Category: holidays

Candlelight Evening

When is a trip to Cooperstown not an uplifting, fun experience? I’m not sure how long ago it began, but Dave and I have made it a point to attend the Candlelight Evening at the Cooperstown Farmers Museum (bet you thought I was going to say “farmers’ market”, right?) as long as I can remember – that must make it an official tradition! I used to attend with my family, but I think it’s pretty poignant and heart-warming that I’ve ended up with a man who looks forward to it as much as I do.

This year, Dave’s brother, Dan, and his wife, Tara (and let’s just take a quick moment to tell you how talented Dan is , from his design abilities to his musical talents – between Dave and Dan, there’s lots of creativity in that there blood…not that Tara’s not uber talented – she is, in my humble opinion!). They had never been to Candlelight Evening, so it’s always fun to bring a different group of people every year, especially when they don’t know what to expect.

Picture from The Farmers' Museum's FB page
Picture from The Farmers’ Museum’s FB page

So, for those of you who’ve never been, let me paint the picture. Firstly, I have probably already contacted you (or forced my husband to contact you) to warn you to bundle up. By “bundle up”, I mean, “Get ugly warm.” Wear embarrassingly unattractive, too warm for the car clothing. A hat that will actually keep your head warm (rarely are these ever cute). Wool socks. Boots (again…not the cute kind). The coat you use to shovel snow, or as I wore, the past-your-knees wool coat (gotta cover up that tush and as much of the legs as possible). Anything else that you can fathom in the realm of ugliness, throw it on.

Why all the ugliness? No, there’s not an ugly sweater contest. A strange puzzlement occurs annually in which, regardless of the weather prior to or following the Candlelight Evening, it just so happens that THAT evening…is…freezing. There may be hardly any snow (as with this year – at least there was a dusting; we still have nothing locally), but be assured that there will be frozen tundra status. As sure as taxes and death.

After parking (we always seem to find a spot in front of the Fenimore Art Museum, across the street), we schlep in our ugliness to the main building to drop more cash than we’d prefer – in all honesty, most of the events at the Farmers Museum are pretty steep, but this is worth it to us.

The choices, at this point, are plentiful. Grab some warm, homemade food (also at a price) in the main building, listen to some incredible carolers (which are stationed at intervals throughout the property, along with the occasional brass band…how their instruments don’t freeze to their lips, I have no clue), or meet the Fabulous Beekman Boys, who are signing their latest book (which I missed out on this year due to a limited schedule, *sigh*).

The main building also displays random exhibitions of how-is-that-related-to-farming products. A Jell-O display? Okay. Shredded wheat? Sure, I guess farms help produce that. It’s all retro and neat and quirky, so ya can’t really complain. When you’re done walking through this structure, you’re let loose upon the reconstructed historical village that never was. Buildings have been taken from various areas (but all dating from the early- to mid-1800s) to create a possible cross-section of American life in, say, 1840. Some buildings aren’t open to the public, but the important ones – like the general store, school, tavern, church farm (along with a couple of barns), apothecary, and several other skill-drive foundries – are available to peruse and learn from living history reenactors dressed in the timely fashion.

The first place that we visited was probably one of my favorites – the school. This year, they had St. Nicholas (the real one…I swear to you) giving a lecture on, well, St. Nicholas and how he came to be known as Santa Claus, as well as what a Christmas celebration to an average American family would have looked like in the 1840s. We didn’t expect him to speak at such length, so we ended up leaving before the end, but I always find it magical to listen to this actor. He looks like THE Santa Claus, only dressed in slightly more old-fashioned clothes (far less fancy than a modern day Santa), and simply makes me giddy.

We also enjoyed checking out the printing shop, wonderful singers in the church, the apothecary that showed us how ginger tablets (for an upset stomach) were made, and the blacksmith. There was plenty more to see, and we did, but those were definitely the highlights.

While we didn’t partake, there were also sleigh rides, which are always exciting…but those lines were crazy bananas. Oh, and, of course, one thing we all DID partake in was the wassail. At strategic points throughout the “town”, cauldrons of hot spiced cider were brewing over fires – the fire along with the sustenance helped to keep us toasty warm. Well, warmer than we would’ve been otherwise.

Before leaving, we stopped back at the main entrance to get some food (gingerbread!!!!!) and enjoy a barbershop quartet singing Christmas carols.

Watching the massive full moon set all the farmers’ fields aglow on our drive home with the soundtrack of a classical Christmas radio station in the background definitely helped to set the mood for the rest of the holiday season. I’m ready for some magic; how about you?

The Coal Collective

Candlelight Evening - image on https://megactsout.com

Not to intentionally be a downer (because, at this time of year, of ALL times of year, who wants that?!) but I just thought I’d share a few things that are on my “you seriously deserve a lump of coal…how do I ensure that this happens?” list. Feel free to add any of your own gripes to the comment section. Sometimes you just have to vent a lil’ bit; we’ll call it purging the negative to make room for the positive.

