Time To Break Out The Christmas Music...

 It's time...

Time to sing the songs of the season.

It's so easy to love Christmas music. Just the memories those chords and notes conjure make it easy, memories of childhood dreams, of snow falling and fires warming the room. I speak for myself, of course. Looking back, I had wonderful Christmases, though others may not have. I know I experienced tough times growing up...everyone does, and everyone should. It's the way life was intended. We should never life a life without pain...it makes it impossible to experience joy.

Joy to the World

For years, heck, for decades I belonged to a congregation that took their annual ward musical Christmas program to heights seldom seen (or heard...). We had world-class (and I mean, world-class...) musicians participate. We began practicing the music months in advance. We had piano, organ, strings, bells, even harp--multiple harp--accompaniment. We had solos, duets, small quartets. They were an event, something people penciled in like many do when attending a Hallelujah Sing-In.

Handel's Hallelujah

We would practice the songs week after week. We'd gather in homes and at church...even having an incredible breakfast at the church the Saturday before the Christmas service. Those programs--like the Christmases of my youth--are now only memories, ghosts of the past, sounds lost to time. Now, part of my church calling is to help organize the upcoming Christmas program in our ward. It won't be as grand, nor will it include talent found in our previous neighborhood. But, does that matter? Do we need the same preparation, the same degree of difficulty to find success? The answer is, no. No we do not. Because it's not those things that make the program special. It's a group of imperfect people gathering together and sharing their talents to make the holiday special for themselves and others.

Angles We Have Heard on High

When the last chord rings through the space and the prayer ends, we all go home. We hopefully join loved ones on a day of rest, a day set apart to reflect, to consider, to dwell on higher causes. And when the evening comes, those who participated and those who experienced the program will look back on their day with relief and satisfaction in the hopes that they did some good in the world.

Silent Night

We've got ten weeks until Christmas Eve. Time to break out the music.

Gingerbread Buildings Built...Next Stop--The Inferno

 There are things our family does during the Christmas season. Like most families, we look forward to this time of the year when we can gather and enjoy the time we spend together. One of the things we started doing several years ago was assemble gingerbread structures. This year...

We had a competition.

Really, the only reason we had a competition is because we bought a competition kit gingerbread village.

We are not "experts" in gingerbread construction. We don't go "over the top" or "all out." No, we're simple folk and try to have fun while not putting too much pressure on ourselves to make a flawless, perfect example of a confectionary building.

We built four houses for judging, and four others for fun. We put them together on Christmas Eve morning. Later that day, my son and daughter-in-law came over and officially judged the results. The competition kit even came with a blue ribbon--no red or white for second or third place--for the winner.

Though all were good, one rose above the rest and the blue ribbon went to my artist son (none of us were surprised...). 

Another tradition our family adopted years ago was, once the buildings were finished, we wanted a fun way to dispose of them. We used to buy fireworks and literally blow them up. We stopped doing that because it became harder for us to find fireworks in December. This year, we're going to take them into the backyard, build a huge bonfire in the fire pit and throw them in. We're actually excited about that.

Yes, it's the traditions that we look forward to this time of year. Building then destroying edible structures is one we really love.

When Your--Danish--Friends Bring Treats...

 We had guests earlier this week...

And they brought gifts.

The gifts were in the form of a box of treats, but not just any treats...Danish treats.

Like us, another family left the congested roads and gunky air and migrated north, to the land of open fields and happy people. They contacted us and we invited them over. They brought deliciousness.

Funny thing about the times in which we live. I had actually never met these new residents of our county, even though we had known of each other since the advent of social media. That's when I got to know one person, someone who came from Denmark and who moved to America around the same time I left that country to come home.

Man, I miss Denmark, especially at Christmas. These homemade Danish goodies took me back.

We use the word, "Danish" to describe not only a language, but also a food. There's a reason Denmark is famous for its pastry. The treats in the box did the Danish people proud. Holiday food is just one type of delicious food the Scandinavians enjoy. Red cabbage, Danish meatballs, rice pudding...it's all great.

I've loved being able to connect with the Danish culture, even though I'm not 100% Danish...my tests show me having 8% Scandinavian DNA. And it's fun meeting and enjoying the company of new neighbors. Thanks for the goodies! We'll have to make it up to you sometime soon.

Delicious...AND Educational

 It's not everyday in our house that a huge tin of Danish butter cookies is opened and enjoyed. No, it's usually at this time of year...December...Christmas, that the deliciousness is unleashed on my family and guests who happen to visit during this special time of year.

It's yet another reason why it's the best time of the year.

If you haven't cracked open one of these tins in some time, you may have forgotten a thin piece of paper that acts as a barrier (and maybe a sneeze guard...) between the lid and the golden brown cookies made in a distant land many miles and an ocean away.

The world-famous Danish Butter Cookies.

