A Christmas meme

Special thanks to NurseExec for this one.

1. Does your family send Christmas cards?

Always. We even hang them up. I have kept my Christmas cards every single year since I've been on my own. Not just the photo ones, but the paper ones, too.

2. How soon do you start shopping?

I traditionally start the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year it was the Saturday after T-Day. A migraine prevented me from partaking in early festivities.

3. Who do you shop for?
Immediate family and my two best friends. I bake for co-workers.

4. Do you put up a Christmas tree?

It wouldn't be Christmas without one!

5. If so, is it fake or real?
It is fake. I live on my own, in a loft. It would be a doozy for me to drag a real tree up the stairs every year. Plus, I kill plants. I have a black thumb.

6. Do you like tinsel?

Ick, nooooooooo. Besides, it's too much temptation for the cats, and the last thing I need during the holidays is a ginormous vet bill.

7. Do you use homemade or store bought ornaments?

Both. In fact, this year, I'm taking pictures of my ornaments and writing posts about the stories behind them.

8. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house?

It's against condo association bylaws to do that.

9. Do you put lights on the tree?

It's a pre-lit tree that I bought from the Home Despot the day after Christmas one year. Best clearance deal EVER.

10. How about popcorn and cranberries?

Nope. Don't wanna attract vermin.

11. Is there a wreath hanging on your door?

Yes, it's a wreath handmade by Mama Cat herself.

12. Do you hang up your stocking?

At the Cat Family homestead, yes, because there is a fireplace. At my place, no; I don't have a fireplace.

13. Does your family read "Twas the night before Christmas?"

We used to, when Sister Kitten and I were little. We also read a book called Santa Mouse. We don't do this anymore, now that we're grown. :(

14. Christmas Movie?

A Christmas Story is the BEST Christmas movie EVER. No question. Sister Kitten and I watch the 24 hour marathon on TNT every year and we never get sick of it. We can quote the dialogue.

15. Character from any Christmas Movie

Randy, the little brother from A Christmas Story. My favorite scene is the one where he eats dinner as if he were a pig. Oh, and no mention of A Christmas Story would be complete without the leg lamp!

16. Christmas Song

"Santa Claus is Coming to Town", as performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

17. Christmas Memory

My sophomore year of college a bunch of us went to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. We took the Metro North into the city, saw the show, then went to Jekyll and Hyde's afterward. We caught the last train back to school at 1:30 AM. We got back to campus at 3:30 AM. It was a great night...:)

18. Give or Receive?

Both are fun

19. Ham or Turkey?

Turkey

20. White Lights or Colored Lights?

White; I'm not much of a fan of colored lights on small Christmas trees. On the bigger ones, such as the one in Rockefeller Center, it works.

21. Blinking Lights or Still Lights:

Still. I get motion sickness when I look at blinking lights.

22. Were you Naughty or Nice this year?

I'm a nice girl.

23. What do you want for Christmas this year?

A new washing machine would be nice, since mine no longer runs cold water.

24. When do you open your gifts?

Christmas morning

25. What's the best gift you've ever gotten?

I've received a lot of nice gifts.

26. What's the worst gift you've ever gotten?

Can't think of one.

27. Who gives you the most gifts?

I really don't keep a tally.

28. Have you ever had a secret Santa?

We do Secret Santa every year at work.

29. Do you like wrapping gifts?

Ugh, noooooooo. Read this.

30. Do you put change in those red buckets?

Yes. I feel that any contribution I make is worthwhile, even if it's just a few pennies.

31. Do you burn a yule log?

Only the one they broadcast on TV. Anyone out there in Bloggerland remember the Yule Log on WPIX every year?

32. Can you name all the reindeer?

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph

33. Do you bake cookies?

It depends on how busy and healthy I am during the holiday season.

34. Have you ever seen your mommy kissing Santa Claus?

Ahhhh...no.

35. Have you ever gotten a kiss under the mistletoe?

Yes

36. Do you drive around and look at the Christmas lights?

No, but we used to have some neighbors who would deck the halls, so to speak.

37. Have you ever left Santa cookies?

We did growing up. We left the jelly thumbprint cookies for him...which, coincidentally, were Papa Cat's favorite cookies. Hmmm...

38. Have you ever sat on Santa's lap?

Mama Cat has some pictures, yes.

39. Who do you celebrate Christmas with?

The Cat Family--rawther, my immediate family.

