Christmas Countdown - 2019
- Thread starter Crown 84
- Start date
- Watchers 46
- Status
AuntieMistletoeDear
MMC Hostess of Christmas Online
MMC Lifer
Christmas.com Alum
Christmas Crew
Christmas Talk Alum
AuntieMistletoeDear
MMC Hostess of Christmas Online
MMC Lifer
Christmas.com Alum
Christmas Crew
Christmas Talk Alum
That's like when I discovered, my Eggnog smelled iffy so I tossed it out rather than waiting for the expiration date. No worries, I have a replacement now.
Thanks Auntie!
I talked with Michelle last night and we decided to start thinking of some traditions we can start. And then if we ever get grand kids, we change them again if needed.
Thanks @Christmaswarlock !
Your post brought back many childhood memories. It's those memories that fill my heart all year long and make want to celebrate every day like it's Christmas.
So beautifully said, Christmaswarlock. Christmas has given us all so much. We truly do owe it more than we could repay it. I'm glad to hear your kids love the Season. The times have surely changed, yet the excitement and anticipation still remains for all of us!
Happy Remembrance Day. Happy Veterans Day.
It's not quite a happy celebration, yet it is something we really need to always recall as we starting preparing for our favourite time of the year.
Thank you to everyone that has served and continues to do so.
It's not quite a happy celebration, yet it is something we really need to always recall as we starting preparing for our favourite time of the year.
Thank you to everyone that has served and continues to do so.
Good Tuesday middle-of-the-night. I’ve been awake since 2:45 and couldn’t fall back asleep, so here I am on the couch with Loki sleeping on my lap, watching the Christmas Cookie Challenge on Food Network.
We are in the midst of our first significant snowfall/snow storm. Not looking forward to driving to work later this morning. Temperatures have also dropped quite a bit, a true Winter day.
Hope everyone will enjoy a great day!
We are in the midst of our first significant snowfall/snow storm. Not looking forward to driving to work later this morning. Temperatures have also dropped quite a bit, a true Winter day.
Hope everyone will enjoy a great day!
AuntieMistletoeDear
MMC Hostess of Christmas Online
MMC Lifer
Christmas.com Alum
Christmas Crew
Christmas Talk Alum
DAY 1 Special Post
We gather here to celebrate the joys of the season throughout the year. The countdown thread has become a daily, weekly hang out for many of us.
Today, as we inch ever closer to the most wonderful day of the year, I give you my spin on the merry feeling that hits me whenever I return to MMC.
I think back to Christmas traditions as a child, growing up in a home filled with merriment. The lead up to Christmas Day began in my home 2-3 weeks before Christmas.
My brothers and I would head into the bush and fetch the perfect tree (usually a scotch pine or spruce); one that would have spacious branches spread out so that the ornaments could be seen in different places among the branches. In the early days, it was about 7-8 feet tall and stood in the center of a large window. It wasn’t long before we began fetching taller trees; 12-13 feet high that would stand in the corner with the fabric Angel gifted to my parents from my dad’s parents; the top of the Angel would often touch the cathedral ceiling.
I am going to walk you through the Christmas preparations and how they relate to the people and gatherings here at MMC.
Dad would begin by detangling the Christmas lights, plugging them in and making sure they all work. This is what @Jeff Westover does for us from the back end constantly throughout the year. He readies the server and double-checks things to make sure everything runs smoothly. If there’s a light out, it’s fixed quickly so we can continue to enjoy our time here.
The lights are strategically secured to the branches of the tree; a ladder is used to reach beyond 6 feet.
Next, we unpack the mostly glass and other delicate ornaments from the 60’s and 70’s. We would hand them to dad, one at a time and he would place them where he wanted them to be displayed. These are the merry pages and sections of MMC where we can choose different aspects of Christmas and perhaps other holidays, music, fun and games, and other annual celebrations to add sparkle to our visits.
Next, the tinsel is placed on the tree, one strand at a time without clumps. This represents the long-time members that have decorated the many pages of the Countdown and other threads and continue to visit frequently throughout the year.
Once the tree is ready and the lights (back then they were multi-colored Nova Lights) are turned on, we feel an instant connection to Christmas. We bask in the lights and admire the decorations. This represents some of the nostalgic and heartfelt posts that still rest deep within these merry pages.
