Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Countdown to Christmas: 33 Days Farewell Sweet Princess, May Angels Sing Thee to Thy Rest.
Our family was blessed to have Hero as such a wonderful member of our family for almost fourteen years.
She was named after the character "Hero" from Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" because she just didn't look like a Beatrice.
She was truly the best of both her breeds (Weimaraner/Labrador) with a tall, thin, elegant body, short shiny coat, silky long ears, and the color and loyalty of Lab with the quirky personality of Weimie.
Unlike the typical Weimie, she was great with small animals (mostly because she was obedient and we asked her to be nice to our rabbits, Guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, birds, but most importantly, she loved out cat, Storm. They were sisters.
She would have been an ideal therapy dog were she not so ticklish. She was not one to jump on people and allowed strangers to pet her briefly before insisting they throw her ball.
She was always a healthy dog except for the fatty tumors that are typical of both breeds.
About a month before she passed, she slowed down significantly and I noticed she was anemic. Even with veterinary support, her body began to shut down until she refused food and then water. She slipped away in her sleep with my husband, oldest son, and I by her side.
It was so much like the week before my father died which only deepened my despair.
With the popularity of having your pet "put out of his/her misery", (Have you ever wished humans had that option for themselves?) I knew in my heart that I was supposed to let Hero pass away on her own. She was not in any obvious pain and we pampered her and made sure she was comfortable. She slipped into a coma a couple of hours before her actual passing but that did not stop us from loving on her every time we passed her.
As those who know our family will confirm, she had a great life and we were lucky to have her.
Countdown to Christmas: 36 Days A Little Lamb Can Make A Difference
I've had this Santa for a couple of years AND I've also had the vintage (or vintage style) lamb for equally as long. Both purchased at my local Goodwill so I have to send a shout out to whoever donated these two, because I am certainly enjoying them. Thank you!
The little lamb, as I mentioned, is either vintage like these German primitive putz (Christmas village) matchstick sheep, or a very good reproduction. Either way, I think he's adorable!
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| Available on eBay |
So, seeing that this little lamb really needed a place to be (other than just standing off by himself) I decided to pair him up with someone and I found this particular Santa suited his style similar vintage appearance.
See what a difference!
Then I noticed the American flag in the back of the sleigh was not prominent enough (but the lamb is enjoying looking at it) so I did a little rearranging!
See? Better, don't you think?
Just because it came from the store or shop one way, does not mean it always has to be that way! These little personal touches will make your Santa extra special so, go ahead, make it your own!
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Countdown to Christmas: 38 Days The Most EXPENSIVE Santa Claus on eBay!
If you're looking for that little something special to make your holiday decor pop, then check out this $15,000.00 Santa on eBay.
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| Antique Santa Claus WWII with Box "Feldpost"Cand |
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Countdown to Christmas: 39 Days What Color is Santa Claus? Or Jesus, for that matter?
This is STRICTLY for entertainment purposes and not open for debate!
But I have found some rather fascinating opinions and comedic revelry on the subject, two of which I thought I'd share.
It all started when Aisha Harris wrote in her article Santa Claus Should Not Be a White Man Anymore on www.slate.com about her experience growing up conflicted because Superman, (Oh, excuse me, Freudian slip) SANTA CLAUS was white in some place and black at her house.
Megyn Kelly from Fox News stepped right up...and then stuck that same foot in her mouth by saying not only was Santa Claus white, so was Jesus.
So, getting back to Aisha Harris's article (assuming you followed the link), she thinks Santa Claus should from now on be a penguin. Because penguins are so cute and sweet and everybody likes them.
Apparently, she's never heard of THE PENGUIN from the Batman comics that has been in existence since December 1941 (Ha! December! How ironic is that?), and is probably just as popular as Santa Claus.
OH, Puh-leeeeez! Batman, Superman, Santa Claus, Michael Jordan...no, wait he's NOT WHITE!
Okay, so let's compare Michael Jordan to Santa Claus, because, obviously, Michael Jordan is a fictional character (he, and Denzel Washington) because there is no way a man who is ALL THAT and has fans of all races and nationalities can be black. Because if he was black, then white people wouldn't like him. They would not have attended his basketball games, cheered for him in the Olympics, bought his shoes or his underwear, or whatever he was promoting, right? Because white people can ONLY admire and relate to white role models or, in the case of Michael Jordan and Santa Claus, LEGENDS!
SO, if Santa Claus can be depicted as black, or (Oh, please no...a penguin) then by all means, Michael Jordan must, from now on be depicted as a white guy or a very tall rabbit. If you don't get that reference...look it up.
Now do you see how really ridiculous this all sounds?
Santa Claus is a fictional character based on St. Nicholas, who was actually from The Mediterranean, so he was probably sporting a rather decent tan.
