Friday, November 18, 2011

Having Holiday Acceptance...


Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas...Does it really matter? To me it doesn't. I don't see why people get so offended if someone says Happy Holidays. Some say it's the reverse, that people get offended if you say Merry Christmas, but I have yet to find a person even an atheist, who gets offended over Merry Christmas.

It makes me sad when people get offended over someone saying Happy Holidays....when I was growing up it was just another way to wish your fellow man good will. I have no problem saying Merry Christmas...I say it...but I don't say it to someone who is Jewish and celebrates Chanukah. If I know a person celebrates Christmas I say," Merry Christmas". I have a buddy who is from England so I tell him, "Happy Christmas". A complete stranger may get a "Happy Holidays". Not to mention, Thanksgiving comes first and New Year’s is shortly behind...Happy Holidays (notice the plural form of this word) it refers to all the holidays of this season. It offends me when I see someone rudely correct someone and say,” It's CHRISTmas.” When a person wishes someone a Happy Holidays, it’s not always “corporate” demanding you not say Merry Christmas. I think the whole Happy Holidays thing has gotten way out of hand, ever since people got offended by the company that told its employees not to say Merry Christmas. Usually a business or company will ask you to say Happy Holidays as to not discriminate against anyone. If a person offers you a Happy Holidays a simple thank you works just fine. You shouldn’t be rude or offended, because my theory is, let’s say you get wished a” Happy Holidays”, you rudely reply back,” It’s CHRISTmas!” So then, the next person that comes up to the one you were rude to, gets nothing. Not so much as even a Happy Holidays because the first person is afraid to offend someone else and then the chain of bestowing friendship, love and peace are broken. It’s like paying it forward. When we are nice to one person and make them happy, they in return pass that on to someone else.

This holiday season I would love for people to find some sort of holiday acceptance. I understand that Christmas is definitely the more prominent holiday but it’s not the only holiday this time of year. There are just so many more and there is just no possible way for a person to know what each person celebrates. I personally celebrate Christmas, but who am I to say that my holiday is more important than someone else’s. Each of the dozens of holidays celebrated this time of year each have their own special meaning. For someone to say “Jesus is the ONLY reason for the season!” is a little arrogant and hateful. It also does not represent Christianity in a positive light. I’m using Christians as an example because I’ve never had any other belief or religious group get on to me about saying Happy Holidays (or be offended about my beliefs for that matter). Now not all Christians are like this, but I can’t tell you how many anti-Happy Holidays post I’ve seen out there already. Whether it be on Facebook or out in public. I may even offend some family and friends by writing this, but I’m not ashamed to say I love everyone no matter what they believe.

For me, this time of year is about peace on Earth. It’s about being cordial to people you don’t know. It’s not about how you wish your holiday greetings. It’s not about what you celebrate. This time of year truly is the happiest time of year. It’s a time to put our differences aside and to go back to a simply time, when people would help one another without expecting anything in return. When buying someone a gift was because you genuinely wanted to not because you felt you HAD to. All I ask is, if you catch yourself boasting about your holiday. Take a step back and ask yourself, “Is that what Christmas is about?” I think you’ll find that it’s not.

I hope that everyone has a Happy Holidays, whatever you celebrate enjoy it. Enjoy the blessings and tidings of this time of year. Enjoy the love of family and friends. Enjoy this time of year for what it really is. It’s the time to have acceptance for one another.

Here is a link to a few dozen holidays that are celebrated this time of year: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winter_festivals
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Saturday, November 5, 2011

Holiday Music To Fill The Air

There's one thing that I love almost as much as I do cooking and that's...MUSIC. I'll be the first to admit I listen to Christmas music all year long. During the holidays that's pretty much all I listen too. It lifts my spirits and puts me in a magical mood. It helps this creative driven brain into action.  Call it my inspiration. Here is a list of the Christmas albums(old and new) that are on my current listening cycle.


