Happy Day After Christmas

I haven't been online in several days except to check my email. I went to my Dad's for a few days and returned home today. I have a slightly updated picture of Christmas Elf Fairy from a couple of weeks ago (I'll post a picture soon), but have been working on my Fair and Square piece and can't post a picture of it (it would ruin the surprise).

This entry is going to be a long one, but hear goes. I was tagged on Dec 19th by Teresa, Sew Many Thoughts, to tell you 12 Christmas related things about myself. Sorry that I'm a little late Teresa, but here goes (let's see if I can come up with 12):

1) My favorite Christmas movie to watch is "Its A Wonderful Life".

2) For TV Christmas "cartoons", my favorite is "Santa Clause Is Coming to Town".

3) I play in the percussion section in a community band and we play at the Capital Building for my state for the lighting of the Christmas Tree every year. It's usually during the 1st week of December. The Governor and his wife (surrounded by children) turn on the lights on the tree on the capital grounds shortly before 6:30pm (being broadcast at end of 6pm evening news). I love playing this concert.

4) I don't have any children, but am "Aunt Christine" to my best friend's 3 children and have enjoyed buying something for them for Christmas for years (although her 2 boys are old enough now that they love getting cash).

5) When I was growing up, my parents would sometimes give a present in a sneaky way. By this I mean the present would not be wrapped and under the tree ... there might be a note to go look in the basement, or to go look in my Dad's work shop. One year when I was young (but old enough to remember), there was a something I wanted that was missing from under the tree on Christmas morning. My Dad said he heard a noise during the night and thought Santa had turned over the sleigh on the roof. We looked outside and found the present behind the azalea bush. I remember back and loved those little surprises.

6) I like to bake and usually will take baked goodies to work (cakes, cookies, whatever I have time to make).

7) A silly Christmas song I love hearing around Christmas time is the "12 Pains of Christmas". I like all kinds of Christmas music, but still laugh every time I hear the "12 Pains of Christmas".

8) The last couple of years, I get asked to help out with the "orchestra" for a Christmas contata at a church in a neighboring town. I will play various percussion parts. I always say yes when asked, as I like playing Christmas music and can't say no when asked to help out for church.

9) I love the pine smell of a live Christmas tree.

10) When my Grandparents and Great-grandparents were living, we used to have many huge family get togethers when I was growing up at Christmas time. On Christmas Eve, we had to go to both my Grandparents (my Dad's Mom's house and my Mom's parents house) where my Aunts and Uncles and cousins all gathered. Then sometime in the days after Christmas, a larger gathering of family would get together at 2 of my Great-Grandparents houses. These get togethers stopped after the Great-Grandparents and Grandparents passed. I miss those.

11) I always thought it would be cool to be part of a cookie exchange, but didn't know anyone that ever had one. My local cross stitch shop stays open late on Monday nights for stich night and last year (2006), I threw out the question about the Monday night stitchers having a cookie exchange. Everyone thought it sounded fun and most had also never been part of one. We had the cookie exchange on a Monday night about 2 weeks before Christmas and everyone loved it. We had our 2nd cookie exchange this year and hopefully we will continue to have them year after year.

12) My longest tradition for Christmas is that I always visit my parents for Christmas. I can't imagine a Christmas that doesn't include a trip to my home town.

Even though its after Christmas (again, sorry Teresa that I was late in responding), I'll tag 2 of my cross-stitching buddies: Ruth, The Musing Badger and Michele, Just Another Stitching Blog.

Happy Holidays to all.