7th Day of Christmas... Top 12 gifts to give....

One of the things I love about Christmas is finding the perfect gift for someone, one they will really like/love use...... Here is my list of presents to give or that I have given that have been memorable

1. Dolls... I love baby dolls for Christmas, the smell of them the clothes and blankets Mrs Claus makes, to see them under the tree in a little cradle. Oh I love little girls in the baby doll stage!

2. One year I surprised Tom with an iguana (Yoshie was his name) I was so excited to give him, it was before we had kids when we were first married, so it was one of my first times with a surprise that I was so excited to give I couldn't sleep..... we later accidentally cooked poor little yosh leaving him outside thinking he would like the sun in July... lets just say he was hard and looked frozen when we got home...

3. Another year I surprised Tom with a new t.v I had saved money secretly and I loved how surprised he was.

4.One year Maddie was in a questioning year, and to me I just want them to believe forever (because you should right) so she wanted a blue bike with her name on it... we couldn't find a light blue bike, we finally found one online and had it sent to us, when we opened it up it was an adult tan bike and it was Dec 23rd! Yikes..... we finally found one at an expensive bike shop got the name added and sighed with relief when she said see I told you Santa could bring anything... she kept saying if Santa is real I will get a light blue bike with my name... That bike has been great Olivia used it Zarley has used it..... it was way worth the $ and the added year of magic for my child!

5. One year we gave Tom's dad a tv he was so surprised, he thought we had made him a quilt and just put it in a t.v box. I guess I like the shock/surprise

6. Another year we all went in with Toms brothers and gave his dad a trip to see the U and the Sugar bowl, he cried he was so happy about it... That was fun.

7 Last year I saved again secretly and bought Tom an Ipad, he uses it constantly and was totally surprised.

8 Some of my very favorite gifts are home made, last year Tom whittled some Santa Clauses for both our parents, he is so dang crafty it amazes me... So I did not really give this gift, but I sure was excited for Tom to give it from "US"...

9 Josephina Maddie's very first American Girl doll..... she started a small obsession at our house, she was loved too, and to think I really did not want to give that gift and it has been one of the very best gifts we still have her.

10. I like to make quilts to give to people too, I've made them for my kids, Tom etc.... home made gifts are just so fun.... I have one in the works this year too.

11. Secret Santa gifts are the best to give I love the magic of the Christmas spirit you feel when giving to someone without them knowing...

12. I have a gift this year I am getting all giddy about giving... you'll have to wait to know what it is.

I thought I would list my favorite gifts to give being that it is more fun to give, but now it sounds like those people who are I'm so great I give this and this... blah blah that is not how I meant this... so I will now list the best gifts I have gotten!!

What have been your favorite gift giving items....

6th Day of Christmas

Check out my parents Christmas card.... thanks to Corbin he took the photos, and then photo shopped himself into the picture... I love it, it is so fun... see if you can find....1. the person with only one real leg jumping in, 2. the pregnant girl, 3. the ice dancers, 4.how many pictures their is a lurking child in the back ground, 5. the one who wouldn't join in the red fest,6. who is photo shopped in, 7.how many people are on the slide,8. how many people in the picture all together, 9. figure out who the 3 missing from the picture are (from the White family) 10. find the one posing the wrong direction thinking the photo shopped person would be on the other side, 11. Find Alan, 12. Find tattoo's long lost cousin.....

Instead of top 12 tonight I will give you 12 different thoughts or comments on Christmas cards....
or you can play the find the 12 above... don't click on the picture until after you have guessed, lets see what you come up with...
1. I love them, I love to get them I love to hang them in my house, I love that someone has thought to send me one.
2. I love the ones with pictures best.
3. I hate family letters for the most part(my friend Julie got one from a friend however that was making fun of them and it was really funny! I would like that kind) The letters are brag fests, I don't know why I don't care too much for them. I do have one family that sends me one and they lived by us years ago and it does not seem to be bragging about vacations or listing which child is most successful and trying to word correctly the child who is on the loser side of things it just gives a quick note as to what each child is up to and I love being updated.... so I guess I'm saying some of the are ok, but others I don't care so much for.
4. My Grandpa's cards cracks me straight up,
5. I have toyed with the idea of making a coffee table book of some of the funniest Christmas cards I have seen....
6. I was saving those cards for my book and then felt kind of mean like the people whose cards I saved may get their feelings hurt..... so I threw them away...
7. Now I wish I still had them for my own little moments to laugh....
8. My 3 favorites include 1. 3 adults and one child all in matching outfits...... a gay couple and their cat..... a family as characters in one of Tom's favorite movies.....
9. I think a personal note in just a store bought card is so much better then just a signed/stamped name....
10.I think of little Christmas card sayings or ideas through out the year, but don't always even send them out, and never use my clever ideas...
11. I am really stretching this to be 12 thoughts and it is a really lame post sorry for anyone who has continued to read this... Just trying to post each day since I sucked at posting all year...
12. Send me your Christmas card or let me know if you want mine.... I would love to put them up on my Christmas card garland....

