Friday, December 2, 2011

Christmas Magic (Countdown to Christmas)

December 3, 2011
Saturday
Hi Everyone, 

I hope you all had a great start to the new month these past days.

Today is December 3, so there is 22 more days until Christmas.  Today's post is about getting into the Christmas spirit.

Our childhood Christmases were the best: Santa stories, decorations, and presents.  We left cookies and milk out on the table, complete with a letter.  And when our parents weren't looking we would try and take a peak into our biggest present.

Everything has it's place!
Credit: ecopartytime.com

However, as we grow older the magic seems to fade away a little more each year.  Not much has changed- the lights, the tree, and the same old stories are still heard.  But in our hearts Christmas feels a little different even if we don't admit it.  What we need is to find the magic again and keep it locked safely inside of us.

Cute picture right?
Credit: mi9.com

Here's a list of ideas to try and make Christmas special:
• spend more time with family/friends
• watch Christmas movies 
Suggestion: A Christmas Memory
• read Christmas stories
Suggestion: A Christmas Memory
• drink coffee and hot chocolate
• make homemade Christmas crafts
• make Christmas cards
• go shopping with family/friends
• go and see Christmas lights & displays
• have a get-to-gether with family/friends
• decorate the house more
• sing/play Christmas carols
• make someone else's Christmas special
• donate money to a charity
• make your Christmas card early & send it to everyone you know
• bake snacks like cookies and gingerbread
• make a gingerbread house 
• do the things you used to do as a kid
• fulfill that one wish you always wanted
etc...

If you think of any more ideas please post them as a comment, and I will add it to this post.

Also, a book and movie that always makes my Christmas special is "The Polar Express".  The movie was well-directed, the book had beautiful illustrations, and the story is just plain magical.  Check it out if you have time!

Even if you already read it, read it again!
Credit: hollywoodautographnews.com

I hope this helped,
Julia


http://julia-juliatalk.blospot.com
Copyright © 2011 Julia of Julia Talk.  All rights reserved.

8 comments:

  1. Jasmine BlustDecember 03, 2011

    Julia I'm playing "The Polar Express" on piano!!! :D

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  2. Auntry SylviaDecember 03, 2011

    Julia, If more people were aware of how the meaning of Christmas can get lost if they are not careful, this world would be a better place. Have you heard the "Italian Christmas Carol" as sung by Pete Seeger? I love the lyrics, especially the very last line....
    'Twas on a Night Like This

    'Twas on a night like this
    A beautiful babe was born
    The shepherds gathered round
    To guard him till the dawn.
    Above them shone a star,
    A star so wondrous white,
    That never since, in all the years,
    Have we seen one half so bright.
    CHORUS:
    Shining so truly, shining so brightly,
    Guiding their footsteps from afar,
    It led them through the night,
    A path to love and brotherhood,
    By following its light

    Oh, come with us tonight
    And join us on our way,
    For we have found that star again,
    To greet a better day.
    Although throughout our land
    Men search the skies in vain,
    If turned their glance within their hearts,
    They would find that star again.

    As for what we do here to preserve the Christmas spirit, we do bake cookies, emphasize family fun with getting together to sing Christmas carols and have the grandchildren read " The Night Before Christmas". We also go on an annual Christmas tree hunt. Here in Oregon, we are allowed to go to certain areas and for a mere $5 permit, we can choose and cut our own tree. It's so much fun, we bring hot chocolate and hot toddys for the adults, and we march into very deep snow to find that perfect tree. I will send photos of this year's hunt. Thanks for your words of wisdom! Hugs!

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  3. Jasmine,

    Really? You are??? I love the Polar Express so much! Send me a vid please!

    ~Julia

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Aunty Sylvia,

    I hope to never lose the magic of Christmas. Every year I try so hard to make it as special as when I was a little kid.

    That sounds like a beautiful song. I will be sure to check it out.

    And what a magical Christmas! Like I told you, Christmas on the mainland seems twice the fun and magic. Just reading your description of your Christmas made me visualize the whole thing. Finding the tree and drinking hot chocolate in the snow. Sounds so amazing!

    ~Julia

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  5. Besides baking cookies, one thing we do every year is watch "A Christmas Memory" on video or read the story aloud. It's the perfect reminder about what's truly important about Christmas.

    I hope you still leave out milk and cookies for Santa. He'd be very disappointed if you didn't.

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  6. Thanks for the suggestion Aunty! I will put that down on this post.

    Of course I still leave out milk and cookies! If I didn't he might starve! It's something that I'll probably never stop doing.

    ~Julia

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  7. Hi Julia. Well... this is really elaborate, but it will be cool if we can go somewhere like Japan for Christmas and you will get a whole new experience! I leave out a letter and something to eat (not really cookies and milk all the time) sometime. Christmas is still enjoyable, but maybe not as before when we tried so hard to persuade and get a peek at opening the presents before Christmas day! But still, we can do different Christmassy stuff now that we're older, like shopping, making cards ourselves, buying people gifts, reading stories out to other people, etc. Whew, long post!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Miyu,

    I really want to go to Japan, especially with friends. (Like you! Yay!) Plus in Japan the seasons change so I might be able to see snow. Christmas still is very fun, but it feels different. And what you said is true- now that we're older we can do other things too! Thanks for your comment!

    ~Julia

    ReplyDelete