40. Where do you celebrate Christmas?

At the Cat Family homestead.

41. Have you ever had a white Christmas?

Yes, but not every year. In Connecticut it's a crapshoot.

42. What part of Christmas do you look most forward to?

The concerts, the carols, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Also spending lots of time with friends and family.

43. Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa?

When I was little.

44. Does your family always take pictures at Christmas?

Moreso when we were kids, not so much as adults.

45. Have you ever heard the song "Thank God For The Kids"?

Nope.

Cooking with Kitten: Holiday leftovers edition

Well, Kittens, another Christmas has come and gone, and once again, we are faced with the holiday leftovers in our collective refrigerators.

What shall we do with those leftovers?

Last month Food Network aired a special on what exactly to do. Sunny Anderson suggested taking your green bean casserole and making little pot pies. Yum. Guy Fieri offered a yummy recipe for turkey hash.

But seriously, Kittens, who wants to do all of that slicing and dicing and rolling out pastry dough after we've spent a day gorging, with a post-dinner hangover the next day?

Ladies and gentlemen, I present you, the easiest post-holiday recipe on earth:

THE CLASSIC LEFTOVER SANDWICH

*Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I need to say that I myself do not eat this sandwich. However, we here at The Bookkitten are equal opportunists who try to cater to all tastes. This recipe will likely appeal to grown men and kids. It's not so much for the ladies.*

But here's the recipe anyway. It's easy.

• You're gonna start out with two slices of bread. Any bread will do, but Wonder Bread, that childhood staple, just seems to fit for this one.
• Next, spread a layer of mashed potatoes on both slices of bread. It's best if the mashed potatoes are at room temperature.
• Spread a layer of stuffing on top of the taters. Again, it's best to have your ingredients at room temperature.
• Put some turkey slices on top of the stuffing. Do this for only one of the slices of bread.
• If you have slices of canned cranberry sauce, use 'em here, on top of the turkey.
• Put the second slice of bread on top of the first one. Nuke it if you want a hot lunch.
• If you nuke the sandwich, feel free to add a layer of gravy to it. If you do this, you're gonna have to eat it with a knife and fork. Otherwise, bon appetit!

If you're not such a big fan of the leftover sandwich, may I suggest:

• Get yerself a bag of salad greens and add some turkey pieces and possibly some bits of the canned cranberry. Top with a lowfat vinagrette.
• Make shepherd's pie.

Just remember, taters and stuffing do not freeze well. At all. I learned this the hard way.

As for me, I'm just going to take my turkey, taters, and stuffing, arrange them on a plate, and stretch the Christmas dinner out for a couple more days. Yummmmmmmmmmm...

Christmas Eve Mass, 2008

A few days ago, I composed a post about how I dreaded attending Mass on Christmas Eve, when 75% of my immediate family consists of lapsed Catholics.

I would like to take all of the negative things I said in that post back.

I still have my issues with the Catholic church, but last night's Christmas Eve service was one of the loveliest I've ever attended.

Going to Mass, especially for a lapsed Catholic, is like riding a bicycle. I hadn't been to a Catholic church since last Christmas Eve, and upon entering the church, my right hand automatically reached for the holy water and crossed myself. I also genuflected when we got to our pew, put down the kneeler, crossed myself again, and prayed.

The scriptures were all comfortingly familiar. Luke's Gospel, in particular, was very nice. Maybe it's just the way that the priest reads it. Maybe it's like wrapping a security blanket around you. It just felt really good to hear that Biblical passage last night, moreso than ever.

And the homily...oh, the homily! My parents' priest is extremely clever when it comes to homilies, especially at this time of year. One year he brought out a ukelele and told a story about a little rabbit looking for a home on Christmas. Another year his sermon was an anti war lament. He preached as the choir softly hummed "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" in the background. Last year he pondered the meaning of Christmas, and took out a tape recorder, and played "And So This is Christmas." He took a microphone, and started to sing, encouraging the rest of the congregation to join him in the chorus. Sister Kitten and I did just that, waving our hands and singing "war is over" over and over again.

This year, he told a story about his little grand-nephew, who, at Thanksgiving, asked him if Santa Claus existed. Our priest told the story of the history of Saint Nicholas, that he really was a saint, a bishop who wore red. He recounted to his little grand-nephew the different versions of St. Nick all around the world, such as Pere Noel in France.

At one point, another grand-nephew joined the conversation and told him that he once wrote a letter to Santa, and Santa wrote back!