– Wet bus trips, you deserve some major coal. I accompanied a group of high schoolers to NYC on a class trip this week after checking the weather report, which said the rain should stop by 2pm. Major lack of “prepare for anything” on my part. Ended up soaking wet and cold (it rained the entire time), and most involved were miserable by the end of it. Christmastime in NYC is magical, but this year, I’m just glad that this trip’s over.

– Rude salespeople. Granted, rude shoppers are way worse than rude salespeople, but let me divert the conversation and clarify for a moment. During our soggy shlep through the streets of NYC, we stopped to see the infamous Rockefeller Christmas tree. While there, we have a tradition of stopping at a tres expensive, tres delicious chocolatier (which shall remain nameless). Upon entering, I was fully planning on getting some orange cream chocolates for the love of my life. After browsing for about 10 seconds (yes, dripping wet and enjoying the first roof I’d had in two hours), a worker whom I remember purchasing items from in previous years shouted out to the crowded shoppe that this was a place to purchase, not “hang out” and to leave if we were only there to warm up. Wicked snooty. I loudly voiced that I had been planning on making a purchase, but didn’t feel in a jolly mood to do so any longer. Sometimes ya just gotta speak up…most of the time I don’t.

– Unexpected illnesses. These can hit anyone – you, your loved ones, your friends, your colleagues – but when they throw a scary bump in the road, they can be terrifying and always unwelcome. On the bright side, they definitely make you count your blessings.

– The cat that insists on dumping a very large, very full bowl of water all over the kitchen floor. Subsequently, due to the consistency of said cat, parts of our awesome B and W floor have yellowed. ‘Nuff said. (WINSTON!!!!!)

– Faceless Facebook rudies. While I DO do my best to stay away from this toxic place, I have found myself stumbling upon some of the offensive, bigoted, close-minded comments on FB lately. I suppose it’s my own fault. Coal to me – time to back away from the FB madness again!

– Similarly rude local yocals. I’m all for the general working class that helps our local society run – heck, I consider myself one of them (along with, oh, say, all of my relatives who have ever lived and worked in the Mohawk Valley). But, the ignorance that they spout when some major issues arise (such as a possible huge merger of 4 school districts), without educating themselves of all the facts, or the same ignorantly rude phone calls that my husband hears day in and day out…the general lack of class and human compassion is enough to shoot smoke from my ears, pack up the family, and head out. Unfortunately, there is no utopian area where everyone is at least open-minded (we don’t want a homogenous place with absolutely no diversity or free thought; quite the opposite). We have often spoken about boarding a way-back machine, if the opportunity were ever to arise. *sigh* Let’s just say that these are the people who are first to make complaints about our area (never do they offer a solution or to help), only to drive folks like us away who’d LIKE to help the area move in a good direction.

So, yeah. Those mainly uncontrollable pet peeves that can ruin an otherwise happy existence. Speaking of which, I suppose I should leave you with some “yay! I’m happy because…” moments…’cuz it is the “most wonderful time of the year”, after all, and I can’t be half empty without being half full.

– Our health. Sure, we creak and have strange aches and issues that we’re trying to attack with eating right and all that fun stuff…but, for the most part, we’re healthy. No terminal illnesses here. Whew…we’re luckier than many. Far too many.

– We have a house. It’s crooked. There are a plethora of other issues with it. But, it’s ours, our payments are incredibly reasonable, and it’s a great place to “start out”. I’m reminded from time to time of how lucky I am to HAVE this house, mostly by dear friends who only wish they could afford such a luxury.

– The love in our lives. We have support – as a loving married couple, from our dear friends and family, from a few strange cats (who show their love in very weird ways). It’s all good.

– The miracles of life that happen everyday. I received a new niece this year, and any time you look at a baby, you know that it’s an amazing gift. This little animatronic creature, with little to zero knowledge in its head, none of the aforementioned rudeness or will to be naughty, EXISTS. Neat!

– Jobs. We’re working. We’re paying our bills. Our minds wander to other places to keep us sane, but for now, we’re able to live life, put food on the table, and make a Christmas for ourselves…and isn’t that enough?

There are probably a million more, but don’t forget – if you’d like to vent, feel free to comment below. 🙂 Here’s to karma and Santa putting some coal in the stockings of the annoyances of life…and here’s to a little cheer to those who try to make life something wonderful and good!

The Coal Collective

Candlelight Evening - image on https://megactsout.comNot to intentionally be a downer (because, at this time of year, of ALL times of year, who wants that?!) but I just thought I’d share a few things that are on my “you seriously deserve a lump of coal…how do I ensure that this happens?” list. Feel free to add any of your own gripes to the comment section. Sometimes you just have to vent a lil’ bit; we’ll call it purging the negative to make room for the positive.

– Wet bus trips, you deserve some major coal. I accompanied a group of high schoolers to NYC on a class trip this week after checking the weather report, which said the rain should stop by 2pm. Major lack of “prepare for anything” on my part. Ended up soaking wet and cold (it rained the entire time), and most involved were miserable by the end of it. Christmastime in NYC is magical, but this year, I’m just glad that this trip’s over.