The tree appears to be the centerpiece of our celebration, yet we need to transform our home to truly embrace the merry feeling, the instant someone enters. Mom would add cedar or spruce boughs and mirrored silver beads with red velvet bows to the wrought iron railing leading from the main floor to our bedrooms and bathroom visible from the front door, as we lived in a two & a half-story backsplit. These decorations represent the new members who come our way and decorate our pages with new offerings of traditions, memories and planning they hold dear. Just like us when we first walked through the merry door, they marvel at the fact that such a place exists where you can safely discuss Christmas in all its glory any day of the year.
Christmas themed and winter figurines are added in various places throughout the home. Seasonal or scented candles may also be added for extra warmth. These represent the special posts and podcasts that are offered throughout the year to help us carry on with our yuletide cheer and the merry momentum we need to stay jolly.
What home would be Christmas ready without the sounds, sights, smells and tastes of the season. For some of us that requires Christmas music considered retro these days, while others take solace in new Christmas tunes or obscure ones like @JayIsh and @RadioJonD. We have KringleRadio at MMC; suitable name and many voices of familiar MMC members can be heard. The music that resides in our festive hearts speaks to the traditions (old and new) that bring joy and heartfelt reflections; for some all year long and for others after Thanksgiving.
The Christmas movies and specials we cherished as children often return to us and are shared with the next generation (where they exist) to keep the joy of stories that tell the tale of North Pole adventures, Nativity and finding out that the true meaning of Christmas doesn’t come from a store and that an old scrooge can become a new person with goodness in his heart. For others it means another heartfelt telling of miracles and communities coming together to bring happiness to someone else or to mourn a loss while celebrating the beauty of that person. These films and specials represent our sharing of personal triumphs, joys and losses throughout the year. Where our friendships take hold and we support one another with heartfelt connections throughout the year.
Smell that? Oh yes, there it is … Christmas baking and feasts of the season. For us the smells and tastes included cookies, tarts, squares, chocolates, nuts, and turkey with all the trimmings. When we gather and share recipes and family traditions we hold dear, it sometimes paves the way for new ideas from other Christmas enthusiasts to test with our families. The smells and tastes of Christmas are like the merry sparks that reminds us of our traditions like leaving out treats for Santa or giving generously to those less fortunate so they can enjoy a warm meal over the holidays or the walk to or from Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, visiting relatives over the holidays and we share those moments in our posts and spark a comment or two; this is the jolly glue that inspires friendships when we realize how much we have in common.
Our decorations aren’t quite complete; the inside is quite merry, but now we add lights and yard decorations or perhaps a luminary runway for Santa and to welcome Christmas visitors. This is where our SantaUpdate.com and tracking and the front pages of the MMC with links comes into play. As a child it was NORAD that sent us to bed. As a grandmother, and merry wacko; our Santa updates and tracking around the world have become a welcomed new tradition for 13 years.
Now, it’s time to hang our stockings and grow in anticipation of what surprises await us, wrapped under the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. This represents returning members. Our door is always unlocked and we leave the front lights on so it’s easy to navigate your return. On Christmas morning we begin to experience the casual gathering in the countdown as Crown’s daily posting comes to an end, ever so briefly as they take a rest period from Boxing Day until a new thread is launched at 12:01 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
On this special day, may you reflect on the path (good or bad) that brought you to MMC and the many reasons you continue to visit here. May we continued to gather here experiencing a jolly connection of wondrous proportions any day of the year.
“Welcome, Christmas! Come this way.” I open the door to DAY 1 of the countdown; at midnight we welcome the first day of our “in season” countdown.
Keep a merry thought in your head.
Festsive Regards,
Auntie M.
We gather here to celebrate the joys of the season throughout the year. The countdown thread has become a daily, weekly hang out for many of us.
Today, as we inch ever closer to the most wonderful day of the year, I give you my spin on the merry feeling that hits me whenever I return to MMC.
I think back to Christmas traditions as a child, growing up in a home filled with merriment. The lead up to Christmas Day began in my home 2-3 weeks before Christmas.