(I really have a comment for 11 now.... did you know one year I left one of my kids names off of the card?? What kind of mother am I)

What is your opinion on cards do you feel it is a dying trend that is ok to let go, or do we need to keep it going?

5th Day of Christmas Top 12

Tonight was our Annual Christmas party.... Here is Canyon I think he might be saying "hello" with his toes... He got the Rudolph movie on DVD.




Liv-a-love... She got duct tape.




Hayder babes got a Big Bang Theory t-shirt. BAZINGA!




Madz, she got a sock monkey - they freak her out; it was a joke, she did not find it funny!!
We did!



All the grand kids...


In light of it being a Christenson night, we are going to let Tom do the top 12 tonight.....


Top 12 places to go during the Christmas season. This is a combination of things I have done in the past, and things that I could do again this year!




#1: A Christmas Carol - whether you see it at the Hale Center Theater or watch it on TV, nothing beats a little horror mixed with Christmas!



#2: Carthage Jail near Nauvoo, IL during the Christmas season. Tiff and I got to go through the jail tour a few years back, and since there are few visitors during the winter months, we had the room where Joseph Smith died to ourselves for as long as we wanted. I have never felt such powerful vibes in a place in my life (well, except for the time I put Baby Jesus on the ouija board at Christmas time - but that is a story for another time, and it was a different power). The sense of sacrifice and the gratefulness of a Savior was so strong, and it really added to our Christmas season that year.



#3: A Christmas Concert performed by a choir in a non-LDS church. I do not remember who I went with, or the exact year, but I attended a Christmas choir program at the Wasatch Presbyterian Church (1700 E 1700 S) and I do not think I have heard a more beautiful Christmas performance; the type that you remember years later and have never heard as good of one since. Not only were the vocals so good, but they included these neat bells and other instruments. The atmosphere was very spiritual and the music was so good; I remember thinking that I had never heard anything close to this good ever in my life.



#4: Attend a Christmas Mass - As a teenager, I think it was my senior year, I attended a Christmas mass with a friend. It was at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (700 E 8600 S) and I remember attending the 10 or 11 PM mass with my friend's family. I remember them being shocked that I would go with them being that I was a "mormon" kid. I accepted the invite and went along to experience the full evening. I listened to the band (electric guitar and drums included) play Christmas music, and participated in Holy Communion/Eucharist. The experience was different than any other Christmas Eve, spending time with others celebrating the birth of Christ.



#5: A stranger's home. Another experience I remember growing up was when my parents and I (maybe some of my siblings but I do not remember), and some of our friends took Christmas to the home of strangers. I remember taking wrapped gifts, a TV and maybe even some furniture to a small apartment in downtown Salt Lake. The thing I remember most were the smiles and excitement of the family we were taking the items to - you would thin it was Christmas (haha) and I guess that is what we delivered. I do not know their situation and it is too far back to remember, but I do remember feeling so happy that we made someone else so happy. I just hope that if I were in that situation I would be the one humble enough to accept it!



#6: Temple Square - especially the manger scene(s) and the Christus statue. It seems that over the years they decorate less and less of the trees, but it is still nice. I still remember as a kid pulling out a single bulb on a strand and watching half the sidewalk of lights go out. And don;t forget to walk a few of the streets surrounding Temple Square to remind yourself what you and your family are so blessed to have that these people do not have.



#7: Ruth's Diner - the Trolley Car diner up Emigration Canyon. It's been awhile since I have been here, but it is one of those neat places to go at Christmas time. The old trolley car, the foggy windows, the snow and Christmas lights outside make it a fun place to eat.



#8: Christmas Street - visit the culdesac at 1735 South 1500 East near Sugarhouse.