– Rude salespeople. Granted, rude shoppers are way worse than rude salespeople, but let me divert the conversation and clarify for a moment. During our soggy shlep through the streets of NYC, we stopped to see the infamous Rockefeller Christmas tree. While there, we have a tradition of stopping at a tres expensive, tres delicious chocolatier (which shall remain nameless). Upon entering, I was fully planning on getting some orange cream chocolates for the love of my life. After browsing for about 10 seconds (yes, dripping wet and enjoying the first roof I’d had in two hours), a worker whom I remember purchasing items from in previous years shouted out to the crowded shoppe that this was a place to purchase, not “hang out” and to leave if we were only there to warm up. Wicked snooty. I loudly voiced that I had been planning on making a purchase, but didn’t feel in a jolly mood to do so any longer. Sometimes ya just gotta speak up…most of the time I don’t.

– Unexpected illnesses. These can hit anyone – you, your loved ones, your friends, your colleagues – but when they throw a scary bump in the road, they can be terrifying and always unwelcome. On the bright side, they definitely make you count your blessings.

– The cat that insists on dumping a very large, very full bowl of water all over the kitchen floor. Subsequently, due to the consistency of said cat, parts of our awesome B and W floor have yellowed. ‘Nuff said. (WINSTON!!!!!)

– Faceless Facebook rudies. While I DO do my best to stay away from this toxic place, I have found myself stumbling upon some of the offensive, bigoted, close-minded comments on FB lately. I suppose it’s my own fault. Coal to me – time to back away from the FB madness again!

– Similarly rude local yocals. I’m all for the general working class that helps our local society run – heck, I consider myself one of them (along with, oh, say, all of my relatives who have ever lived and worked in the Mohawk Valley). But, the ignorance that they spout when some major issues arise (such as a possible huge merger of 4 school districts), without educating themselves of all the facts, or the same ignorantly rude phone calls that my husband hears day in and day out…the general lack of class and human compassion is enough to shoot smoke from my ears, pack up the family, and head out. Unfortunately, there is no utopian area where everyone is at least open-minded (we don’t want a homogenous place with absolutely no diversity or free thought; quite the opposite). We have often spoken about boarding a way-back machine, if the opportunity were ever to arise. *sigh* Let’s just say that these are the people who are first to make complaints about our area (never do they offer a solution or to help), only to drive folks like us away who’d LIKE to help the area move in a good direction.

So, yeah. Those mainly uncontrollable pet peeves that can ruin an otherwise happy existence. Speaking of which, I suppose I should leave you with some “yay! I’m happy because…” moments…’cuz it is the “most wonderful time of the year”, after all, and I can’t be half empty without being half full.

– Our health. Sure, we creak and have strange aches and issues that we’re trying to attack with eating right and all that fun stuff…but, for the most part, we’re healthy. No terminal illnesses here. Whew…we’re luckier than many. Far too many.

– We have a house. It’s crooked. There are a plethora of other issues with it. But, it’s ours, our payments are incredibly reasonable, and it’s a great place to “start out”. I’m reminded from time to time of how lucky I am to HAVE this house, mostly by dear friends who only wish they could afford such a luxury.

– The love in our lives. We have support – as a loving married couple, from our dear friends and family, from a few strange cats (who show their love in very weird ways). It’s all good.

– The miracles of life that happen everyday. I received a new niece this year, and any time you look at a baby, you know that it’s an amazing gift. This little animatronic creature, with little to zero knowledge in its head, none of the aforementioned rudeness or will to be naughty, EXISTS. Neat!

– Jobs. We’re working. We’re paying our bills. Our minds wander to other places to keep us sane, but for now, we’re able to live life, put food on the table, and make a Christmas for ourselves…and isn’t that enough?

There are probably a million more, but don’t forget – if you’d like to vent, feel free to comment below. 🙂 Here’s to karma and Santa putting some coal in the stockings of the annoyances of life…and here’s to a little cheer to those who try to make life something wonderful and good!

Black Friday

Candlelight Evening - image on https://megactsout.com

I’m all for Black Friday. As you may already know, it’s sort of a tradition (albeit one that we could drop in the future if things get hectic) for my sister and I to have a bit of a sleepover on Thanksgiving, getting up around the 3am area, and shlepping out to stock up on reasonably-priced items. All year, I see a deal and think, “Is it as good as a Black Friday deal?” It has helped me define what I’m willing to pay for an item. This doesn’t apply to those one-of-a-kind items that will remind me that, “We bought that on our anniversary trip!” or “I got that for Dave when I was chaperoning a trip to NYC.” But, yeah. A deal is a deal.

I’m discouraged, however, when I tell people that, yes, I do, indeed, shop Black Friday. It’s assumed that I’ll…say…be willing to pepper spray a crowd to get at a wide-screen TV…or…say…pull hair and punch out some teeth for a cheap phone. Just because I, in verb form, “Black Friday”, doesn’t make me crazy. Lots of other things I’m do can attest to my craziness, I’m sure. But the fact that I want to spend some quality time shopping with my sister, obtain some considerable deals whenever possible (although, alas, the jeans I usually can snag for $11 were $14 this year…sigh), and start off the holiday season with warmth in my heart does not, in fact, make me crazy.

