and causes adults to hunt for him whenever possible. Despite weighing in at sub-pee-wee 50# and reaching only to my belly button, he packs a lot of p*ss and vinegar. Read more...

Advent Week One Essay: Expectation and the Human Condition

Advent Week One: Expectation and the Human Condition
I did a lot of creative writing when I was young. I wrote about life before I had much experience. I was naive and idealistic. Here are my advent musings. Now I've lived more. I'm still idealistic. I still have Advent hope and expectation.
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