However, for many generations, we in America have celebrated/acknowledged a Santa Claus who is loosely based on Washington Irving's (white guy) version of Sinter Klaas, Thomas Nast's (another white guy) illustrations in Harper's, and the jolly on elf in the poem by Clement Clarke Moore (you guessed it...white guy) as our jovial gift giver.
Santa Claus is legendarily portrayed as a portly aging white guy, with or without glasses, red suit, black belt, white or green gloves or mittens, black or white boots and the all too familiar (regardless if he's riding a Harley Davidson or a sleigh, whether he's fly fishing, drinking a Coke, sunning at the beach with Jimmy Buffet, being taken over by a Pumpkin King with a great singing voice, or sitting at the mall) white beard. He lives at the North Pole with a bunch of elves with curly toed shoes and pointy ears, his wife, Mrs. Claus who is just a regular, overweight, sweet lady...who is also white.
BTW it is NOT Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus! It is Santa and Mrs. Claus.
After spending most of the year making toys in the North Pole, he rides his sleigh all across the world and drops down the chimney (if you have a chimney, if not, does he just slip through a window or come through the front door?), he eats the cookies and milk you set out for him, he leaves presents under the tree and/or in stockings, and sneaks back out.
Then your parents get up really early and play with your toys before you get to!
So, I don't see the problem here.
Other countries have their own version of this generous guy, why can't we? And why does it have to be a racist thing for him to be white?
If you want a Kwanzaa Claus, then by all means, get one! I'll tuck a figure of him right in there with the rest of my Santa Claus, Pierre Noel, Sinter Klaas, and Ded Moroz collection..but please, just let Santa Claus be an overweight white guy.
And Jesus can be Middle-Eastern.
More great articles to read:
Jesus Wasn't White but Santa Definitely Is
Megyn Kelly Addresses White Santa Comments
Love ya, Megan and Aisha for keeping it fun!
Countdown to Xmas: 40 Days Why Would There Not Be "CHRIST" in Christmas?
Had we in America held the tradition of Saint Nicholas Day on December 6th, perhaps confusing Jesus's "birthday" with the eve Santa Claus slips into our homes and leaves gifts under the Christmas (AKA Winter Solstice) tree, perhaps we could keep "Christ" in Christmas and celebrate Jesus's birthday on a day all to itself.
I tend to send cards that say "Happy Holidays" because I like to encompass the new year into the greeting as well. Still, the holiday IS called Christmas...PERIOD.
If you DON'T want to say "Christmas" then I think you shouldn't be allowed to celebrate it.
My, but don't we have enough stress over the holidays? So many expectations and now we have to watch our tongue as to how we greet someone during the time of the year where the cold (in most areas) makes us want to stay in our homes, but the holiday season encourages us to get out and about.
Now, if I had my preferences, I'd stick good Ol' Santa smack dab in the middle of his own holiday and let the time for celebrating the birth of Christ stand on its own.
Albeit, Saint Nicholas was an actual person, I still like the idea of Santa Claus and all the legends and traditions that have developed through the world regarding his generosity and/or discipline.
But there is one thing I am curious about is the connection between Santa Claus and Jesus in the manger and Noah's Ark. Who started that legend/tradition?
I can see Noah...it's the beard thing, right? But how do we even know Noah had a long white beard?
I'm confused.
And I would say that anything that predates the actual Saint Nicholas just doesn't work logistically.
But I'll share some cute Santas with Jesus and Santas/Noahs and the Ark that I've found on the internet with you anyway.
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| What is Santa Claus Doing Next to Baby Jesus |
The opinion from the previous link may be an interesting dinner party top of conversation, as will this opinion of the link between Santa and Noah on religiousforums.com.
"One the biggest reasons I rejected a belief in Santa Claus as a child was the seemingly impossible task of his toy delivery run. If one does the math Santa Claus would need in order to satisfy all children would have to deliver toys at the rate of 4000 deliveries per second. Some children still continue to buy it, "well that is because Santa Claus is magic" is the answer given to many children when they query the parents about Santa's impossible work schedule on Xmas eve. The same argument applies to Noah in his quest to round up two of every species of wild animal he would need to break the sound barrier like how did he manage to get those two toed sloths from South America moving faster than the speed of sound in a hasty attempt to round them up to get them about the ark? Saying Noah was magic like parents lie to their children about Santa Claus does not seem to wash with me."
As George Michael said, "You've got to have faith!" or was that someone else?
Anyway...
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| Ed Pribyl "Noah's Ark Santa" |
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| Found on Pinterest |
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| Jim Shore's "Santa with Noah's Ark" |
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| Nostalgic Noah's Ark Woodcarved Santa |
And if you can't bring yourself to say "Merry Christmas", please at least try saying "Peace on Earth, and Good Will Toward Men".
| http://instagram.com/ifitwags |
HOLIDAY POINTER:
Be good to each other.
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