This was when the priest paused during the homily. He took out a pen and paper, had his lector move a music stand in front of the pulpit, and announced that he was composing a letter to Santa Claus. With a recording of "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" playing in the background, he read his letter aloud as he wrote. He recounted his wishes for the First Communion kids, that they always hold the joy of that First Communion in their hearts. He wished that the Confirmation kids would grow and blossom in their relationship with the church. I don't remember what he wished for the adults, but I was so touched by this gesture.

He signed the letter, put it in an envelope, and gave it to his lector, with the instructions to deliver it to the post office, which was right down the road, ASAP.

And with that, the homily was over, and I recited the Nicene Creed by heart. Again, Mass is like riding a bicycle.

I couldn't go up for Communion, however. I hadn't been to a Catholic church in so long, I couldn't justify it for myself.

However, in spite of this, something special happened last night.

I started to make peace with Catholicism.

I still have some disagreements with the church that I have to iron out, but I guess you could say that I'm on the road to recovery. I left church feeling really, really good. I guess you could use the word serene. I decided that I should attend Mass more often.

Don't get me wrong, I still love my little UU church and cherish its community. It will always be my spiritual home. But Catholicism is a huge part of my past; it gave me a spiritual foundation.

And it played such a great role in my life, I really can't cut off ties completely.

It has nothing to do with Catholic guilt. It once did, but it doesn't anymore.

Can I balance the UU church with Catholicism? We shall see.

But for now, I'll just take pride in the fact that I am a child of God, and to remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

Merry Christmas

I've written quite a bit over the past month about how this holiday season has not been the merriest for either me or many people I know.

Yet every time I think about all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, Linus Van Pelt always pops into my mind to give me some perspective:



No matter how many times I've seen this clip, it always gets me. It's timeless.

Merry Christmas, everyone. I'll be back in a couple of days, if not, sooner. (Knowing me, it'll be sooner.) :)

The Bookkitten's iPod Playlist: Holiday Edition

I didn't think I'd come up with a playlist, but I am for three reasons:

1. I'm still procrastinating on the wrapping;
2. "Another Christmas Song" is just too good to be left off of a playlist;
3. I love Patti LuPone's version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".

Sooo...here we go:

1. "Another Christmas Song," Stephen Colbert
2. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," Andy Williams
3. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," Brenda Lee
4. "Jingle Bell Rock," Bobby Helms
5. "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town," Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
6. "Christmas Time Is Here," A Charlie Brown Christmas
7. "Sleigh Ride," Debbie Gibson
8. "Feliz Navidad," Jose Feliciano
9. "Christmas Wrapping," the Waitresses
10. "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow," Michael Buble
11. "White Christmas," Bing Crosby
12. "A Holly Jolly Christmas," Burl Ives
13. "Kung Pao Buckaroo Holiday," Brad Paisley with Bill Anderson, George Jones, and Little Jimmy Dickens
14. "The Chipmunk Song," the Chipmunks
15. "Skating," A Charlie Brown Christmas
16. "Sleigh Ride," Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra
17. "Linus and Lucy," A Charlile Brown Christmas
18. "The Christmas Waltz," Harry Connick, Jr.
19. "Gloria," Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra
20. "Carol of the Bells," Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra
21. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Patti LuPone
22. "My Dear Acquaintance," Peggy Lee

Okay, NOW I'm off to wrap gifts!

Merry Christmas from Stephen Colbert

The first segment from Stephen Colbert's Christmas special.

And yes, Kittens, those are his real kids making a cameo appearance here.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

A Colbert Christmas: Another Christmas Song

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch...

Imagine my surprise and delight when I turned the TV on at 8:00 last night and was thrilled to be reunited with an old friend.

Hellllllllloooooooooooo, Mr. Grinch!

Given my lack of Yuletide Pride this year, I sat down and drank it all in.

I just love his multitude of facial expressions:

But it's this one that's my absolute favorite:

I just love that smirk on his face, that absolute look of delicious evilness. When you watch the special, Chuck Jones does a superb job animating his face. The mouth turns up ever so slowly into this wide, delicious smirk. And I love how the brows go down in tandem with the face. And it's not just this face Mr. Jones animates this way; it's all of the faces that the Grinch makes.

I love the rhymes of Dr. Seuss, and I love the way Boris Karloff brings them to life. You can't imagine anyone else narrating this classic.