My brothers and I would head into the bush and fetch the perfect tree (usually a scotch pine or spruce); one that would have spacious branches spread out so that the ornaments could be seen in different places among the branches. In the early days, it was about 7-8 feet tall and stood in the center of a large window. It wasn’t long before we began fetching taller trees; 12-13 feet high that would stand in the corner with the fabric Angel gifted to my parents from my dad’s parents; the top of the Angel would often touch the cathedral ceiling.
I am going to walk you through the Christmas preparations and how they relate to the people and gatherings here at MMC.
Dad would begin by detangling the Christmas lights, plugging them in and making sure they all work. This is what @Jeff Westover does for us from the back end constantly throughout the year. He readies the server and double-checks things to make sure everything runs smoothly. If there’s a light out, it’s fixed quickly so we can continue to enjoy our time here.
The lights are strategically secured to the branches of the tree; a ladder is used to reach beyond 6 feet.
Next, we unpack the mostly glass and other delicate ornaments from the 60’s and 70’s. We would hand them to dad, one at a time and he would place them where he wanted them to be displayed. These are the merry pages and sections of MMC where we can choose different aspects of Christmas and perhaps other holidays, music, fun and games, and other annual celebrations to add sparkle to our visits.
Next, the tinsel is placed on the tree, one strand at a time without clumps. This represents the long-time members that have decorated the many pages of the Countdown and other threads and continue to visit frequently throughout the year.
Once the tree is ready and the lights (back then they were multi-colored Nova Lights) are turned on, we feel an instant connection to Christmas. We bask in the lights and admire the decorations. This represents some of the nostalgic and heartfelt posts that still rest deep within these merry pages.
The tree appears to be the centerpiece of our celebration, yet we need to transform our home to truly embrace the merry feeling, the instant someone enters. Mom would add cedar or spruce boughs and mirrored silver beads with red velvet bows to the wrought iron railing leading from the main floor to our bedrooms and bathroom visible from the front door, as we lived in a two & a half-story backsplit. These decorations represent the new members who come our way and decorate our pages with new offerings of traditions, memories and planning they hold dear. Just like us when we first walked through the merry door, they marvel at the fact that such a place exists where you can safely discuss Christmas in all its glory any day of the year.
Christmas themed and winter figurines are added in various places throughout the home. Seasonal or scented candles may also be added for extra warmth. These represent the special posts and podcasts that are offered throughout the year to help us carry on with our yuletide cheer and the merry momentum we need to stay jolly.
What home would be Christmas ready without the sounds, sights, smells and tastes of the season. For some of us that requires Christmas music considered retro these days, while others take solace in new Christmas tunes or obscure ones like @JayIsh and @RadioJonD. We have KringleRadio at MMC; suitable name and many voices of familiar MMC members can be heard. The music that resides in our festive hearts speaks to the traditions (old and new) that bring joy and heartfelt reflections; for some all year long and for others after Thanksgiving.
The Christmas movies and specials we cherished as children often return to us and are shared with the next generation (where they exist) to keep the joy of stories that tell the tale of North Pole adventures, Nativity and finding out that the true meaning of Christmas doesn’t come from a store and that an old scrooge can become a new person with goodness in his heart. For others it means another heartfelt telling of miracles and communities coming together to bring happiness to someone else or to mourn a loss while celebrating the beauty of that person. These films and specials represent our sharing of personal triumphs, joys and losses throughout the year. Where our friendships take hold and we support one another with heartfelt connections throughout the year.
Smell that? Oh yes, there it is … Christmas baking and feasts of the season. For us the smells and tastes included cookies, tarts, squares, chocolates, nuts, and turkey with all the trimmings. When we gather and share recipes and family traditions we hold dear, it sometimes paves the way for new ideas from other Christmas enthusiasts to test with our families. The smells and tastes of Christmas are like the merry sparks that reminds us of our traditions like leaving out treats for Santa or giving generously to those less fortunate so they can enjoy a warm meal over the holidays or the walk to or from Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, visiting relatives over the holidays and we share those moments in our posts and spark a comment or two; this is the jolly glue that inspires friendships when we realize how much we have in common.