#9: Christmas Vacation and ELF are a couple of the best Christmas comedies. I saw both in the theater when they came out. I hope more like them come out to keep the tradition of comedy going. Too many other Christmas movies just turn out lame, not quite catching the real humor of the season.



#10: The Christmas Tree lot, or an adventure into the Utah Woods to cut down your own tree. Either way you have fun, but one will probably get you a better tree.



#11: The emergency room - nothing beats a visit to the hospital room for stitches as your little girl explains how she was actually saving the snow globe.



#12: Home! Unfortunately we all have to spend too much damn time away from our home for work and other things. Some days I really wish I could just hang out with my kids and Tiff, the Christmas tree, Christmas music and movies, and a warm bed/couch and do a whole lot of nothing.

There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all." — Jacqueline Kennedy

The 4th day of Christmas my top 12 list is my favorite Christmas Stories....This above is The gift of the magi..
12. The Christmas Orange.....
11.Christmas Cookies..
10. Night Before Christmas
9. Polar Express
8. Santa Comes to Little House (anything Little House is Fabulous right!)
7. Norman Rockwell's Christmas (my friend Michelle gave me this book for my 16th birthday the inscription is classic.... I think it says the likes of Hey Fag and love you like a brother.
6. Christmas Carol

5. The gift of the Magi, this really is in the running for my #1 I have always loved this story
4. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (love this it makes me laugh, I remember reading the whole book one afternoon at my Grandma's house it just makes be think of her..)
3 The Gift of 3 Trees
2. I Believe in Santa, I love how it is a Santa Claus Book that talks all about Jesus, and how Santa can remind us of Jesus...
1. Luke 2

The more that you read, The more things you will know. The more that you learn, The more places you'll go! .... Dr Seuss

What are your favorite Christmas Stories?

Top 12 Christmas Activities... Not traditions we will get to that later....

My top 12 favorite things to do at Christmas time....
12. The school sing along I know its silly but the kids singing their songs I love it... I rememer singing in a big Christmas tree at Fashion Place mall as a kid..
11.The preschool singing program and the kids piano recital their is just something about Christmas music I guess.... The preschool program is always great too because you never know what the kids will do.
10. Christmas Dance Recital... I think however I am so glad when it is over!!
9.Wrapping presents night the last two years I have had a night at the studio with Tom and freinds watching movies... other years we have gone to a condo with friends etc...
8.Shopping as a kid was my favorite thing about Christmas, me and all my siblings would go the day before together and put all our money together and buy a gift for each person, one time we bought this organizer for sewing stuff for my mom and spent most of our money..... so we picked little things for ourselves and some little #1 dad thing for my dad but we were beyond excited to give my mom the organizer thing... (I don't think she ever used it but hey..)
7.The Nutcracker, I love it I love going with my girls, I loved going with my grandma I loved that she took just me to it sometimes it was so fun... last year was so fun because one of my students was in it.
6.Breakfast with Santa, my grandma used to take us to that every year too. Its so fun to take little kids to.
5.Driving around to see lights, Christmas street etc.. I am a whimp however I like to see it from the comfort of my car more then walking around Temple Square, that can be a good time too.... one year Maddie told us did you know there is this place down town by the temple that has lights you can see.... she was like 10... I felt kind of bad she had no idea about Temple square.
4.Taking my kids shopping for each other. I love what they pick out for each other, especially when they are little.. Star Wars tie for Tom a fry maker for Maddie.... I love how their little minds work picking for others....
3.Doing Secret/Sub for Santa's some years we have gone to great extent to be sneaky and it has made it so much fun....
2.Watching Christmas movies... on Christmas Eve I watch Its a Wonderful life all by my self every year and I love it, I love watching Christmas Vacation with my mom she laughs and snorts so hard.... Elf with my kids is fun to watch too....
1.Decorating the Christmas Tree and my house... I love all the Christmas decorations I absolutely love having the lighted Christmas tree to greet me each morning, the smells of pine the glow at night of only the tree, it is just so magical!! I love having Chrismtas lights on all the houses and having nativity sets and pictures around the house...

What are your favorite things to do at Christmas time??

2nd Day of Christmas Top 12.....

My top 12 countdown today is my 12 favorite Christmas treats..... This is hard I love treats so much, you know I can drink caramel with a straw and I eat it until I'm literally sick so here goes...