And the Whos...ahh, the Whos! Those delightful creatures whose goodwill and cheer prevail in the end, even though their material Christmas possessions have been taken away and nearly dumped over the side of Mount Crumpet. Such delightful little expressions of commercialism, these Whos, whose dietary staples are Who Hash and the Roast Beast. (I just love those little chef's hat thingies they put on the end of the Roast Beast!)

The special itself lasted half an hour, followed by a "making of" segment hosted by Tom Bergeron. I had known that the vocalist for the songs, Thurl Ravenscroft, was also the voice of Tony the Tiger (they're grrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!), but I didn't know that Albert Hague was the composer of the songs.

Albert Hague?

The guy who played Shorofsky on Fame?

Yep, that one.

(Speaking of which, when are they ever gonna bring the rest of the seasons of Fame on DVD? I know they've got the first season).

Anyhoo, that's how I spent last night, in the company of Mr. Grinch.

And my Yuletide Pride feels ever so much better now that he paid me a visit.

Well, maybe just a teensy bit better. :)

Christmas wrapping

Every holiday season, there is always one chore that I postpone until the very last possible minute.

Wrapping presents.

I hate it.

As much as I would like to pay someone to wrap for me, I don't. I can't really justify the expense. Besides, there have been occasions where I have left the gift tag off, and let the wrapping speak for itself. People know when a gift is from me just by the wrapping.

There have been times where I've just done the tissue-paper-and-bag thing, but I even have enough trouble wrapping the damn tissue paper.

People still know the gift is from me in those cases.

I waste more wrapping paper and tape than anyone I know. I either cut too short of a piece, or I cut too much and have to trim it. Then I have ribbons of waste around my house. It's not fun at all.

And then there's the matter of the tape. I use entirely too much. I'm also like one of those commercials where the guy cuts off a tiny patch of paper to mask a missed spot.

I have a lot of those too, the missed spots.

It's never fun, no matter how much fun I try to make it.

So tomorrow morning, shortly before I leave for the Cat homestead, I'll be wrapping presents. Or rather, tangling myself in a mess or wasted gift wrap and scotch tape is more like it.

Christmas Eve with Mama and Papa Cat

Every time winter weather occurs, I have to call Mama Cat both when I arrive at work and when I come home from work.

Tonight, following my dentist's appointment, I called her to let her know I got home OK. As the conversation progressed, talk turned to Christmas Eve:

ME: Are we going to Mass Christmas Eve?
MAMA CAT: I dunno. I don't know if Dad's church has Mass on Christmas Eve?
ME: What's the point of going? Dad's the only practicing Catholic in our family.
MAMA CAT: I don't get it either. When you were kids Dad was always asking "Do I have to go to church today?" whenever we got ready on Sundays.
ME: Now it's the reverse. What happened?
MAMA CAT: I don't know.

My parents wanted to give both me and my sister a spiritual foundation. We were both baptized and raised Catholic, received our First Communion when we were eight, and were confirmed when we were 14.

I went to a Catholic high school, a Jesuit university, and earned my Master's from another local Catholic institution. During those years, I was Super Catholic Girl. My faith was of the utmost importance to me. I became a Eucharistic Minister, went to Mass as often as possible, and engaged in all sorts of service projects. Catholicism was such an important fiber of my being, some of my friends wondered if I was going to become a nun.

Sister Kitten went through a similar spiritual phase. She went to a public high school, but started going on Emmaus retreats with her best friend, who was a member of the Episcopal church. Her faith, while it differed from mine, became an important fiber of her being.

In spite of our spiritual journeys, we had trouble discussing our experiences at the time. I argued that Catholicism was the one true religion, while she accused me of being closed-minded and not open to any other perspectives. I told her about how the Jesuits valued education, and how they encouraged people to question things and to learn, as well as their commitment to service. She would hear none of it.

The subject of religion and faith has not come up recently between me and Sister Kitten, although I would like to talk about it with her someday.

But I digress.

I especially loved my faith journey during my undergrad days. Fairfield had a 10:00 Mass on Monday nights, and I loved to go because it was so informal, and Father Carrier, our chaplain, knew how to talk to college kids. He made scripture real to us, and never failed to relate it to what was going on both on campus and in the outside world.

Upon graduation, that was one of the hardest things for me to part with.

Post-graduation, I started falling out of love with the Catholic church.

