The 3 Wise Men arrived at the manger bearing gifts. In their honor, here are some Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, give forgiveness
To an opponent, give tolerance
To a loved one, give your heart
To a child, give a good example
To everyone, give respect
You are invited to…a holiday party…and more than likely more than one. The time span between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year is oddly short, meaning holiday parties are being crammed into fewer days and nights. What to wear, what to wear?
I love sparkle and glittery looks, and they are all the rage right now…thankfully! Even if they weren’t, I’m one to say “do it big” during the holidays, and uber-stylist and designer Rachel Zoe agrees.
“The holiday season is the perfect excuse to add as much sparkle to your life as possible,” Zoe wrote in her Zoe Report. “Every festive get together from now until New Year’s calls for shimmer!”
I love it! Best of all, it doesn’t have to be a formal black tie event to warrant a little sparkle. If it’s a more casual party you are attending, simply carry an embellished clutch with a little black dress or try pairing a sequin top with skinny jeans and some fun, sparkly shoes like these from Kate Spade that I adore:
I also love these silver glittery smoking loafers from Target (I have them in gold) and these multi-colored glittery ballet flats from JC Penney (I have very similar ones from 9 West)
Head-to-toe Dolce and Gabbana liquid gold heaven:
Silver and gold glitter options
Dressed down but dressy ideas from Nordstrom and Polyvore:
Don’t forget the small details:
Speaking of LBDs, they are always in style and the holidays provide the perfect opportunity to jazz them up a bit with glitz and glamour. Lace is also remains popular, as is the menswear trend. I know if we were attending our club’s big New Year’s Eve bash this year I would perhaps be wearing a stylish women’s tux of some sort. I just love the look!
To make the menswear look work however, be sure to add ladylike touches to your ensemble to create a feminine feel (sky-high heels, statement jewelry, bold lip color, etc.) and keep it from looking like a costume. Also keep it simple and stick to a classic black and white color scheme.
Whatever your occasion, your goal is to be comfortable yet look polished. Three simple ways to do so are to start with a great haircut, get a professional manicure (this is the time for fun metallic or glittery polish!), and shape those eyebrows. As they say, “if eyes are the windows to the soul, eyebrows are the frames.”
Still not sure what to wear? Well, without knowing where you’re going and what your tastes are, I can’t really offer more help, but I can help you decipher the sometimes confusing dress codes, which are:
Black Tie – Women should wear formal full-length or cocktail dresses and men should wear a tux. Black or other dark colors are preferred.
Black Tie Optional/Semi-Formal – Elegant long or knee-length dresses should be a lady’s option. If you choose to wear a short dress, be sure to pick one in rich colors and “dress it up” with special jewelry. Men should wear either a tux or dark dress suit.
Cocktail – This is your chance to be playful yet tasteful. Use color or sparkles to add a little “je ne sais quoi,” but be sure to keep it classy. Dark suits for men.
Business Casual – Women should wear a light and airy dress and even the right pair of sandals will work. For men, a linen suit is perfect.
When all else fails, keep in mind “better overdressed than underdressed” and during the holidays, who can argue with designer Bill Blass when he says:
Have fun and cheers!
1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Version
If I decorate my house perfectly with strands of twinkly lights and shiny balls,
but do not show love to my family, I am just a decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen baking dozens of Christmas cookies and arranging a beautifully adorned table,
but do not share the true meaning of Christmas, I am just another cook.
If I volunteer at a soup kitchen, carol in a nursing home, and donate to charity,
but do not demonstrate simple kindness to strangers, it profits me nothing.
If I attend holiday parties but do not go to mass, I have missed the point.
Love stops cooking to hug a child.
Love sets aside decorating to kiss a spouse.
Love is kind during the holiday though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china, perfectly strung outdoor lights, or a perfect tree.
Love doesn’t ask kids to get out of the way but is thankful they are in the way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return or those on our lists,
but rejoices in giving to those who can’t and those we love.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails, especially at Christmas.
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
How loyal are your leaves
My dear friend Christie who lives in Florida once shared that during hurricane evacuations she packs her photos and her shoes. I would for sure take photos, along with important documents, but I would also take something else that’s very dear to me: Christmas ornaments.