I know why I get an eyebrow raise or sneer, I do. I do my best to laugh it off. If they don’t understand that it’s part of a holiday tradition for me, that’s fine. Heck, I wrote an impassioned essay in college as to the hell of working Thanksgiving/Black Friday in retail – I’ve been there! I always try to be super polite to the workers, and honestly, we just have basic cable…do you think we’ll be getting a flat-screen anytime soon? Dave’s proud of the fact that we won’t, and that we have another extra old TV in the basement as insurance.

But, when I call my mother for our also-traditional 5am phone call (once we get to the second floor of JC Penney…it’s usually quieter and, here’s a hint, the lines are way shorter) or receive a text from my husband, both having watched the morning news and both worrying because a local Walmart had a case of trampling and other rude behavior, I get mad. Not mad at my mom (she has as much fun waiting to hear what we bought, especially since she usually sends us with a list – which I have fun finding!) or my husband (he’s a worrier, and I love him). I get mad at those fools who give the rest of us a bad name.

There’s a new reason that it’s called Black Friday. That blackness that can be found in every man’s soul (mind you, I also believe that there’s good in every single person, as well) seems to rise like cream to the top when a sick deal is to be had. Or, perhaps the tryptophan comas make folks cranky…if they even wait to finish their meal before going to a (I CAN’T BELIEVE IT) Thanksgiving Day sale! One might also call it Black and Blue Friday, and it’s shameful.

This is why my sister and I try to hit the lower-stress places. We never go to Walmart or Best Buy (well, we did BB years ago, but it was a lesson in patience and self defense). We almost always go to a department store, like JC Penney or Macy’s, depending upon the sales available. Some years, the items we need are split between numerous stores, so depending upon a) what deals will be gone already and b) how crazy busy the place will be, we prioritize. It takes a lot of strategery (name that SNL comedian) to keep one’s sanity on Black Friday.

We also try to go to a store that will provide more of a sense of Christmasy-ness, when possible. This year, after stocking up at JCP, we went to Michael’s. Just seeing the ornaments and decorations (even when not purchasing them; last year I remember stocking up at Hobby Lobby, though) and hearing the Christmas music (rather than the rumble of the crowd) is lovely.

Not that the experience at JCP was bad. The only difficulty was asking people if you could break through the line to get to a different section, since it was so long. It’s like they think we’d steal their spot in line. Nope, just need to look at the men’s socks.

We even had some silly, fun moments. Upon finding a particular shirt display (at an insanely low price), I dove in only to realize that the woman next to me was telling me all about her son’s size…at which time SHE realized that I wasn’t her shopping companion. We laughed quite a bit and I told her that she could tell me about his sizing all she likes – my brothers had impossible to find sizes, so I could relate. There were several moments like this. People weren’t fighting to get what they wanted. If the store was out, they were out.

As it happened, my sister thought that she’d missed out on an insane deal (I can’t say what the item was…this is Christmas, after all!), but at least we’d gotten everything else. While taking a moment to relax and call my mother, the manager came out with a cart full of the item to re-stock. Sometimes politeness karma really does exist! AND, since we had tons of time to spare (did we really HAVE to get up at 3:30?), we decided to shop a bit for her baby daughter. While we didn’t find much, we realized that the line had dwindled down to nothing…and the same thing happened for the customer service area (for obtaining boxes). What luck!

After a deliciously filling breakfast with my hubby and brother-in-law (Mary, alas, had to work — can you imagine, doing Black Friday then working?! I’m too lucky), Dave and I even hit up some more local shoppes. Just don’t tell him he went Black Friday shopping. I guess if it isn’t before 8am, it doesn’t count. 😉

Black Friday

Candlelight Evening - image on https://megactsout.com
I’m all for Black Friday. As you may already know, it’s sort of a tradition (albeit one that we could drop in the future if things get hectic) for my sister and I to have a bit of a sleepover on Thanksgiving, getting up around the 3am area, and shlepping out to stock up on reasonably-priced items. All year, I see a deal and think, “Is it as good as a Black Friday deal?” It has helped me define what I’m willing to pay for an item. This doesn’t apply to those one-of-a-kind items that will remind me that, “We bought that on our anniversary trip!” or “I got that for Dave when I was chaperoning a trip to NYC.” But, yeah. A deal is a deal.

I’m discouraged, however, when I tell people that, yes, I do, indeed, shop Black Friday. It’s assumed that I’ll…say…be willing to pepper spray a crowd to get at a wide-screen TV…or…say…pull hair and punch out some teeth for a cheap phone. Just because I, in verb form, “Black Friday”, doesn’t make me crazy. Lots of other things I’m do can attest to my craziness, I’m sure. But the fact that I want to spend some quality time shopping with my sister, obtain some considerable deals whenever possible (although, alas, the jeans I usually can snag for $11 were $14 this year…sigh), and start off the holiday season with warmth in my heart does not, in fact, make me crazy.