For about a year, I alternated between two churches: my parents', and the Catholic church the next town over. I had so much difficulty relating to the sermons and the scripture. For one, I was the youngest person attending Mass. Everyone else was either elderly or had young families. There was nothing for young, twentysomething single people like me. There were also very few service opportunities available. I didn't feel the same magical connection that I did when I attended Mass in college, and a part of me started dying.

I stopped attending church after that.

September 11th occurred two months after I moved out of my parents' house. I went to the local Catholic church, seeking some guidance. I had the same question that many Americans did that weekend: "How could God let this happen?"

It was the same question that the priest asked at the beginning of his sermon.

When he compared 9/11 to abortion, I walked out.

I thought it was incredibly tasteless, tactless--I'm still pissed at that memory.

I still didn't give up, though. I still sought a spiritual home. I felt obligated that it be a Catholic house of worship, because of my long history with Catholicism, and that I would feel guilty if I ever gave it up. After all, I reasoned, I spent so much time studying it, being absorbed in it, really immersing myself in it.

I thought I had found a home, and joined the choir. I felt that music helped me strengthen my relationship with God. However, I had trouble making connections with the other members of the parish. Again, I was the youngest person there, a single twentysomething in a pool of older congregants.

I left that church.

I moved up to Middletown and heard a lot of good things about another Catholic church. I joined because I heard there were a lot of service opportunities there. However, there was that same problem of not bonding with my fellow parishioners.

But this time, things were different.

I started to notice, during Mass, that I would take a seat in the last available pew and pray that no one would talk to me. I had never felt that way before. I also noticed two things: one, nobody talked to each other, save for the Kiss of Peace. Two, those who did talk to each other were old friends, and didn't bother to welcome the newcomers.

Not only that, but I was having some major issues with some of the positions that the Catholic church took with respect to women, abortion, and gay rights. I was tired of the conservative doctrine, the "one true faith" perspective that the Vatican had. I was tired of being told what to believe, and tired of not being allowed to ask questions.

In other words, I finally knew what Sister Kitten was trying to tell me all those years ago.

For about three or four years, I didn't go to church of any kind, save for Christmas with my family and the occasional Easter service. I didn't realize it then, but my spiritual side was shriveled up and grey, or, as Dr. Seuss would say, my "heart was two sizes too small."

In 2006, my mentor passed away, and her funeral was held at her church, a small, non-denominational Christian church. The service was absolutely beautiful, personal, and full of love. There was some ritual, but it was planned in a way that honored my mentor's favorite music, poems, and memories.

Although it was a funeral, you could really feel the sense of community that was there. So many members of the church had come together to help plan the service and the reception afterwards.

That was what I missed the most.

Community.

I knew I needed a new spiritual home, but where would I find one?

Last June, I was at a party at my best friend's house when another friend of mine told me that she and her husband had just joined a Unitarian Universalist church. She raved about it. She told me about how she and her husband were both of different faiths, and how they both agreed that their son should be raised with a spiritual education. She liked how the UU religious program taught about religions and faiths of all backgrounds--Catholicism, Judaism, Hinduism--you name it, the kids learned about it. They weren't pigeonholed to believe one thing, but were encouraged to explore different traditions and make it their own.

I was intrigued. I decided to investigate.

That night, I found the website for the Unitarian Universalist Association, typed in my city, state, and zip code, and found a church within a reasonable driving distance. I attended the service the second week of July. It was a small church, but the people there were super-friendly and welcomed me with open arms.

"What's your name?"

"Where are you from?"

"What brings you here?"

"Do you have any questions for us?"

It was not the type of service that I was used to. There was a chalice lighting, but nothing from the Bible, Torah, or any kind of scripture. There was a lot of yoga in that service, with some expressive art thrown in. I liked it, and decided to return the next week.

When I did return the next week, I was amazed that people remembered my name. I'm not being sarcastic here; when you attend a Catholic church for years and you don't know anyone's name, this is something you take for granted.

"Welcome back!"

"Glad you're here!"

"Our minister's here! You'll get to meet her!"

I became a full-fledged member of that church last January. After I had been going to services there for a few months, I started to realize something: my depression, that I had battled on and off for years, was lifting. I started to feel happier, more whole.

My heart grew three sizes.

I like being a UU because I can now "live the questions." I'm still learning a lot about my faith and my religious beliefs. I believe in Jesus, and in God, but I also enjoy the pagan rituals such as Samhain and Yule. I believe in the Big Bang, but I also believe in Adam and Eve. How do I connect the two?

