It could work

We have several Christmas countdowns at our house. That way, when the question is asked, "Is it Christmas yet?" we can just say, "Does Santa have all the cotton balls on his beard yet?" It works really well. Every night each boy puts a cotton ball on Santa's beard (there are three Santas), then they each eat the nasty little chocolate from their advent calendars, then we move the little magnet on the other countdown, then we go to bed. A few nights ago I wasn't available to help them with their cotton balls. (Okay, so I was sleeping, but I had a headache!) Steve took charge easily, and the next night he was ready to help again. As he walked toward the Santa beards with the cotton balls I said, "Honey, that isn't a glue stick in your hand. It's a sunscreen stick." "Oh," came his reply, "It worked last night." I showed him where the actual glue sticks were, but the cotton balls that were stuck on with sunscreen are still on there. So if you're ever in a bind and need something adhesive, a sunscreen stick will work. But make sure it's SPF 45. That might be important.

Christmas songs that I don’t understand

I love Christmas music. Music in general, but Christmas music is just fantastic. For the most part. There are a few Christmas songs that I just don’t get.

For example, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” is a fun Christmas song. But I have never understood the line about “scary ghost stories”. Are we really gathered around the hearth at Christmas time telling scary ghost stories? Seems more Halloweeny to me. The only thing that I can figure is that maybe it’s talking about the ghost of Christmas past, present, and yet to come. Other than that, I would prefer not to have any scary ghost stories at Christmas time.

There are some songs that I’ve discovered I like better as a cover. “Last Christmas” for example. The original Wham version I could do without. Why are we singing about a break-up as a Christmas song? And the only reason that it’s a Christmas song is because it has the word Christmas in it. But the Jimmy Eat World version, I don’t mind so much. I don’t understand why that is, because it’s the same lyrics and tune. Weird.

Don’t even get me started on the Christmas shoes song either. That has got to be one of the most hated Christmas songs of all time, right up there with the jingle bell dogs. The first time I heard the Christmas Shoes song, I was driving down the street and I was all hormonal because I was pregnant. I started crying so hard that I had to pull over because I couldn’t see well enough to drive. Like I need this during the holiday season? Why do I need to hear a song about a poor little kid who’s about to lose his mother at Christmas time? It’s a horrible, horrible song. Since I have such strong feelings for it, my lovely sister bought me the sheet music, so I can play it whenever I want. Joy.

My husband is probably rolling his eyes right now because he’s heard my Christmas music rant many times. Now everyone who reads this can roll their eyes along with him. There’s more to my rant also, but I just chose to share the abridged version.