The Grinch scaring kids away
From the channel of Pij_jia.
My wife loves the Grinch. I've always been creeped out by him. I remember being afraid of some dolls when I was very young. Not all, but some. I did, however, have a teddy bear that I couldn't sleep without. His name was "Little Green Teddy." The kids in this video are definitely spooked by the Grinch.
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| Happy New Year! |
I don't make positive New Year's resolutions; however, the following concerns:
Things I Won't Do (Or Won't Do Again)
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| Christmas Decorations |
12/30/2025: I'm preparing to renew my yearly membership with the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society. Anyway, I'll do it in the next week or two. Right now I have money in my billfold and it's on fire to go out and eat dinner one night. I'm thinking Tex-Mex. Not just thinking, but that's what it's going to be. The picture shows my 2025 decorations, taken with a gifted Vivitar camera. I'm still trying to figure out how to learn/operate the camera.
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| Christmas Ham and Turkey |
I cooked the usual ham and turkey for the Christmas Day meal. I always cook the meat. The ham was just okay, because of the brand and being pre-sliced (too thin), and I only had one bite of the turkey. I don't care for turkey, so I don't eat much. We did have plenty of ham, and yesterday I put the rest of it into a freezer bag to store it. We cook it with pinto beans in the crockpot. I was busy and didn't have time to take pictures after I had cooked the meat. I did get a picture when I was getting ready to cook it.
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| Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you! |
Merry Christmas from me, us, and Lucas the tabby cat!
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| Merry Christmas! |
The time is approaching once again, and once again, I might be scarce on the blog. That being said, I have content that will auto-load every day at 10:00 a.m. Anyhow, my family and I extend to you a heartfelt, "Merry Christmas." Are you an expert on holidays? If so, maybe you already know the following facts. Either way, read on!
1. There is no evidence that Jesus Christ was born on December 25. Some scholars believe He was born in the spring [1].
2. Christmas has both pagan and Christian origins, especially the giving of gifts and a decorated tree [2].
3. The real Saint Nicholas was known for giving gifts and even for miracle-working. The idea of a jolly, chubby Saint is more of a modern tradition [3].
4. The Bible's "wise men of the east" is a translation of the word "magi." The magi were magicians and probably came from Babylon [4].
5. In Norse mythology, the god Odin has sometimes been thought to be synonymous with Santa Claus. However, there appears to be no direct evidence of this.
Sources Consulted:
¹https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g2972/surprising-christmas-facts/
²Ibid.
³Lonestar Hobby Blog.
⁴Easton’s Bible Dictionary via Christianity.com.
⁵In Norse mythology, the god Odin has sometimes been thought to be synonymous with Santa Claus. However, there appears to be no direct evidence of this.
See also:
The Origins of Christmas by Joseph F. Kelly
Image Source: Internet
I'm Mr. White Christmas (Snow Miser Song) - 4K Remastered
From the channel of Julian Lachniet.
I hope you're ready for Christmas, because it's coming whether you're ready or not. This video is the snow miser song from the 1974 Christmas TV special, The Year Without a Santa Claus. I remember this song from when I was very young. It aired every December as part of the seasonal Christmas programming.
Back then, we had no cell phones, no cable, and no way to stream anything. VCRs weren't even invented. I looked forward to watching this show every time it aired. We had a 19" color TV and only got two channels, ABC and NBC. They were channels three and six; I'll never forget it. My brother and I served as the remote control. I don't think they even had remote controls back then. I still enjoy the show and the stop motion animation of the old days.
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| Office Decorations |
I took mom's groceries to her and then set about to do some errands. The temperature was in the 40s (F), so I dressed in my new hoodie and took off to town. I had to get some antacid, some creamed corn, and I was looking for some tea lights, as I cannot find mine. I know I have some, somewhere, stored away in the closet. Well, I couldn't find any, but I did find some battery-operated lights for a dollar a piece. The bad thing is that the batteries in them are not replaceable. I'll have to get some at Walmart or somewhere the next time we go. I got my Christmas decorations put up, or put up as good as they're going to get. I'm tired of trying to get them perfect. I made an effort, and that's about all I'll do for this year.
Ariana Grande - Santa Tell Me (Official Video)
From the channel of Ariana Grande.