As we decorated the house, we felt it appropriate to imbibe with a cookie, or two (or more...). I noticed that thin piece of paper. It gives you some information about the country after which the cookies are named, a land I call my second home, a magical place where on almost every street corner some of the world's best pastries are created and eaten--at least, that's the way it was several decades ago.

I think it's good to get a little education when enjoying delicious treats. We get a map of the country. It's a small country comprised of hundreds of islands and a peninsula attached to Germany. If you're familiar with the state of Utah, Denmark is about 1/5 the size of my home state. It's kind of amazing how many things come from that little country.

Next time you crack open a tin of Danish butter cookies, take a moment and read the information on the thin piece of paper before you excitedly toss it aside on your way to devouring the goodness found inside. Like I said, it's good to have a little education...when enjoying delicious treats.

The Experiment: Making Better Pies...Fortunately, We Are The Guinea Pigs

 The other day my wife made a proclamation...not anything earth-shattering (well, maybe it was...). Just a simple statement of a goal she had...

She wanted to practice making better pies.

Um...yes, please!

My wife is an excellent cook. Me not fitting into clothes that once were un-snug is proof. Baking, though...it's a tough world. When my wife said she wanted to improve her pie-making abilities, I offered my full and unconditional support--I am fully on board. Yesterday, was Experiment #1 and #2...apple and cherry pies.

She made one to give to a family in the neighborhood (the apple...), and our family got to enjoy the cherry pie. Yes, we're guinea pigs, but happy ones. The crust was a little thick--not my opinion, but her's--but other than that, extremely good stuff.

As with anything, practice makes better. I look forward to continuing the Great Pie Experiment of '22...

And continuing my role as Chief Guinea Pig.

Tis The Baking Season...

 Tis the season...

To bake!

The fact that cooler temperatures outside means we can fire up the oven is just another reason to love this time of year. It's already my favorite season. My wife said to me the other day that she wanted to do more baking. Cooking or baking in the summer months heats up the house too much.

There's also a difference between this year and last. Last year, our oven was broken. We lived for a year without the ability to bake anything. The burners on top of the range worked, but not the oven. That was a long year...culinarily speaking.

It's also the season for sweet things to eat. This is both good and bad. Good because of the deliciousness, but bad because eating too much sugar can't be the best thing for a person, especially a person of advancing age. I need to practice moderation in my sugar intake.

These cookies taste better than they look, and they do look good.

I only wish you could have some, too. After all, it is the (baking...) season.

Tis The Season...For Graduations

 My daughter participated in her graduation yesterday.

When she woke up hours earlier, she had no idea she'd be involved.

Such is life sometimes.

It was sort of a fluke for her to participate. She knew when graduation was being held, but due to confusion with her and the school, she just thought she missed the opportunity. As chance would have it, she was at the school with her boyfriend and her boyfriend's family. They had a son graduation from the same collage as my daughter.

That's when they had an idea...why not borrow her boyfriend's brother's cap and gown and walk with her fellow graduates? It tuns out, that's exactly what she did. My daughter worked her tail off for that degree, the last year driving over 200 miles round trip 3x a week to attend classes. I didn't have to do anything like that when I went to school.

I'm glad my daughter got to participate in her graduation. She didn't know until she got down there that she'd be doing it, so my wife and I were not able to be there. She texted us before she walked to make sure it was okay with us. Of course, we said it was--we just wanted pictures and/or videos of the event. They will be forthcoming.

Years ago, my son participated in his graduation and I missed that one too, not because of a school mix-up, but due to an infection that sidelined me and I couldn't go. That's two graduations I've missed. 

God willing, I'll be able to attend next time.

Christmas Is Wonderful...But Halloween Is Fun

Last week I walked by a Hyundai with an unusual grill decoration...

Ah, Halloween.

Love it!

On social media, before any major holiday (and I include Halloween as a major holiday even though we don't get time off work for it...), people come out of the woodwork to proclaim, "I love 'blank. 'Blank is my favorite holiday." It's great to get to know others this way. I know I've probably done the same thing.

I do seriously enjoy the days leading up to, and the day of Halloween. It happens to take place during my favorite season of the year (see--I do it, too...). There are several reasons I enjoy the day so much. One of the things that makes the holiday fun for me is just how creative people are when the night of haunting arrives. Sure, we decorate for Christmas, and many get creative for Christmas, but not like Halloween. 

Walking past the car reminded me of this.

Another reason it's fun is because--like Christmas--you get involved as a small child and you look forward to it year after year...can't wait for it to get here. Plus, as you get older, the things you can do changes. Trick-or-treating is replaced by teenager parties, which in turn morph into parties as adults. Then, if you get married and have kids, you can experience the joy they feel when Halloween arrives.

And finally, there's the old, "What are you going to be this Halloween" question.

Hardly anyone asks me what I'm going to be for Christmas...

At least, not anymore.