Ah.... it’s that time of year. The scent of pine in the air,
aromas of hot cookies quaffing from the kitchen, the sound of gold bells and
coins clinking in red buckets - all of these things tell us of the impending
arrival of the man in the red suit. We will prepare our homes, don our
best, deck our decks and halls, and peck under the mistletoe. Merriment and joy
abound as we await the coming of Christmas.
Songs of the holiday fill the airwaves, satellite stations and music players. Traditionally we sing of leaping lords. With gaiety we recite and repeat the verses about dancing ladies and milk maids. Doves and partridges join in the chorus. But in this economy and with the price of gold - who can afford 5 rings?
Thus, I propose a silly new look at the "12 Of" Christmas. In a spirit of fun and festivity, I present to you the following list beginning at 12 and ending with 1. Remember a tune, make up your own, or simply recite the words to this twist on a holiday classic. Feel the holiday magic.
12 Relatives
Holidays are a time for family. At Christmas, we gather in family masses for holiday feasts and gift giving frenzy. With joy and happiness, we celebrate the ones we love. OK - I know this can be a stressful scenario with conflict - but in a perfect world all 12 would live in peace and harmony. One can wish upon a Christmas star.
11 Christmas Carols
Music is a huge part of the holiday. There are multitudes of songs, versions, remixes and medleys. They are each beautiful in their own way. So why does it seem like the same 11 get played over and over?
10 Candy Canes
I’m sure I can’t be the only one who has experienced this. I can get the box of a dozen candy canes home safely, but only 10 survive the extraction from the box intact. Is it just me or is there some sort of candy conspiracy going on here?
9 Broken Ornaments
Regardless of how carefully the ornaments are hung, there are always some that don’t make it. Sometimes it’s the one ornament falling off the tree or out of the box. Sometimes it’s the whole tree angry from the weight and decoration, revolting and throwing itself to the ground resulting is mass ornament casualties. I can’t say I can count exactly, but based on how many pieces of ornament glass end up in my feet each year, I count the number of broken ornaments at 9.
8 Favorite Movies
The holiday movies start in November. I’m OK with that. I love the feeling I get when I watch them. They are nostalgic, fun, and comforting. There are probably close to as many movies as there are songs, but I’m sure we can each pick out 8 favorites.
7 Hundred Dollars
Just about $700 is the amount that the average person will spend on the holidays this year according to the National Retail Association. Just hear those registers ring-a-ling.....
6 Christmas Stockings
This might sound like a lot of stockings - but in my house between my three girls, we hang 6 stockings. One stocking gets filled on Christmas morning, and one that holds a small gift each of the 8 days before Christmas - a tradition we started years ago. It’s one of my favorite.
5 Plates of Cookies (aka 5 extra pounds)
The low side of the average number of pounds that a person gains during the holiday season is 5 - thank you American Dietetic Association for that merry reminder. With all of the goodies and gatherings, it’s no surprise. But, it’s best to watch the cookie intake. The 5 extra pounds is a gift that can’t be re-gifted or returned on the 26th. It’s with us for a while after the holidays.
4 Returned Gifts
Hopefully we don’t make it a habit of returning gifts simply because we don’t like them. But at some point in our lives we have had to return or exchange a gift for one reason or another. In my humble opinion, if you are returning 4 gifts each year, it’s time to rethink our attitude towards receiving. See Barbie and The Great White for my own personal experience with this....
3 Christmas Parties
According to Tis Party Time by John Fetto, the average American between the ages of 18-34 attends just over 3 parties each holiday season. Office parties, family get togethers, and social holiday gatherings keep us running from one place to another. With all that partying and eggnog, we may end up needing the next on this list.
2 Aspirin
Let’s face it, with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the social imbibing, the frantic search for the perfect gifts, and the dealings in social situations that are unique to this time of year, most of us reach for the aspirin to ease the headache. As much as we love the holiday, our friends and family, we can have too much of a good thing.
1 Most Beautiful Christmas Tree
Regardless of all of the other happenings, the most beautiful tree is what we gather around as a family on Christmas to remember the gifts we have been given. We make memories, share in joy, and join in each other’s excitement as the wonderment of the morning unfolds.
In the hectic world we live in it’s often hard to step back and see the true meaning and spirit of the holidays. It is about joy, togetherness, giving, and blessing one another. I hope you enjoyed this post and that it brought a smile, a chuckle or a simple smirk as you read it. I have been blessed by every reader of the AZ Mom of Many Hats and I Am Woman Enough sites. I wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, blessings and prosperity in 2013.