I know why I get an eyebrow raise or sneer, I do. I do my best to laugh it off. If they don’t understand that it’s part of a holiday tradition for me, that’s fine. Heck, I wrote an impassioned essay in college as to the hell of working Thanksgiving/Black Friday in retail – I’ve been there! I always try to be super polite to the workers, and honestly, we just have basic cable…do you think we’ll be getting a flat-screen anytime soon? Dave’s proud of the fact that we won’t, and that we have another extra old TV in the basement as insurance.

But, when I call my mother for our also-traditional 5am phone call (once we get to the second floor of JC Penney…it’s usually quieter and, here’s a hint, the lines are way shorter) or receive a text from my husband, both having watched the morning news and both worrying because a local Walmart had a case of trampling and other rude behavior, I get mad. Not mad at my mom (she has as much fun waiting to hear what we bought, especially since she usually sends us with a list – which I have fun finding!) or my husband (he’s a worrier, and I love him). I get mad at those fools who give the rest of us a bad name.

There’s a new reason that it’s called Black Friday. That blackness that can be found in every man’s soul (mind you, I also believe that there’s good in every single person, as well) seems to rise like cream to the top when a sick deal is to be had. Or, perhaps the tryptophan comas make folks cranky…if they even wait to finish their meal before going to a (I CAN’T BELIEVE IT) Thanksgiving Day sale! One might also call it Black and Blue Friday, and it’s shameful.

This is why my sister and I try to hit the lower-stress places. We never go to Walmart or Best Buy (well, we did BB years ago, but it was a lesson in patience and self defense). We almost always go to a department store, like JC Penney or Macy’s, depending upon the sales available. Some years, the items we need are split between numerous stores, so depending upon a) what deals will be gone already and b) how crazy busy the place will be, we prioritize. It takes a lot of strategery (name that SNL comedian) to keep one’s sanity on Black Friday.

We also try to go to a store that will provide more of a sense of Christmasy-ness, when possible. This year, after stocking up at JCP, we went to Michael’s. Just seeing the ornaments and decorations (even when not purchasing them; last year I remember stocking up at Hobby Lobby, though) and hearing the Christmas music (rather than the rumble of the crowd) is lovely.

Not that the experience at JCP was bad. The only difficulty was asking people if you could break through the line to get to a different section, since it was so long. It’s like they think we’d steal their spot in line. Nope, just need to look at the men’s socks.

We even had some silly, fun moments. Upon finding a particular shirt display (at an insanely low price), I dove in only to realize that the woman next to me was telling me all about her son’s size…at which time SHE realized that I wasn’t her shopping companion. We laughed quite a bit and I told her that she could tell me about his sizing all she likes – my brothers had impossible to find sizes, so I could relate. There were several moments like this. People weren’t fighting to get what they wanted. If the store was out, they were out.

As it happened, my sister thought that she’d missed out on an insane deal (I can’t say what the item was…this is Christmas, after all!), but at least we’d gotten everything else. While taking a moment to relax and call my mother, the manager came out with a cart full of the item to re-stock. Sometimes politeness karma really does exist! AND, since we had tons of time to spare (did we really HAVE to get up at 3:30?), we decided to shop a bit for her baby daughter. While we didn’t find much, we realized that the line had dwindled down to nothing…and the same thing happened for the customer service area (for obtaining boxes). What luck!

After a deliciously filling breakfast with my hubby and brother-in-law (Mary, alas, had to work — can you imagine, doing Black Friday then working?! I’m too lucky), Dave and I even hit up some more local shoppes. Just don’t tell him he went Black Friday shopping. I guess if it isn’t before 8am, it doesn’t count. 😉

Christmas Card

Candlelight Evening - image on https://megactsout.com
Christmas cards. Where does your mind go when you hear that phrase? A cramped hand and stressed shoulders over having to make out dozens of cards to folks you haven’t talked to in awhile? The enjoyment of thinking of your loved ones while sticking on stamps? The variety of designs (and self-made digital photo options) that you can choose to send? The “aw, crap, another one” feeling when you receive one in the mail from a person you hadn’t sent to?

Sure, I think about these things, too. But, from about Halloween ’til now, my mind jumps to a different kind of Christmas card. It isn’t literally a card, but that’s what it’s called. I suppose it should be called a “greeting” – one that incorporates a not-terribly-well-known-unless-you’ve-lived-in-the-Mohawk-Valley-awhile song that is *ahem* illegally *ahem* used. But take away the song, and it’s not the same.

My husband is, some would say, lucky enough to work at one of our local news stations. I admire the work and stress that he endures in order to bring the most thorough, accurate-as-possible, locally-encompassing news coverage in the area. And now that they have competition, I’ve noticed what an incredible job he does even more.