Our decorations aren’t quite complete; the inside is quite merry, but now we add lights and yard decorations or perhaps a luminary runway for Santa and to welcome Christmas visitors. This is where our SantaUpdate.com and tracking and the front pages of the MMC with links comes into play. As a child it was NORAD that sent us to bed. As a grandmother, and merry wacko; our Santa updates and tracking around the world have become a welcomed new tradition for 13 years.
Now, it’s time to hang our stockings and grow in anticipation of what surprises await us, wrapped under the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. This represents returning members. Our door is always unlocked and we leave the front lights on so it’s easy to navigate your return. On Christmas morning we begin to experience the casual gathering in the countdown as Crown’s daily posting comes to an end, ever so briefly as they take a rest period from Boxing Day until a new thread is launched at 12:01 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
On this special day, may you reflect on the path (good or bad) that brought you to MMC and the many reasons you continue to visit here. May we continued to gather here experiencing a jolly connection of wondrous proportions any day of the year.
“Welcome, Christmas! Come this way.” I open the door to DAY 1 of the countdown; at midnight we welcome the first day of our “in season” countdown.
Keep a merry thought in your head.
Festsive Regards,
Auntie M.
Happy Tuesday Twelve MMC! Been fun reading the special posts this year. Can't believe that tomorrow we will reach the season. Unbelievable and then the time to get ready for Thanksgiving gets more serious. Just an amazing feeling being here again with everyone. Have a great Tuesday Twelve!
Good morning all!
Well yesterday was quite a day. In the morning we had the funeral service for my mother-in-law. Though funerals are never truly a happy time, it was a wonderful service and nice to see family that we do not normally get to see, and talk about pleasant times and memories. The cemetery is wonderful, it is the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. It is a HUGE cemetery and is where many famous Daytonians are buried, such as the Wright Brothers and Paul Lawrence Dunbar. She is buried right next to a buckeye tree.
During the service the weather was cloudy and in the 40s. I live about 40 minutes north of the cemetery, and a cold front was a approaching. By 4pm, the temperature dropped and the snow started falling. We ended up with 4 inches of snow and some ice on the roads underneath that. The temperature is in the mid-20s with a low of about 11 tonight. Schools in the area are all closed today. It is nice to have the day off after a weekend of funeral preparations and such.
Life with finally start getting back into a routine, especially for my wife, who has spent the last couple of weeks at the hospital with her mom or taking care of her dad. She is quite ready to head back to work and have a normal schedule again.
The holidays will certainly be different this year without my mother-in-law. She loved the holidays and did everything she could for the grand-kids to make it a special time. She will be missed!
Thanks again to all for the positive thoughts and prayers!
Well yesterday was quite a day. In the morning we had the funeral service for my mother-in-law. Though funerals are never truly a happy time, it was a wonderful service and nice to see family that we do not normally get to see, and talk about pleasant times and memories. The cemetery is wonderful, it is the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. It is a HUGE cemetery and is where many famous Daytonians are buried, such as the Wright Brothers and Paul Lawrence Dunbar. She is buried right next to a buckeye tree.
During the service the weather was cloudy and in the 40s. I live about 40 minutes north of the cemetery, and a cold front was a approaching. By 4pm, the temperature dropped and the snow started falling. We ended up with 4 inches of snow and some ice on the roads underneath that. The temperature is in the mid-20s with a low of about 11 tonight. Schools in the area are all closed today. It is nice to have the day off after a weekend of funeral preparations and such.
Life with finally start getting back into a routine, especially for my wife, who has spent the last couple of weeks at the hospital with her mom or taking care of her dad. She is quite ready to head back to work and have a normal schedule again.
The holidays will certainly be different this year without my mother-in-law. She loved the holidays and did everything she could for the grand-kids to make it a special time. She will be missed!
Thanks again to all for the positive thoughts and prayers!
Happy Tuesday!!
Can't believe we are so close to the season...typical work day for me and I need to catch up on laundry tonight. We are supposed to have some cold temps by the end of the day. Hope you all have a great day!
Can't believe we are so close to the season...typical work day for me and I need to catch up on laundry tonight. We are supposed to have some cold temps by the end of the day. Hope you all have a great day!
Awesome! Lucky you!
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