I attend church with humanists, atheists, pagans, and agnostics. We have discussion after each service. I love hearing the different perspectives, and I love how I can contribute to discussion without fear of judgment or being judged.

Catholicism, though, will always remain a part of my life. I still have issues with the Catholic church, but it gave me a strong foundation, and helped make me who I am. I treasure the opportunites that it brought me, such as going to Washington, DC to assist with Habitat for Humanity, and working with underprivileged youth in urban areas.

However, I still feel like a hypocrite attending Mass on Christmas Eve. I've become part of the "once a year people" that I once despised in my youth.

That's not the kind of feeling I want to experience on Christmas Eve.

Happy Solstice, everyone!

Well, I just got word that the Revels services at church were canceled due to the weather. It's not snowing too badly right now, but the weathermen are all saying that it'll change to a mix of sleet and freezing rain by noontime. Yuck. I hate freezing rain! I can deal with snow, but anything that has to do with ice just creeps me out!

I'm ok with that decision, thought. One, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Two, last night's church social salvaged my Christmas spirit before I would turn into the female equivalent of Ebenezer Scrooge. So today, after much procrastination, I am finally going to festoon my tree. Pics to follow.

Of course, I still promised you pics of the first storm of the season. Those will come, too.

In the meantime, Kittens, enjoy the winter solstice! I'm psyched it's finally here! That means the days are going to get longer from here on out. More sunshine--yeah!

Christmas spirit: I haz it

No, I didn't misspell accidentally; I did it on purpose. Those of you who visit LOL Cats often will understand that that type of spelling is quite common.

Anyhoo, after almost a month of wondering where my Christmas spirit had gone, it finally arrived during our church social. It was a small, festive get together with friends, a carol sing, and holiday food. The carol sing's what did it for me.

I drove home feeling positively giddy. I'm very tired right now, but happy.

This feeling of Christmas spirit may not last too long, but I'm going to hang onto it for as long as I can.

I'll let you know what tomorrow brings.

Christmas spirit?!?! What Christmas spirit?!?!

I can't ever remember being so not into the Christmas spirit. I just finished addressing my Christmas cards, and I felt like it was more of a chore this year than a joy.

And I haven't even written out the damn cards yet.

This year, I dreaded everything about the holiday--decorating the tree, baking, caroling--all things that always make me happy.

But this year, it's different.

I know I'm not alone. The whole world's going to pot and no one's feeling cheerful right now. Many of my friends are in the same situation, but they also have some pretty serious problems going on in their lives (and I'm saying this rather lightly. This blog, however, is not the place for me to broadcast my friends' lives; I need to respect their privacy).

It also doesn't help that this year, many of the holiday traditions that I hold so near and dear have not materialized.

Number one, a bunch of us always gets together and sees the Boston Pops when they come to Bridgeport. No matter how poor we were in any given year, we always managed to find the funds for Pops tickets. It was the concert that not only put us in the holiday mood, but put us in over the top holiday mood.

We didn't go this year. Several of my friends had to sing in a concert scheduled for that same night--the Messiah. I've seen the Messiah several times and, to be quite honest, am bored with it every single time I see it, save for the "Hallelujah Chorus."

I felt obligated this year, however, to go see it, so I could be in the holiday spirit and spend some time with my friends post-concert.

Didn't happen, though.

Not at $50 a ticket.

I'll pay $50 for Keith Lockhart and his crew, but not to fall asleep during another round of the Messiah.

Plus, my friends had to dash immediately back home post-concert.

Then, just yesterday, our office holiday party, scheduled for today, was canceled due to the snow. The organizers tried to reschedule it, but the venue didn't have any other dates available to us.

Finally, and this is the straw that could potentially break the camel's back, our Revels/Solstice service at church might be canceled because we're expecting another big snowstorm on Sunday. With this cancellation, our Mummers play, which is the highlight of the service, will be canceled, too.

Can you see why I'm feeling down and out, Kittens?

I hope that the New Year's Eve celebration at my best friend's place is a lot better. It's always a good time, though.

Let's all hope that 2009 is a better year than 2008 was.

And that includes next Christmas.

But until then...it's time for me to make out those damn Christmas cards.

Claymation Christmas, Part Three

This is the final portion of Claymation Christmas, featuring the world-famous California Raisins.

The California Raisins were in their hayday in the late 1980s. Now they have all but disappeared. When I was in middle school, one of the 8th grade homerooms did a lip-synch routine to "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". They were all dressed as raisins. They used Hefty garbage bags for their costumes.