So, annually, the hard-working folks at his station get a little personal air time for themselves and their families (or friends, or whatever may be the case). It’s a way for folks at home to know more about the people that they *think* they already know – who’s married, who has kids, who works behind the scenes, who has pets, etc. Oftentimes these short videos are a mash-up of simple, sweet “waving” shots. Dave and I, however…well, this is last year….

…aaaaaand the year before, well, it isn’t available online anymore. Poop. Let’s just say it involved Dave being pelted by a snowball….

A little wacky, right? Wouldn’t want to be anything other than ourselves, after all. So, of course, here comes the stumper – we’re trying to figure out what to do for this year. We’ve now got 3, count ’em 3 cats. Even doing a basic waving one with 3 cats would be close to impossible, mainly because of that old “like herding cats” saying. It’s so very true. You just can’t do it!

We’ve got a long-shot idea that we’ll keep under our hats JUST IN CASE it works out and we magically have enough time to git ‘er done, but I’ve got another idea or two that are way lame that I simply won’t mention because…well, they’re lame. I know that I probably think about it more than Dave does, but that’s probably because I work at a way slower pace throughout the day (for the most part) so my brain has more time to wander around. 😉

It’s just interesting to think about how most Christmas cards get read by 20…50…100…200 people, max. These get seen by…well, let’s just say way more. I guess we’d better get working on it! After all, we’ve got our first bit of snow for the year, finally.

So, not that we need advice as to what to do (I’m sure we’ll figure something out – we always do!), but what I’ll leave you with today is this: What would YOU do if you had a 5-10 second spot (or in some cases, cut down from 30 seconds! We’re bad, I know) to say ‘hi’ or act out in your own way?

P.S. Yes, we still do normal Christmas cards. After all, we love the traditionalism of hand-writing a message to people we love, and Dave is SO on top of things like birthdays and anniversaries (seriously, it’s crazy! Folks from high school, egad!!) that I’d probably have to cut off his right arm to get him NOT to send them. So, we do our “friend” ones mostly separately, and our “we know them together” ones together (or at least choose the appropriate card together). We’ve got such a mismatch of cards that we often have lots to choose from…although during our Boston trip over the summer, we happened upon a Borders (*sniff, sniff*) that had some cards that perfectly matched some of our old ones at home on uber-clearance. And guess who spotted them. Yep, Mr. Remembers Every Birthday, himself. I’m so proud of that guy.

Christmas Card

Candlelight Evening - image on https://megactsout.comChristmas cards. Where does your mind go when you hear that phrase? A cramped hand and stressed shoulders over having to make out dozens of cards to folks you haven’t talked to in awhile? The enjoyment of thinking of your loved ones while sticking on stamps? The variety of designs (and self-made digital photo options) that you can choose to send? The “aw, crap, another one” feeling when you receive one in the mail from a person you hadn’t sent to?

Sure, I think about these things, too. But, from about Halloween ’til now, my mind jumps to a different kind of Christmas card. It isn’t literally a card, but that’s what it’s called. I suppose it should be called a “greeting” – one that incorporates a not-terribly-well-known-unless-you’ve-lived-in-the-Mohawk-Valley-awhile song that is *ahem* illegally *ahem* used. But take away the song, and it’s not the same.

My husband is, some would say, lucky enough to work at one of our local news stations. I admire the work and stress that he endures in order to bring the most thorough, accurate-as-possible, locally-encompassing news coverage in the area. And now that they have competition, I’ve noticed what an incredible job he does even more.

So, annually, the hard-working folks at his station get a little personal air time for themselves and their families (or friends, or whatever may be the case). It’s a way for folks at home to know more about the people that they *think* they already know – who’s married, who has kids, who works behind the scenes, who has pets, etc. Oftentimes these short videos are a mash-up of simple, sweet “waving” shots. Dave and I, however…well, this is last year….

…aaaaaand the year before, well, it isn’t available online anymore. Poop. Let’s just say it involved Dave being pelted by a snowball….

A little wacky, right? Wouldn’t want to be anything other than ourselves, after all. So, of course, here comes the stumper – we’re trying to figure out what to do for this year. We’ve now got 3, count ’em 3 cats. Even doing a basic waving one with 3 cats would be close to impossible, mainly because of that old “like herding cats” saying. It’s so very true. You just can’t do it!

We’ve got a long-shot idea that we’ll keep under our hats JUST IN CASE it works out and we magically have enough time to git ‘er done, but I’ve got another idea or two that are way lame that I simply won’t mention because…well, they’re lame. I know that I probably think about it more than Dave does, but that’s probably because I work at a way slower pace throughout the day (for the most part) so my brain has more time to wander around. 😉

It’s just interesting to think about how most Christmas cards get read by 20…50…100…200 people, max. These get seen by…well, let’s just say way more. I guess we’d better get working on it! After all, we’ve got our first bit of snow for the year, finally.

So, not that we need advice as to what to do (I’m sure we’ll figure something out – we always do!), but what I’ll leave you with today is this: What would YOU do if you had a 5-10 second spot (or in some cases, cut down from 30 seconds! We’re bad, I know) to say ‘hi’ or act out in your own way?