This is a very catchy tune. Ariana Grande is a great singer. There's something like a "blooper" section at the end of the video. The video has millions of views.
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| Christmas Is Almost Here |
I like the home office decorations from last year (pictured). It's almost that time again! I think today is the day, assuming that nothing goes wrong, that I'll install my Christmas tree and decorations. As always, I may be absent from the blog, especially during the week of Christmas. Merry Christmas to all!
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| Winter Solstice - Author's Picture |
"The first day of winter 2025 is on Sunday, December 21, 2025. This date marks the winter solstice, which occurs at 10:03 A.M. (EST) in the Northern Hemisphere. The solstice is the shortest day of the year."
"The winter solstice is one of the oldest pagan holidays celebrated by people all around the world. The date varies with location, but it always falls before or after December 21st each year. The Sabbats are pagan holidays that honor the turning of the seasons based on the sun." Source: Tea and Rosemary.com.
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| Ham Ready To Go |
I had this ham up and cooking yesterday before noon. It only took maybe a couple of hours before it was done. Same deal with the turkey. As usual, everyone enjoyed it. I didn't overcook it or dry it out, like I've sometimes done in the past. I thought the ham was exceptionally good.
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| Ham and Turkey |
I laid out the turkey and the ham yesterday. In our house, I'm always the one who cooks the meat. We have other "traditional" dishes too, like dressing, but my wife cooks it. We have other side dishes, which my daughter prepares, and of course, we have random foods like cranberry sauce and rolls. This year, we've done away with "homemade" desserts. Instead, we have a couple of bought pies, pumpkin and pecan. I'm not sure whether Mom will come to the house for lunch. If not, I'll take her a plate. Or plates, probably.
The weather may be bad on Thanksgiving Day. I've seen reports of rain. I'm still annoyed by grocery shopping around Black Friday. I hope we can go late in the evening when the traffic is minimal. I've heard some people say (funny) that they get road rage in Walmart.
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| Happy Thanksgiving! |
1. The United States is not the only country that observes the Thanksgiving holiday. Canada does as well, and even some countries outside of North America observe it.
2. 1619 marked the first known celebration of Thanksgiving in what is now the United States. Specifically, in what is now known as Virginia.
3. It is recorded that one pound of turkey per person is the needed amount for a Thanksgiving meal.
4. According to the USDA, more than 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving Day.
5. 67 million cans of cranberry sauce are sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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| Christmas Decorations |
I got my office Christmas tree put up yesterday. It's half-completed in the picture. I worked on straightening out the branches a little later.
Here's a picture of all of my decorations. The ones on the left are a floral Santa boot, two toy soldiers, and a metal decorative Christmas tree. I bought most of those things at the Dollar Store's after-Christmas sale last year. However, I've had the boot for a long time. I've got some glitter-decorated pinecones that I'll add to the display later. Right now, I don't know where they are.
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| Wreath 2025 |
Well, we ended up going to Walmart this past Sunday. We got the kids some Christmas gifts. We'll have to do it one more time, at least. It'll probably take place after Black Friday. Nothing spectacular happened during our trip.
On that same morning, I cut the bottom out of a plastic barrel that will serve as a dog's house. It'll keep the rain off the dog whose current house is in disrepair. I had to use a drill to make a hole for the saw blade. Then, using a jigsaw, I cut the barrel according to the marks that had been drawn on the lid. It took about 30 minutes to do it.
The picture shows a newly updated wreath that my wife has at her office. It looks much nicer, she said, than the one that was previously there. The new wreath actually fell off of the door, but we found a wreath hanger today that will be installed tomorrow.
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| Happy Halloween! |
Tomorrow is that time of year when goblins, ghouls, and divers other spooks roam the land for one night! Whether you're doing trunk-or-treat at your church or trick-or-treating in the neighborhood, be safe! Check out the following safety tips from The Pioneer Woman.
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| Halloween Artwork |
"The house is alive with Halloween magic tonight. Join the party...if you dare" (OP). I found another nice piece of Halloween artwork. Halloween is almost here.
Image Source: Meta via Halloween Lovers Zone.
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| Halloween Art |
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| Halloween Artwork |