Ahh, good times...

Claymation Christmas, Part Two

Here's part two of the Claymation Christmas special. This is, I feel, the most sentimental portion of the program.

I can't decide which segment I like better--the walruses or the "Joy to the World" portion.

Claymation Christmas, Part One

As promised, here's part one of the Claymation Christmas special from 1987.

You will recall that I posted the "Carol of the Bells" segment as the Clip of the Week this past Sunday.

This first part includes the "Carol of the Bells" segment, as well as a delightful version of "We Three Kings."

Parts two and three to follow tres rapidement.

Clip of the Week: Claymation Carol of the Bells

When I was a kid, the good people at Claymation studios put out a very, very clever Christmas special. The following clip is the segment that I remember the most--a very clever, well written rendition of "Carol of the Bells."

I must say this is one of the best versions of "Carol of the Bells" I've ever seen--perhaps the best! (Or at least it's the most clever.)



P.S. If there's any interest, the whole special's on YouTube, so I may just post each of the three parts. Ah heck, I'm just gonna post it anyway.

Consider this a teaser!

Cooking With Kitten: Candy Cane Cookies

These cookies have been a holiday tradition in my family since I was a kid. I'm making them for a potluck supper tonight.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup softened butter or margarine
1 cup 10x confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

*NOTE*: If you don't like almond extract, use 2 teaspoons vanilla. Or, and I just thought of this, you could substitute peppermint extract for the almond. After all, these are candy cane cookies.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Thoroughly mix butter, confectioners' sugar, egg and flavorings. Blend in flour and salt. Divide dough in half; blend food coloring into one half.
2. Shape 1 teaspoon of dough from each half into a 4-inch rope. For smooth, even rope, roll them back and forth on lightly floured board (Mama Cat uses wax paper). Place ropes side by side; press together gently and twist. Cut into 2-inch segments; place on an ungreased cookie sheet and curve top to form the candy cane.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for nine minutes or until set and very light brown around the edges. If you wish, mix 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy and 1/2 cup granulated sugar; immediately sprinkle cookies with candy mixture.

NOTES:

1. If you use self-rising flour, omit the salt.
2. You may wish to make a double recipe of dough and color one of the batches. The 1/2 teaspoon of coloring is a gauge; if you want redder cookies, add more coloring. Don't add more than 1 1/2 teaspoons, though, or the dough will become too wet.

I'm going to make another batch soon, and when I do, I'll take pictures and add them to this post.

The Call of the Chia

I went to bed early last night...well, 10:30 is early for me. I put the TV on sleep mode and turned on the news. I know it's not exactly healthy to watch the news as you're falling asleep, so I made a compromise: I put on The Daily Show. (And what woman wouldn't want to dream about Jon Stewart, hmm?)

Anyhoo, as I was drifting off, I heard it...that familiar call, as I have heard over many a holiday season...

"Ch-ch-ch-CHIA!"

Ooooooohhhhhhhhhhh, nooooooooooooooooooooo...

Would my dreams be turned to nightmares? Fortunately, no, although I was thinking about Chias a lot more this morning than I did the day before.

What exactly is it about Chia Pets that are so fascinating? I have never known anyone to buy one personally for themselves, yet they must sell awfully well, for they come back, year after year after year. And you can't find chia refill seeds in stores!

Plus, the novelty wears off tres rapidement. Well, I really shouldn't say that, for if the novelty wore off so fast, how would Chia Pets have secured a permanent place in American pop culture?

Sister Kitten, when she was in middle school, begged for a Chia Pet for Christmas. I mean, begged for it. She got one--a little Chia turtle, which she christened Emerson. She took great care of Emerson--watered him every day, talked to him, encouraged him to grow--and he did indeed grow a downy little shell. He didn't grow to the puffiness that you see in the Chia Pet commercials, but he did grow a nice little coat.

Eventually, Emerson's coat died, and he became a little terra cotta turtle once again. Sister Kitten kept Emerson for a few years; I think he's still in her old bedroom at our parents' house. The memory of Emerson, however, has turned into an "Omigod, I can't believe I actually wanted a Chia Pet for Christmas" sort of memory, almost like an embarrassment.

So today, as I drove to work, I got the fanciful idea that, in order to cheer myself up this Christmas, maybe I should get a Chia pet of my own, and document its growth on the blog. Only I would write the blogs from the Chia's point of view: "Hola! Yo soy Lucia la Chia! That's Loo-CEE-uh!"

