The Side of the Cereal Box

Merry Christmas!!!

As far as I’m concerned, this holiday season doesn’t last nearly long enough. That doesn’t mean I’m in favor of Christmas decorations and sale items being up in the stores before Halloween; I just love the feel of the season - the lights, the music, (the candy), peace on earth, goodwill toward men …even the weather (when it’s pristine snowy and not “muddy slushie” snowy)!

And I must say, I love shopping for everybody. I love picking out things I think they’d like (whether they’re things they’ve thought of and put on their “list” or not); I love wrapping them (while listening to Christmas music, of course), and I love the excitement and anticipation of waiting for them to open it and seeing the looks on their faces.

Unfortunately, this enthusiasm can backfire (in a way): case in point, I’m already done with my shopping for this year. That’s a good thing in that I’m not going to be racing around on Christmas Eve going, “What am I gonna get so-and-so?!” But it’s a bad thing in that I have no real reason for going out to the shopping venues and sharing in and soaking up that Christmas spirit. (I’m an abnormal girl in this respect: I don’t like window-shopping.) But there are ways to supplement that lack! Namely, music and movies!

That said, my top 10 Christmas CDs are:
10. Mannheim Steamroller “Christmas”
9. Jars of Clay “Drummer Boy” (LOVE “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”!)
8. Point of Grace “Christmas Story”
7. Trans-Siberian Orchestra “The Christmas Attic”
6. VeggieTales “A Very Veggie Christmas”
5. Mannheim Steamroller “Christmas in the Aire”
4. Trans-Siberian Orchestra “Christmas Eve and Other Stories”
3. Glad “An Acapella Christmas”
2. Mannheim Steamroller “A Fresh Aire Christmas”
1. John Denver & the Muppets “A Christmas Together”

*Note: The top 3 trade places with each other quite often, so think of them as all tied for first if you want.*

And my top 10 Christmas movies are:
10. One Magic Christmas (a movie from 1985 - anybody remember it?)
9. Mickey’s Christmas Carol
8. Miracle on 34th Street (the original with Natalie Wood)
7. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
6. White Christmas
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the original, animated version)
4. Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol
3. Santa Claus: The Movie
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas
1. The Muppet Christmas Carol (hands down the best version!)

–P.S. Feel free to comment on your Christmas favorites!!!