#12 Those White Danish Wedding cookies, I don't know if they are a Christmas treat but I only get them from nice people for Christmas those are delightful I must say.
#11 Pumpkin/spice cookies pumpkin pie pumpkin rolls with cream cheese in the middle.
#10 A good sugar cookie especially the ones shaped like candy canes and they have red and white dough twisted together so cute.... I really like the sugar cookies made with sour cream though in any shape.
#9 I know its not really a treat but I like that pomegranate 7 up they only make at Christmas time.
#8 Cinnamon Rolls, when I was little that is what my mom always made for all the neighbors... I loved helping her cut them with dental floss, and my mom is the master at making frosting.
#7 Orange Crisp Cookies the cute little flower design the memories all better then the actually taste but they do taste great.
#6 Orange rolls I love these on Christmas morning.....
#5 The danish cookies you know the shortbread kind in the round tins... I have been known to throw down a couple full tins myself of those (almost my entire weight gain in my pregnancy with Hayden happened in the month of Dec due to these bad boys!)
#4Homemade fudge it has to be milky enough though but ya that sounds delightful too!
#3Orange sticks... I can eat a whole box... I know I used to think they were nasty too, but I tell ya they are great. The chocolate orange is good too and it reminds me of my great grandma who used to tell me they got an orange for Christmas and that was about it....can you imagine?
#2Caramel popcorn, especially Natalie's that is fabulous, the kind of caramel popcorn you have to have a wipey to clean your hands after every few handfuls...
and my #1 Favorite.... drum roll .........Homemade caramels wrapped in the that waxey paper oh man if I were on death row that would definitely be included in my last meal request!

Let's be honest I'm a sucker for treats and will probably dream about ones I left out.... What are your favorites??

12 Days of Christmas... The Best Way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear!

This year I am going to do a top 12 each day for the 12 days of Christmas.... today I will start with my top 12 Christmas songs......
#12 No Place like Home for the Holidays... dumb reason, but there were these 2 girls I took dance with when I was little and they did a duet to it and it was super cute and I've always just liked it since.... dumb
#11 "Christmas is My Favorite time of the Year" Kenny Rogers, who doesn't love a good ole Kenny Rogers song... this one especially, with... the mist of wonder that lies under my tree, the gift of memories waiting for me... or the laughter in the children's eyes.... love it... a boy in high school bought me this tape.... weird....
#10 Dreaming of a White Christmas... I love the old time singers deep voices and I love that they are still playing their songs on the radio at Christmas time.... a little Bing Crosby always put me in the Christmas mood.
#9 Silent Night I love to listen to this one on Christmas Eve and just imagine the still quietness of the first Christmas night.
#8 Oh Come all Ye Faithful favorite churchish one...
#7 Jingle Bell Rock, it reminds me of my Grandpa White... he sang this song to me and I thought he had made up his own version of Jingle bells only his was more rockish...
#6 Walking in A Winter Wonderland.... I got this tape recorder thing in 5th grade, and I recorded this song off the radio, I loved it then, and now it just reminds me of that silly little rectangular shaped black and silver tape recorder that I loved so much....
#5 Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas..... I love this song because I love all the family togetherness at Christmas time and the line "through the year we all will be together" is my favorite line...
#4The primary song not sure of the name but it's .....This is the Season beloved of the year sing a rhyme Christmas time soon will be here...... love that song
#3 Baby it's Cold outside (the one from elf) I think its just fun...
#2 Winter's Night "Sarah McLauglin I like to drive in my car and pretend I could be singer to this song... it is so pretty, I think Sarah could give Jewel a run for her money for those of you who know my Jewel story....
#1 Old City Bar by Transiberian Orchestra.... Love the story this song tells, love the magic of Christmas... I love the last part that says... "If you want to arrange it this world you can change it if we could somehow make this Christmas thing last, by helping a neighbor or even a stranger. To know who needs help all we need only just ask"..... Best line of a song!!! Isn't that what it's all about?

This has gotten harder over the past few years, I usually love Christmas music, but with my dance studio I go from Summer Vacation (which I am always super sad to see summer end) straight to listening to Christmas music literally because we have to start learning dances for our recital... so I then hear the same songs over and over and over and get a little tired of them. I do still love Christmas music though almost all of them too (not the Christmas shoes though)

What are your Favorite Christmas songs??

I will try and download some of these tomorrow, but I had to get my first day of Christmas up before it was too late..... I didn't do this last year and felt a little discombobulated!