P.S. Yes, we still do normal Christmas cards. After all, we love the traditionalism of hand-writing a message to people we love, and Dave is SO on top of things like birthdays and anniversaries (seriously, it’s crazy! Folks from high school, egad!!) that I’d probably have to cut off his right arm to get him NOT to send them. So, we do our “friend” ones mostly separately, and our “we know them together” ones together (or at least choose the appropriate card together). We’ve got such a mismatch of cards that we often have lots to choose from…although during our Boston trip over the summer, we happened upon a Borders (*sniff, sniff*) that had some cards that perfectly matched some of our old ones at home on uber-clearance. And guess who spotted them. Yep, Mr. Remembers Every Birthday, himself. I’m so proud of that guy.

Giving Thanks While Busy as Heck

Candlelight Evening - image on https://megactsout.com

Sorry I’ve been a tad MIA lately! I’ve been exhausted, and now that our show (“Arsenic and Old Lace”) is over, I’ve got the Book Fair arriving at school TOMORROW. Of course, throw in more theater board responsibilities, and things get a little nuts. But, isn’t it the season for nuts?

Tee hee, I totally just wrote that. I really mean nuttiness. Things get hectic, but would we really want it any other way? Well, sure. I’m already thinking, “I can’t wait until Thanksgiving” with the fervor usually reserved for kids and Halloween candy or Santa. But, seriously. I really, really can’t wait. I won’t be over-stressed. (After all, I’m not cooking!) I will enjoy being with loved ones. And the day after, I will (tentatively) go shopping crazy early with my dear sister. It’s a tradition of fun, and we wouldn’t keep doing it if we didn’t have fun.

I told you last year how I really don’t mind the strange amalgamation of Thanksgiving and Christmas. (If Halloween gets in on the party, though, I’ll have to put my foot down. Too freaky. It needs to be its own thing. One that scares me – I mean it, I’m not a huge Halloween fan. I guess my students would say I’m a Halloweenie.) But, Thanksgiving and Christmas are like cousins to me – it’s okay for them to get together once in awhile; in fact, it’s only natural.

While the literal definition of each holiday is obviously different (Jesus and Pilgrims…hmm), the themes and emotions behind them are the same. See your loved ones and enjoy your time with them. Be grateful for the things that you have and help out those in need. Eat some great food (but be sure that you’ve given some to someone else, be it a food drive or a humane society). Enjoy some sloth. Think about how important the “simple” things are. Depending on your religious affiliation, thank God for everything. It’s all good – literally!

Again, this is why I’m totally fine listening to Christmas music now…even when we have strange 60-degree weather. (I will NOT be this pleased if December hits and we have nothing to show for it. There’s a reason “White Christmas” is one of my favorite songs.) It’s way cheerier than most of the music I hear the rest of the year!

I think that the jolliness of friends, family and classic Christmas music help temper the rudeness of distracted drivers and selfish shoppers. It’s a huge feat when I can finish a morning of Black Friday shopping with my sister and not be downtrodden by what mankind has become. Mind you, this feat rarely ever happens. Often, I find myself riding shotgun after my husband and I have enjoyed my brother-in-law’s incredible Black Friday Brunch near tears over a person who nearly hit us (and then gave US the finger) or over a fight that broke out while shopping at 6am, only to finally resolve that the rest of my holiday shopping would be accomplished online. *sigh*

It’s not for lack of optimism and cheeriness on the part of my sister and I. We figure there’s no point in going Christmas shopping if you’re not in the holiday spirit. We bring tea or cocoa, and in the past were even known to sing Christmas carols while waiting in line. People either rolled their eyes or joined in. And, in a nutshell (there are those nuts again), I think that’s what a simplified cross-section of mankind would be: those who join in with the song and those who roll their eyes.

This is the first day of the holiday season…the first day that it’s socially acceptable to start celebrating. I always wonder what percentage of the items on Black Friday are given as gifts, and what percentage are going straight on the TV stand or into one’s closet. Sure, consumers can buy as they like, but it really brings down the day when it’s about “me, me, me” rather than “my kids, my parents, my siblings, my loved ones”. It bothers me when people see it as an excuse to act grabby, selfish and downright rude. Probably one reason I don’t go for the big ticket items. Slippers, please! 😉

So, while some of you may want to fight the holiday season with all your might and others of you may embrace it even more than I do, I just want to say that I hope you all get to truly enjoy it this year. And don’t forget to really give thanks, in whatever way you see fit. Now, I suppose I should finally figure out what I’ll be BUYING for people this year!

Giving Thanks While Busy as Heck

Candlelight Evening - image on https://megactsout.comSorry I’ve been a tad MIA lately! I’ve been exhausted, and now that our show (“Arsenic and Old Lace”) is over, I’ve got the Book Fair arriving at school TOMORROW. Of course, throw in more theater board responsibilities, and things get a little nuts. But, isn’t it the season for nuts?