Acquired from throughout my life, the ornaments include an old spool “Santa” from my childhood to expensive keepsakes to handmade gems from a young Kristen. The collection also includes memorable ones from nearly every trip I’ve taken and every place I’ve visited, ranging from Austria to Austin. Taking them out one by one reminds me of so much and reminds me that they are all, regardless of style or cost, priceless heirlooms. Our tree is never one of those color-coordinated, picture-perfect “Southern Living” cover trees. It is a hodge-podge of memories…and it’s always a real tree.
Thankfully both Smitty and I grew up with real Christmas trees so a fake one is out of the question for our family. Back in Santa Fe, we always had a Blue Spruce. I can smell it as I write this. We decorated it with those old-fashioned colored lights and tons of icicles…and I mean tons…put on one at a time and draped just so over individual needles.
Although I don’t use icicles today, I do have a sentimental package of them that I keep with my Christmas stuff. And, instead of those old-school colored bulbs, which are now nearly impossible to find, I use all white lights. Thankfully I do have some of those colored bulbs from my mom and I put them all in a big glass bowl and sprinkle “snow” among them. Looking at them make me smile
But why the trees? Do you even know why we have them?
Many believe the custom began many moons ago when St. Boniface, who was a priest from England, traveled to Germany to convert the pagans. He found some success, but many still worshiped what they considered a sacred oak. Boniface went into the forest and cut down an evergreen and took it into town. He then cut down their sacred oak, which infuriated them, but he showed them that unlike the oak that lost its leaves every year, the evergreen did not lose its leaves. This, he said, is much like the life Jesus offers us: never ending and always there.
Today we purchase trees from tree lots and big lot stores. Some of us go to tree farms and actually cut one down. I have never done this but have always wanted to. It takes a long time for those trees to grow and did you know they are trimmed once-a-year so their branches make the triangle shape we all love? After about eight years of growing in a farm or forest, trees are selected for their new homes: yours and mine!
Even though I love real Christmas trees, one other kind that I’m not ashamed to admit I like are those gaudy aluminum ones. They are so much fun and remind me of childhood neighbors who always had one.
I love Christmas trees. I love a room where the only lighting is the tree. They are magical. This week in my preschool class, I talked all about Christmas trees and read the kids one of my favorite Christmas books, “The Night Tree.”
What kind of tree do you have? Do you have any special memories or special ornaments? Please share!
A Christmas Tree Glossary
Courtesy Martha Stewart Living
Douglas Fir – One of the most common holiday trees, it boasts firm branches and soft needles that emit a fragrance when crushed. It is also one of the lighter weight trees, making it easy to transport.
Noble Fir – Sturdy branches make this Pacific Northwest native a good choice if you have a lot of and/or heavy ornaments. The tree’s straight and strong limbs give it a full, rounded appearance.
Fraser Fir – A pair of slivery stripes on the underside of each needle distinguishes this aromatic tree from the nearly identical Balsam Fir. It has strong, upturned branches that are ideal for holding ornaments. The Balsam Fir’s needles are deep green and the tree has a pyramid shape and slender top.
The sweet-scented Concolor Fir is tall and narrow with loosely spaced, bluish needles that are great for showcasing ornaments. It is sometimes called a White Fir. Nordmann Firs are the preferred Christmas trees in Europe and are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. They are prized for their fat pyramid shape and lush, dark green foliage.
White Pine – This large, blue-green tree is often sheared to have a narrow silhouette, making it popular for small areas. Its limbs are very dense though, which can tend to obscure ornaments.
Carolina Sapphire Cypress – This southern dweller is naturally broad and has a strong lemon and mint scent. Like the Blue Ice Cypress, its branches can support small lights, tinsel and a few ornaments, but if you’re looking for a tree that can hold much and/or heavy adornment, these are not the trees for you. The Leyland Cypress is the most popular tree in the Southeast. They can be tall or fat and need to be watered several times a day.
Blue Spruce – A popular Christmas tree because of its symmetrical form and attractive blue foliage, this state tree of both Colorado and Utah also boasts great needle retention and a narrow, pyramid shape.
Blessing of the Christmas Tree
God of all creation, we praise you for this tree that brings beauty and memories and the promise of life to our home. May your blessing be upon all who gather around this tree, all who keep the Christmas festival by its light. Amen.
Letter Perfect
Dear Friends and Family:
Merry Christmas! We hope the past year has been good to you. It’s been great for us! We won the lottery, all of our kids are straight A students and working on their PhDs at Ivy League schools, we ran several marathons, never argue or fight, took several fabulous trips, and couldn’t be happier!
