Christmas blogs

I have been a little lax with my blogs in recent months since I spent so much time on my two books – Storm on Savage Mountain and Haunted Station. However, I am back at the keyboard and planning to blog more often during 2019. To end this busy year, I am going to refer to back to Christmas blogs I wrote in the past.

2012 - I had just started writing this blog in February of that year. For December, I decided to write something light around Christmas and chose to discuss Funny Christmas Songs.

 “All I want for Christmas are my two front teeth” had special meaning to my family since it was appropriate for my daughter who knocked her baby teeth up into her gums when she was a toddler. We bought her a red-headed Cabbage Patch doll that was missing its two front teeth.

I still love to listen to David DeBoy’s humorous Christmas album, which includes “The Aluminum Christmas” Tree.” One of my aunts had one. A special light shining on it made it look like it was changing colors. This song brings back those memories of that tree “you might see on Mars.”

One of my favorites on that album is “Crabs for Christmas.” A big fella from Maryland, in his bowling league coat and Orioles cap, tells a Houston Santa that he wants crabs for Christmas. Steamed crabs and a beer “would be like a trip back to ole Balt-i-more.”

2014 - I titled my blog, A Christmas Gift. It was about the anthology Christmas Carroll, published that year by my local writing group. It includes various types of stories, poems and photos from people who live (or previously lived) in Carroll County, Maryland. Brief biographies and photos of the authors and artists make this book special. As it says on the back cover, “…this anthology written by our writing family for yours.” It is still available at Eclecticity in Westminster and on www.amazon.com.

2016 - Books for Christmas was the subject of a blog based on the annual “Books Sandwiched In” event at McDaniel College, Westminster, MD.  The bookish event celebrated its 25^th anniversary that year.

I have gone to McDaniel Books Sandwiched In for years, but a sudden snowstorm closed the college for part of the day this year and the event was cancelled.  Happily the local newspaper, the Carroll County Times, ran an article about the presenter, Jane Sharpe, a retired college librarian who reads many books during the year to choose her favorite 25 to 35 books. The article included the list of her recommended books this year. It was helpful, but I missed her comments about why she chose the books and who may find them interesting.

I love to give books as gifts. Besides books for children (often given with a small toy) I have given books about sports, famous people, history, crafts, “How-to’s” and books by local authors.

2017 - In My Christmas Tree, I mentioned sentimental items that decorate my tree each year. Yes, they are hanging on my tree again this year, joined by some made by my young grandson. Lasr year, I wrote “Birds sing on my Christmas tree, stars twinkle, friends and family members live on. While decorating my Christmas tree I realized how much my collection of ornaments reflects my life.”

I enjoy going to garden centers and visiting the homes of family members and friends during the holiday season to enjoy the wide variety of decorated Christmas trees. However, I love my personal tree. Like my writing, it helps keep family and friends alive.

I hope you enjoyed this little step down memory lane. These full blogs are still available at josobservations.blogspot.com if you want to read more.

Enjoy your special holiday traditions and have a wonderful Christmas season.