Songs of the holiday fill the airwaves, satellite stations and music players. Traditionally we sing of leaping lords. With gaiety we recite and repeat the verses about dancing ladies and milk maids. Doves and partridges join in the chorus. But in this economy and with the price of gold - who can afford 5 rings?
Thus, I propose a silly new look at the "12 Of" Christmas. In a spirit of fun and festivity, I present to you the following list beginning at 12 and ending with 1. Remember a tune, make up your own, or simply recite the words to this twist on a holiday classic. Feel the holiday magic.
12 Relatives
Holidays are a time for family. At Christmas, we gather in family masses for holiday feasts and gift giving frenzy. With joy and happiness, we celebrate the ones we love. OK - I know this can be a stressful scenario with conflict - but in a perfect world all 12 would live in peace and harmony. One can wish upon a Christmas star.
11 Christmas Carols
Music is a huge part of the holiday. There are multitudes of songs, versions, remixes and medleys. They are each beautiful in their own way. So why does it seem like the same 11 get played over and over?
10 Candy Canes
I’m sure I can’t be the only one who has experienced this. I can get the box of a dozen candy canes home safely, but only 10 survive the extraction from the box intact. Is it just me or is there some sort of candy conspiracy going on here?
9 Broken Ornaments
Regardless of how carefully the ornaments are hung, there are always some that don’t make it. Sometimes it’s the one ornament falling off the tree or out of the box. Sometimes it’s the whole tree angry from the weight and decoration, revolting and throwing itself to the ground resulting is mass ornament casualties. I can’t say I can count exactly, but based on how many pieces of ornament glass end up in my feet each year, I count the number of broken ornaments at 9.
8 Favorite Movies
The holiday movies start in November. I’m OK with that. I love the feeling I get when I watch them. They are nostalgic, fun, and comforting. There are probably close to as many movies as there are songs, but I’m sure we can each pick out 8 favorites.
7 Hundred Dollars
Just about $700 is the amount that the average person will spend on the holidays this year according to the National Retail Association. Just hear those registers ring-a-ling.....
6 Christmas Stockings
This might sound like a lot of stockings - but in my house between my three girls, we hang 6 stockings. One stocking gets filled on Christmas morning, and one that holds a small gift each of the 8 days before Christmas - a tradition we started years ago. It’s one of my favorite.
5 Plates of Cookies (aka 5 extra pounds)
The low side of the average number of pounds that a person gains during the holiday season is 5 - thank you American Dietetic Association for that merry reminder. With all of the goodies and gatherings, it’s no surprise. But, it’s best to watch the cookie intake. The 5 extra pounds is a gift that can’t be re-gifted or returned on the 26th. It’s with us for a while after the holidays.
4 Returned Gifts
Hopefully we don’t make it a habit of returning gifts simply because we don’t like them. But at some point in our lives we have had to return or exchange a gift for one reason or another. In my humble opinion, if you are returning 4 gifts each year, it’s time to rethink our attitude towards receiving. See Barbie and The Great White for my own personal experience with this....
3 Christmas Parties
According to Tis Party Time by John Fetto, the average American between the ages of 18-34 attends just over 3 parties each holiday season. Office parties, family get togethers, and social holiday gatherings keep us running from one place to another. With all that partying and eggnog, we may end up needing the next on this list.
2 Aspirin
Let’s face it, with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the social imbibing, the frantic search for the perfect gifts, and the dealings in social situations that are unique to this time of year, most of us reach for the aspirin to ease the headache. As much as we love the holiday, our friends and family, we can have too much of a good thing.
1 Most Beautiful Christmas Tree
Regardless of all of the other happenings, the most beautiful tree is what we gather around as a family on Christmas to remember the gifts we have been given. We make memories, share in joy, and join in each other’s excitement as the wonderment of the morning unfolds.
In the hectic world we live in it’s often hard to step back and see the true meaning and spirit of the holidays. It is about joy, togetherness, giving, and blessing one another. I hope you enjoyed this post and that it brought a smile, a chuckle or a simple smirk as you read it. I have been blessed by every reader of the AZ Mom of Many Hats and I Am Woman Enough sites. I wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, blessings and prosperity in 2013.
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