1.      Michael Buble: Christmas 
  • It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
  • Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
  • Jingle Bells featuring the Puppini Sisters
  • White Christmas duet with Shania Twain
  • All I Want For Christmas Is You
  • Holly Jollly Christmas
  • Santa Baby
  • Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
  • Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
  • Silent Night
  • Blue Christmas
  • Cold December Night
  • I'll Be Home For Christmas
  • Ave Maria
  • Mis Deseos/Feliz Navidad duet with Thalia
2. Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas
  • Silent Night
  • All I Want For Christmas Is You (Original Version)
  • O Holy Night
  • Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
  • Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)
  • Joy To The World
  • Jesus Born On This Day
  • Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
  • Hark! The Herald Angel Sing/ Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)
  • Jesus Oh What A Wonderful Child

3. Christmas with the Chipmunks, Vol. 1
  • Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)
  • (All I Want For Christmas Is) My Two Front Teeth
  • Jingle Bells
  • Frosty The Snowman
  • Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
  • Rudoph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
  • The Night Before Christmas
  • Silver Bells
  • White Christmas
  • We Wish You A Merry Christmas

4. Christmas With the Chipmunks 2
  • Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
  • Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
  • Deck The Halls
  • It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
  • Here We Come A-Caroling
  • Jingle Bell Rock
  • Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
  • The Twelve Days Of Christmas
  • O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)


5. 98 Degrees: This Christmas
  • If Everyday Could Be Christmas
  • God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
  • The Christmas Song
  • I'll Be Home For Christmas
  • O Holy Night
  • This Gift
  • The Little Drummer Boy
  • Christmas Wish
  • Silent Night
  • Ave Maria
  • This Gift
  • Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree-Hannah Montana
  • Girl Of My Dreams- Jonas Brothers
  • Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas- Cheetah Girls
  • Last Christmas- Ashley Tisdale
  • This Christmastime- Corbin Bleu
  • Home For The Holidays- Keke Palmer
  • Best Time Of The Year- Christy Carlson Romano
  • Run Rudolph Run- Billy Ray Cyrus
  • Celebrate Love- Jordan Pruitt
  • Let It Snow- Lucas Grabeel
  • Jingle Bells (A Hip Hop Carol)- Kyle Massey
  • Greatest Time Of Year- Aly and AJ
  • Christmas Vacation- Monique Coleman
  • I'll Be Home For Christmas- Drew Seeley
7. James Taylor: James Taylor at Christmas
  • Winter Wonderland
  • Go Tell It On The Mountain
  • Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
  • Jingle Bells
  • Baby, It's Cold Outside
  • River
  • Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
  • The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
  • Some Children See Him
  • Who Comes This Night
  • In The Bleak Midwinter
  • Auld Lang Syne
8. Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Christmas Eve and Other Stories
  • An Angel Came Down
  • O Come All Ye Faithful/ O Holy Night (Instrumental)
  • A Star To Follow
  • First Snow (Instrumental)
  • The Silent Nutcracker (Instrumental)
  • A Mad Russian's Christmas (Instrumental)
  • The Prince of Peace
  • Christmas/ Sarajevo 12/24 (Instrumental)
  • Good King Joy
  • Ornament
  • The First Noel (Instrumental)
  • Old City Bar
  • Promises To Keep
  • This Christmas Day
  • An Angel Returned
  • O Holy Night
  • God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
9. Disney: 12 Days of Christmas
  • The Twelve Days Of Christmas
  • Jingle Bells/ Sleigh Ride Through The Snow
  • Christmas Together/ O Christmas Tree
  • Dear Santa
  • A Gift Of Love
  • Here We Come A-Caroling/ We Wish You A Merry Christmas
  • Snow Ho Ho Ho
  • Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
  • Downtown Holiday Hullabaloo
  • I'd Like To Have An Elephant For Christmas
  • Deck The Halls
  • He Delivers
  • Around The World Christmas
  • The Twelve Days Of Christmas (Reprise)
10. Celtic Woman: Christmas Celebration
  • O Holy Night
  • Away In A Manger
  • Ding Dong Merrily On High
  • White Christmas
  • Silent Night
  • Christmas Pipes
  • The Christmas Song
  • Carol Of The Bells
  • Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
  • Panis Angelicus
  • Don Oiche Ud I mBeithel (That Night In Bethlehem)
  • O Come All Ye Faithful
  • The Little Drummer Boy
  • The Wexford Carol
  • Let It Snow

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2011 Churchill Family Holiday Movie Night



Here is the finale coutdown to Christmas with weeks 6 and 7














Dec. 15th: Santa Clause 2 (Full Screen Edition)
























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2011 Churchill Family Holiday Movie Night

Here is the schedule for weeks 3, 4, and 5:




















Nov. 30th: Deck the Halls












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