Tee hee, I totally just wrote that. I really mean nuttiness. Things get hectic, but would we really want it any other way? Well, sure. I’m already thinking, “I can’t wait until Thanksgiving” with the fervor usually reserved for kids and Halloween candy or Santa. But, seriously. I really, really can’t wait. I won’t be over-stressed. (After all, I’m not cooking!) I will enjoy being with loved ones. And the day after, I will (tentatively) go shopping crazy early with my dear sister. It’s a tradition of fun, and we wouldn’t keep doing it if we didn’t have fun.

I told you last year how I really don’t mind the strange amalgamation of Thanksgiving and Christmas. (If Halloween gets in on the party, though, I’ll have to put my foot down. Too freaky. It needs to be its own thing. One that scares me – I mean it, I’m not a huge Halloween fan. I guess my students would say I’m a Halloweenie.) But, Thanksgiving and Christmas are like cousins to me – it’s okay for them to get together once in awhile; in fact, it’s only natural.

While the literal definition of each holiday is obviously different (Jesus and Pilgrims…hmm), the themes and emotions behind them are the same. See your loved ones and enjoy your time with them. Be grateful for the things that you have and help out those in need. Eat some great food (but be sure that you’ve given some to someone else, be it a food drive or a humane society). Enjoy some sloth. Think about how important the “simple” things are. Depending on your religious affiliation, thank God for everything. It’s all good – literally!

Again, this is why I’m totally fine listening to Christmas music now…even when we have strange 60-degree weather. (I will NOT be this pleased if December hits and we have nothing to show for it. There’s a reason “White Christmas” is one of my favorite songs.) It’s way cheerier than most of the music I hear the rest of the year!

I think that the jolliness of friends, family and classic Christmas music help temper the rudeness of distracted drivers and selfish shoppers. It’s a huge feat when I can finish a morning of Black Friday shopping with my sister and not be downtrodden by what mankind has become. Mind you, this feat rarely ever happens. Often, I find myself riding shotgun after my husband and I have enjoyed my brother-in-law’s incredible Black Friday Brunch near tears over a person who nearly hit us (and then gave US the finger) or over a fight that broke out while shopping at 6am, only to finally resolve that the rest of my holiday shopping would be accomplished online. *sigh*

It’s not for lack of optimism and cheeriness on the part of my sister and I. We figure there’s no point in going Christmas shopping if you’re not in the holiday spirit. We bring tea or cocoa, and in the past were even known to sing Christmas carols while waiting in line. People either rolled their eyes or joined in. And, in a nutshell (there are those nuts again), I think that’s what a simplified cross-section of mankind would be: those who join in with the song and those who roll their eyes.

This is the first day of the holiday season…the first day that it’s socially acceptable to start celebrating. I always wonder what percentage of the items on Black Friday are given as gifts, and what percentage are going straight on the TV stand or into one’s closet. Sure, consumers can buy as they like, but it really brings down the day when it’s about “me, me, me” rather than “my kids, my parents, my siblings, my loved ones”. It bothers me when people see it as an excuse to act grabby, selfish and downright rude. Probably one reason I don’t go for the big ticket items. Slippers, please! 😉

So, while some of you may want to fight the holiday season with all your might and others of you may embrace it even more than I do, I just want to say that I hope you all get to truly enjoy it this year. And don’t forget to really give thanks, in whatever way you see fit. Now, I suppose I should finally figure out what I’ll be BUYING for people this year!

‘Tis the Season…

Candlelight Evening - image candles on https://megactsout.com

…for crazy schedules, but that mostly include wonderful meetings with friends and other loved ones, so the craziness doesn’t knock you out TOO badly.

…for letting your blog posts dwindle to one a month. Oops. My bad. Promise, no more.

…for festive decorations…which the cat enjoys playfully batting around, and when they fall and shatter you simply can’t get upset.

…for watching “Charlie Brown” and Jimmy Stewart and Cary grant — or for kitty footprints in the snow.

…for going to indoor farmers’ markets and signing up for the Foodshed Buying Club.

…for considering whether you should take a second job while you still can — before children pop into the immediate life plan — or at least opening an Etsy shop.

…for thinking about the next holiday season, and how you insist it will be simpler and, in our case, as close to a Dickens novel as possible. Literally. 

…for playing with the idea of getting a buddy for Beardslee.

…for planning several house projects over the impending Christmas holiday, knowing full well that we’ll be lucky if one actually gets completed. Better than not planning at all, I suppose.

…for making truly grandiose plans for 2011 and feeling strangely wonderful about them, rather than skeptical and pessimistic (not usually a maker of resolutions).


…for seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on the library project at school.

…for the infamous “Candlelight Evening” (and, now, Ommegang festival) which have become die hard traditions for Dave and I.


…for feeling growing excitement over giving your loved ones hard-thought gifts and to just see their faces and enjoy memories together again.


I hope that your holiday season is a wonderful one and that you can take the peace that only comes this time of year into your heart to enjoy! Be looking for my next posts, a few of which were hinted about above.