I then decided against it, for several reasons.

One, I wasn't about to go out of my way to find a Chia Pet. I was at Big Lots and Ocean State Job Lot this evening, doing some Christmas shopping, and not a single Chia was to be found.

Secondly, what would I do with the Chia afterwards? Yeah, it would make a conversation piece, but I could just imagine having people over going, "I can't believe you actually owned a Chia Pet. In your adult life!"

So came an end to a blog series that will only exist in my imagination: Las Aventuras de Lucia la Chia.

I kinda regret it, if only because the title sounds so snappy.

Un Petit Dejeuner Francais

I'm glad I've been able to stretch my Thanksgiving break out for a few days, not only because it's my favorite holiday, but because I've had such a blast this year with everything I've done.

Thanksgiving Eve, I spent a wonderful night with my French Meetup group, and today, spent brunch with them. It was a very nice late morning/early afternoon of conversation, food, and petanque. What is petanque, you ask? It's the French version of bocce. I ended up playing on a team for several rounds. I'm pretty good at it, but if I get too cocky, then I start having problems.

I made a brown sugar pound cake to bring to the brunch. Only two slices went. I really wasn't surprised; we all ate lightly, given that it was right after Thanksgiving and we're still burning off turkey calories. I started mixing around 11:15 last night, and finally put it in the oven around midnight. My friend called it the "gateau de minuit." I think that's what I'll call this cake from now on. I'll post the recipe tomorrow, if I get the chance.

Meanwhile, I need to finish cleaning the condo. I'm putting the Christmas tree up tomorrow, and I need to be organized!

TV Review: "A Colbert Christmas"

I very rarely schedule "appointment television" for myself. I'm either reading, doing schoolwork, or at the computer. Last night, however, was an exception. I was writing an E-mail around 8:30 when I suddenly realized, "A Colbert Christmas is on tonight!"

I had to stop what I was doing, since I couldn't remember if it was on at 9 or 10.

It turned out to be the latter.

I went up to the bedroom, snuggled under the covers, and turned on Comedy Central. I caught the last ten minutes of the Jeff Dunham Christmas special. I was bummed that I missed most of it; I saw him in person when I was a sophomore in college. He came to the Quick Center for the Arts to do the Harvest Weekend show, and he was an absolute riot.

Anyhoo, back to Colbert. At the beginning of the special, you can clearly see that Stephen Colbert is lampooning, as only he could, the classic Perry Como/Andy Williams Christmas specials of yesteryear. (For those of you in my generation, those are the specials they run in PBS retrospectives each season). So our friend Stephen is prepping to leave his mountaintop cabin to go down to New York to film his Christmas special when--gasp!--there's a bear outside! Loyal fans of The Colbert Report know of Stephen's hatred and fear of bears. (Are they On Notice or Dead to Me right now? I, sadly, have not been able to watch The Colbert Report regularly for a while).

So what is Stephen to do? Elvis Costello is the special guest star, and they're already filming the dancing reindeer! (Which are actually goats with antlers!)

Fortunately, Stephen has beaucoup visitors to his mountainside cabin. First to arrive is "country music superstar Toby Keith!" (Cue the applause track! This special makes affective use of both fake applause and the laugh track.) Toby's hunting in the woods when he decides to pay Stephen a visit. They talk about how more people say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" these days, and Toby decides to put his lament to song. It's a very musical tribute to the "War on Christmas."

Willie Nelson makes an appearance too. I won't give too many details of what he does, but I will say this: Willie claims he's so high, Stephen's hallucinating.

Jon Stewart stops by to ask Stephen, "Can I interest you in Hanukkah?" Forest ranger John Legend arrives next, and sings what has got to be the sexiest song ever written about...nutmeg. Nutmeg, you say? Trust me on this. It'll be on iTunes tomorrow if you wanna make the investment.

This was a great hour of appointment television for me. Some of the musical numbers, all original (except for one), dragged on a little long, but the lyrics were very clever. (Especially "Another Christmas Song.") It's a great combination of cheeky retro humor affectively blended with present satirical wit. (Witness the two stockings hanging over the fireplace. One says "Stephen", the other says "Colbert.")

Finally, A Colbert Christmas has a very clever ending. I won't spoil the surprise. Do Stephen a favor and buy it for yourself!