Does reading that make you want to read more? Probably not. But, that can often be the case with Christmas letters. The evil step-sisters of previously simple and often religious cards, these annual missives of good cheer have gotten out of hand.
I used to send friends and family a Christmas letter from the Smiths. I cleverly (well at least in my mind!) made it look like a newspaper front page and included all the news that was fit to print regarding Carla, Steve, and Kristen. Then came Facebook, texting, email, Skype, and all the other ways we now keep up and keep in touch with those we love and those we kinda like. Anything I’d include in a Christmas letter most people already know about via posts and status updates. My Christmas letter became a thing of the past.
I used to do it big too. I was never one to get a standard “send to everyone” card. I always bought several styles and themes and matched them to those I sent them to. Every year I’d also invite girlfriends over for cocoa, wine, and holiday snacks and we sit around and get our cards done while the kids were in school. It was both fun and productive. Sadly, in a move that disappointed those I always invited, the card party also become a thing of Christmases past.
I’ve always loved Christmas cards and still have a box of many of my favorites. I remember my mom sending and receiving Christmas cards and displaying them on our stairway. It was so much fun to get them in the mail. That’s how it all started. Then came family photos followed by Snapfish collages and professionally designed letters. Today it’s one more thing that society has turned into a competition.
Everyone has an opinion about the Christmas letter, which is usually chock-full of competitive musings. Some people love them; others loathe them. What most people do like are photos and personal notes and signatures. What people don’t like is excessive bragging or a mass-produced photo card with no personalized signature.
Are you planning to share your holiday glad tidings in the form of a Christmas letter? If so, make yours magical and one that recipients actually enjoy reading. Here are some tips:
One last idea I’d like to suggest, and one that I still try to do, is place all the cards you receive in one big basket. After dinner, when they come in the mail, or anytime you want, talk about the person who each card is from and how you know them. In today’s spread out and mobile world, our kids don’t often know our high school friends, college buddies, and even some relatives and former neighbors. Read the card from these special people in our lives, tell your kids about them, and maybe even say a prayer for them.
Do you have any other tips or suggestions for Christmas (or any holiday) letter or card? Please share!
CAUTION: WHAY YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ YOU PROBABLY DON’T WANT YOUR LITTLE ONES TO READ!
Okay, you’ve been forewarned! Now, my question today: how do you handle Santa Claus in your family?
My co-worked Ana and I were talking about this just recently, as her youngest son is of the age where he’s asking lots of questions. Are you honest? If so, how so?
I remember the situation very clearly when Kristen started wondering and I also remember a few friends telling me I had to tell her the truth or she would be made fun of someday for believing in him. Not so fast, my friends. Instead, I simply told her that I believe in Santa and that in order to receive you have to believe. But, our Santa is not just the red-clothed, white-bearded jolly guy. He is St. Nicholas. He is Jesus. He is mom and dad.
You see, in our little family, Santa has never been the main man of Christmas. I’m not sure how Santa handles things in your house, but in the Smith household he only puts little things in our stockings. Our “real” gifts are from each other. Santa? He’s simply a nice guy who fills our stockings.
Kristen is now 20-years-old and yet she still also knows not to have more than three things from mom and dad on her Christmas list. All her life, that’s what she’s gotten, just like Jesus did from the 3 Kings. It’s a family tradition I started and that I hope someday she passes on to her kids.
As many of you know, last Friday was the Feast of St. Nicholas. I always teach the kids in my class that St. Nick was the original Santa Claus. (“santa” means “saint” in Spanish by the way.) I show them pictures of him dressed in his red coat and sporting his white beard and they all say “that’s Santa!” Yes, and no. I then tell them the story about St. Nicholas, who was a real life bishop, being so generous and that one time he heard about three sisters who were so poor they couldn’t afford their weddings, so he snuck onto their roof and dropped bags of gold coins down their chimney. The coins landed in their stockings that were hanging near the fire to dry. Hmmm…stockings on the mantle. That sounds familiar!
So, as we all hang our stockings, and start putting out gifts under the tree, and place Santas all over our homes, let’s remember the history behind those stockings, who those gifts are really from and why we get them, and let’s make sure a “kneeling Santa” is front and center in your Santa collections.
