Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I pray that the new year will be blessed for all.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
The Christmas Shoes
This is one of the most touching Christmas songs I've ever heard. It's by the group NewSong, and if it doesn't make you cry you're not human.
I wanted to post a video to the song on one of my blogs and went to YouTube to find it. There were several different videos for the song, including the official one. I chose this version, which was made as a Film School project, because of the way it ends. That clinched it for me. When you see the ending you'll know why.
None of us has a guarantee that we or our families will be here next Christmas or even next week. I hope this video makes all of us hug our loved ones a little tighter now and always.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
Friday, December 7, 2007
The Simplest Game Of All
Whew! I can't believe it's time for Fun'n'Games Friday again. This time I'm actually in a gaming mood, but only a little bit. So I'm going to tell you about a game my family learned from one of my Mom's co-workers over 30 years ago. It's a very simple game. It requires no equipment, has no real rules, and can be played anywhere. It's called the tv game.
What's the tv game, you ask? Simple. It's a game where you have to guess the name of tv shows from the opposite of the words in the title. Did you get that? Let's see if I can clarify. In this game two or more people pick a tv show, tell the other person(s) the words that are the opposite of the words in the show's title and that person(s) has to guess the show. If the words in the title don't have exact opposites you can use words that are similar. Here's a simple example: Cottage. Can you guess which tv show that is? Right, House!
As you can see, "cottage" is similar to "house" rather than opposite to it. Here's another example: Spirit Shouter. Can you guess this one? Think hard. That's right! Ghost Whisperer. I could use both a similar and an opposite word for that show's title. And that's the gist of the tv game. Like I said, simple.
You can make "rules" to the tv game if you want. You might decide to do only dramas or comedies. You could also include the title of cd's or the names of bands in the game. It's strictly up to you how serious and involved you want this game to be. And because there's no equipment for this game except your brain it's great for road trips. My family and I have had tons of fun with the tv game. I'm sure you will, too.
What's the tv game, you ask? Simple. It's a game where you have to guess the name of tv shows from the opposite of the words in the title. Did you get that? Let's see if I can clarify. In this game two or more people pick a tv show, tell the other person(s) the words that are the opposite of the words in the show's title and that person(s) has to guess the show. If the words in the title don't have exact opposites you can use words that are similar. Here's a simple example: Cottage. Can you guess which tv show that is? Right, House!
As you can see, "cottage" is similar to "house" rather than opposite to it. Here's another example: Spirit Shouter. Can you guess this one? Think hard. That's right! Ghost Whisperer. I could use both a similar and an opposite word for that show's title. And that's the gist of the tv game. Like I said, simple.
You can make "rules" to the tv game if you want. You might decide to do only dramas or comedies. You could also include the title of cd's or the names of bands in the game. It's strictly up to you how serious and involved you want this game to be. And because there's no equipment for this game except your brain it's great for road trips. My family and I have had tons of fun with the tv game. I'm sure you will, too.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
To Tell Or Not To Tell
Well, it's that time again. Christmas is just around the corner and a lot of parents are facing the Santa question. Do they tell their children the truth about jolly St. Nick or not? 
I have mixed feelings about Santa Claus. Like most folks I believed in Santa as a child. I was never told the truth; I figured it out on my own. Slowly, over time, I realized that the Santa story didn't add up. By the time I was nine or ten I'd put two and two together and made peace with the fact that Santa was a pleasant fiction. I suffered no psychological damage from having been "lied" to by my parents and other adults for years. But I do understand how the dishonesty can be uncomfortable for a lot of people.
Many adults remember their belief in Santa as harmless fun and they want the same for their children. A happy fantasy, they reason, can be soothing and reassuring for children in an often dark and dangerous world. That's true, but today's children are often more wordly than those of the past and more likely to spot a hoax. Consequently it might be a good idea for parents to level with them from the beginning. But won't that take away the magic of Christmas? Not necessarily.
If you're religious, Christmas was never supposed to be about Santa Claus and his presents anyway. It's supposed to be about the birth of Christ. Teaching children the true reason for the season, sharing precious time with family and friends, and giving to those less fortunate are ways to experience the joy of Christmas without involving the Santa myth.
If you just can't get through the holiday without Santa, but don't want to tell your kids a fib, try telling them the story of the real St. Nicholas, on whom the Santa legend is based. The life of this man can serve as an inspiration for everyone, regardless of religion or lack thereof. You can make telling his story a family tradition, as telling the story of the first Christmas already is for many. Following St. Nicholas' example of loving children and the poor can motivate us to help others, bringing joy to them and to ourselves. And keeping us in the spirit of Christmas.
I don't want to sound like a moral relativist, but there's no right or wrong answer to the Santa question. Children aren't going to be harmed by believing in a pleasant myth for a few years. On the other hand, if you don't want to fib to your kids rest assured that not believing in Santa won't ruin the spirit of the season for them. Be careful, though, that your kids don't spill the beans to kids whose parents DO want them to believe in the man in the red suit.
Whatever decision you make about Santa be sure it jibes with your values as a family. Santa Claus IS Christmas to many people, but he doesn't have to be. Worshipping Christ, being with family, giving gifts and helping others are all ways of bringing Christmas joy to your children with or without Santa Claus. So go ahead. Tell your kids Santa's real, or tell them he's not. The magic of the season will be there either way.
I have mixed feelings about Santa Claus. Like most folks I believed in Santa as a child. I was never told the truth; I figured it out on my own. Slowly, over time, I realized that the Santa story didn't add up. By the time I was nine or ten I'd put two and two together and made peace with the fact that Santa was a pleasant fiction. I suffered no psychological damage from having been "lied" to by my parents and other adults for years. But I do understand how the dishonesty can be uncomfortable for a lot of people.
Many adults remember their belief in Santa as harmless fun and they want the same for their children. A happy fantasy, they reason, can be soothing and reassuring for children in an often dark and dangerous world. That's true, but today's children are often more wordly than those of the past and more likely to spot a hoax. Consequently it might be a good idea for parents to level with them from the beginning. But won't that take away the magic of Christmas? Not necessarily.
If you're religious, Christmas was never supposed to be about Santa Claus and his presents anyway. It's supposed to be about the birth of Christ. Teaching children the true reason for the season, sharing precious time with family and friends, and giving to those less fortunate are ways to experience the joy of Christmas without involving the Santa myth.
If you just can't get through the holiday without Santa, but don't want to tell your kids a fib, try telling them the story of the real St. Nicholas, on whom the Santa legend is based. The life of this man can serve as an inspiration for everyone, regardless of religion or lack thereof. You can make telling his story a family tradition, as telling the story of the first Christmas already is for many. Following St. Nicholas' example of loving children and the poor can motivate us to help others, bringing joy to them and to ourselves. And keeping us in the spirit of Christmas.
I don't want to sound like a moral relativist, but there's no right or wrong answer to the Santa question. Children aren't going to be harmed by believing in a pleasant myth for a few years. On the other hand, if you don't want to fib to your kids rest assured that not believing in Santa won't ruin the spirit of the season for them. Be careful, though, that your kids don't spill the beans to kids whose parents DO want them to believe in the man in the red suit.
Whatever decision you make about Santa be sure it jibes with your values as a family. Santa Claus IS Christmas to many people, but he doesn't have to be. Worshipping Christ, being with family, giving gifts and helping others are all ways of bringing Christmas joy to your children with or without Santa Claus. So go ahead. Tell your kids Santa's real, or tell them he's not. The magic of the season will be there either way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
