Advent, Day Seven

(NB: Days Five and Six were celebrated with mulled wine and carols. Again. Oh yeah, and with that music video.)

Onto Day Seven:

'Nuff said.

The Best Christmas Music Video Yet

Funny AND heartwarming.

Click the title of the post for the original story.

And here's a word from Mariah Carey: 

At home for the fourth day of Advent

You're a mean one, Mr Grinch. You really are a heel. You're as cuddly as a cactus, you're as charming as an eel, Mr Grinch. You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel! (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 2001)

Today I didn't get as much done as I wanted (when is that not true?). However, I have managed to clean most of my kitchen, and once clean, I made pumpkin bread with leftover pumpkin from the Thanksgiving muffins. I mulled wine (hello, winter comfort!), and have started roasting chestnuts for the first time ever. I hope they turn out well. None of them look like they're going to explode, which is a bonus. While I've been cleaning and baking and roasting, I've been listening to my Christmas music playlist.

For a late dinner, following a late lunch, I plan to have whatever is left of the wine, a slice or two of pumpkin bread, and a few chestnuts.

Next weekend I hope to get down to the Christmas Market (see this post and this one for details on last year's market trip).

This year for Christmas, there's something I'd really like. So if you're up there somewhere, Santa, please don't bring me another bike. I don't need any ugly sweaters, and I don't play much basketball. There's something kind of special that I want most of all... I want an alien for Christmas! Bring me an alien this year! I want a little green guy about three feet high, with seventeen eyes who knows how to fly... (Fountains of Wayne)

It's a Wonderful Life: Advent Days Two and Three

Dear George: Remember, no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings, Love Clarence

 Image of the movie poster believed to be from RKO pictures, found on Wikipedia

 
I had grander plans for today, but life and work intervened. However, I did manage to steal some well-spent time on a walk to the library* this afternoon, where I picked up It's a Wonderful Life, my favorite Christmas movie, probably ever. It's been my favorite since I was a child and we first watched it as a family when it was aired on one of the TV holiday specials. I finally cooked dinner (vegetarian 3-bean chili and whole wheat corn muffins), and I sat down to watch the film. The quote above may be my favorite quote, although it is never actually spoken by any of the characters. This movie always puts me in the best frame of mind for the holidays.

Yesterday, nothing special: I listened to some carols by Lionheart and Nat King Cole.



*I have just discovered how convenient it can be to borrow DVDs from the library (of course, they don't have everything, but it's much cheaper than buying when I have no TV to watch the specials!)

My Advent Calendar Begins!

It's becoming a tradition, now... For anyone who is not familiar with the back story behind the tradition, please feel free to read this post.

Yesterday I was having a bad time concentrating on anything. Plagued by the blue devils. So I started listening to the classical podcast I have in iTunes. After a couple episodes, I serendipitously found one:

So I tried to listen to carols in between having a very difficult day. It would have been better if I could have listened to the whole thing without any interruptions, but I'll do that another time.

The podcast covers earlier Christmas music by the male choir "Lionheart." I really like it, but then I enjoy listening to medieval (i.e. historical) carols.