WHY JESUS IS BETTER THAN SANTA
Santa lives at the North Pole
Jesus lives everywhere
Santa rides in a sleigh
Jesus rides in the wind and walks on water
Santa comes only once a year
Jesus is always around
Santa fills your stockings with goodies
Jesus fills your life with goodness
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly
Jesus has a heart full of love
Santa says “Ho, Ho, Ho”
Jesus says “Hope, Hope, Hope”
Santa says “You better not cry”
Jesus says “I will be there when you’re sad”
Santa puts gifts under our tree
Jesus is our gift!
Joy To The World
“Always be joyful and always keep praying. Scatter joy. This is God’s will.” 1 Thes. 5:14
I keep a file in my desk of “Blog Ideas.” I’m forever running across things I think would make great blogs and people are always telling me, “I feel a blog coming!”
One notion I wrote down months ago was the difference between Joy and Happy.
Webster’s defines “joy” as a feeling of great pleasure and delight. “Happy” on the other hand is defined as a feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. So joy isn’t necessarily happiness; it’s more than happiness. Happiness is fleeting and temporary. Joy is a true sense of utter and permanent delight inside.
During the holidays we often hear the word joy. “Joy to the World.” “Echoing their joyous strains.” “Comfort and joy.” But what, exactly, does “joy” mean?
My church often hosts speakers of all kinds and I don’t often attend them, but for some reason one this past week drew me in. I read about and knew I had to go. The speaker was Sally Robb and she spoke about “Choosing Joy”
Sally spoke all about joy vs. happiness. She said happiness is attached to circumstances but joy isn’t. In short, when things go well you are happy. But, if you have true joy, you remain in that state even when things aren’t going well. How do you get there?
By allowing God to open you up to let Him move in you. She called people who have the grace to do this “shiny people.” You know the type: those you meet who just radiate sense of bliss and blessedness. God, I found out through Sally, wants us all to be like that.
In fact, she reminded us that St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that “our sin, given to Him, gives Him His greatest joy.” I loved Sally’s description of this when she talked about Jesus healing the leper. We all know the story, but, Sally asked, where did the leprosy go when it was removed from the man? Jesus took it, that’s where. The only way our sins really die are on the cross when Jesus takes them and He does so every single day!
Another analogy Sally used was that of a barren twig vs. a beautiful flowering poinsettia. She said we can chose to live in the barrenness of a twig thinking God turns away from us in disappointment for our sins, or we can choose to “bloom” knowing He says our actual names and forgives us unendingly. We can run towards love and away from sin or we can run away from love, which is what sin ultimately is.
Finally, Sally suggested we live each day knowing God loves us and is there for us each and every step of the way. Yes, there will be heartache and pain, but it’s all just the truth of our lives. It’s not our job to control every aspect of those lives, but to let Him free us of guilt and the pain that goes with it.
Whew! How awesome is that?!
“The joy of the Lord is our strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
That’s how truly joyful people live. Think about it. Don’t you find it difficult to offend a joyful person? Joyful people let insults role off them and there is forever a spring in their step. They are loving, kind, gentle, and unselfish. They are, quite frankly, a joy to be around.
In researching this blog I also ran across an acronym for JOY that I loved: “J” is for having Jesus first in your life, “O” is for placing Others second only to Him, and “Y” is for placing Yourself last. If we put Jesus first in our lives, joy is a natural byproduct that will empower us to really love others and love ourselves. Let’s not forget that Joy is also one of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps “The Purpose Driven Life” author Ken Warren said it best when he wrote, “I thought joy meant feeling good all the time. That’s impossible! So here’s the definition I’ve come up with from studying Scripture:
“Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”
Can I hear an Amen?!
“May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13
So let’s go spread good tidings of joy this Christmas season and pray that joy will envelope the world.
We are smack dab in the middle of “Holiday Season,” which also means the travel season. It, along with summer, is the busiest time to travel. Don’t we know it?! Have you been to an airport lately or stood in a security line? It’s crazy!
Planes are fuller, fares are higher, service is mediocre, and non-stop flights are harder and harder to find. Ten years ago around 10 airlines were in business, today it’s down to four, meaning 85 percent of air travel is controlled by fewer and fewer carriers. To make matters worse, those airlines are nickel and diming us, the flying customers, to death with checked bag fees, added costs for non-online purchases, and reservation changes. We pay their bills but they don’t seem to care! But, we are complaining! A recent study by Purdue and Wichita State Universities found that airline complaints have risen more than 20 percent. Could it be lost baggage? Delayed flights? Missed connections? Involuntary bumping? All of the above?
To avoid delayed flights, you might consider driving to your destination. I personally love long road trips but I know many of you don’t. To, driving for up to 12 hours can prove way less stressful than flying from airport to airport.
To avoid missing your connections, try your hardest to book non-stop or direct flights or, at the very least, avoid big hubs like Atlanta, Chicago and D/FW. Lost bag numbers are actually somewhat on a decline, but experts believe the reason is more people are choosing not to check their bags because of the extra fees most airlines charge. (So far Southwest and Jet Blue do not.)
As for trying to avoid being involuntarily bumped from a flight you have a confirmed reservation on, (and yes, it does happen), maybe opt for JetBlue or Virgin America, who don’t overbook or oversell flights. If that’s not possible, keep in mind that those most likely to get bumped are either the last ones to check in, paid the lowest fares, and/or don’t have an advance seat assignment.
I often use Expedia to book travel if I’m not flying Southwest or JetBlue, but online sellers like Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz complain they are often denied “choice seats” on carriers. And what about using air miles or points? Good luck doing so during any peak travel times, including the holidays.
Some of you may still like to use travel agents or specialists, if you can find them. In general, experts say to use travel consultants not necessarily to find low prices, but rather top-rate travel experiences. Work with a specialist if you need highly-personalized itineraries, once-in-a-lifetime activities, or specialized guides and drivers. Work on your own if you want the least expensive trip possible, are looking for simple and popular day tours or restaurant reservations that concierge services can help you arrange, and if you have more time than money.
When booking hotels, if I’m not familiar with a property, I rely heavily on word-of-mouth and Trip Advisor. I know many live by the “you don’t spend much time in your room so it really doesn’t matter where you stay” motto, but I’m one of those rare birds that actually likes hotels (well, most hotels!), so it does matter to me! Keep in mind this tidbit shared with Conde Nast Traveler magazine by a front desk clerk: “Guests don’t know it, but we often have a lot of leeway to decide on which room you get right up to the very last minute. If you’re impatient or nasty, you’ll get a room in front of the elevator or one that overlooks the street, so be nice!”
As for what to do before you even leave town, Conde Nast Traveler recommends you make two copies of the contents of your wallet: one to give to a friend or relative and one to keep with you but separate from your wallet. It’s also recommended that you leave an extra set of car and house keys with a trusted friend or neighbor. And, always, always double-check your flight status before leaving for the airport. Delays are common and cancellations happen!
The most important things to pack? Patience and tolerance! Happy travels everyone!
Do you have any valuable travel tips you can share? We’re listening!
Thursday we celebrated Thanksgiving; Friday we hit the stores and malls on “Black Friday;” Saturday many commemorated “Small Business Saturday” by purchasing items at local, small businesses; and tomorrow on “Cyber Monday” some 100 million of us will take to our computers and notebooks to shop til we drop on-line. What about today?
Today let’s all celebrate what “Parade” magazine editors call “Giving Sunday.” Since 2011, the Sunday paper insert’s readers have donated millions of dollars to the charities of their choice. What a great idea!
Every year our family donates to our church and college alma maters and also Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in Dallas. I personally also donate to Austin’s “Breakthrough,” which supports area high schoolers who are first generation college attendees and the Carmelite nuns in Santa Fe. This year I also want to donate to “The Wounded Warrior Project” and the Central Texas SPCA, where we got our sweet Boomer nearly one year ago.
When I think about it, all of these have influenced my life and inspired me in some way or another. Church and OU are both pretty obvious, but what about the others? Scottish Rite doctors were there for Kristen early on, “Breakthrough” is special to me because I am the only member of my immediate family to graduate from college, Sister Marie Bernadette and her fellow Carmelites have forever been so special to my mom and our whole family, members of the U.S. armed forces remind us every day of their sacrifices on our behalf, and Boomer has brought pure joy into our home! Yep, I’m pretty sure they’re all deserving!
So as we decorate our homes with Christmas cheer, how about sharing some of that cheer with charities of your choice? After all, as St. Francis said, it is in giving that we receive.
Beyond Words 