Christmas Survey 2016

December 18, 2014

Last year, I came across this post on Skylar's blog and immediately took the time to copy down the questions with plans to answer them this year! Feel free to copy them and answer them on your blog. If you do, be sure to let me know because I'd love to read your answers!

Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I am terrible at wrapping gifts. That said, I appreciate and prefer wrapping paper!

Real tree or artificial?
We haven't done a tree at all since 2010. If I was going to have one, it would be real.

When do you put up the tree?
We normally got the tree the first week in December and then let it rest in the garage for most of a week.

Hardest person to buy for?
The person that I don't have any ideas for. There isn't one person in particular that this is always true of. I tend to be pretty good at coming up with gift ideas, but occasionally, I will be STUMPED.

Easiest person to buy for?
My Mom. I also always have one million ideas for my sister.

Favorite Christmas film?
Oh, this is HARD. I'll choose Holiday Affair.

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
I love it when we do a cold cut buffet for Christmas. In the past I've made broccoli salad and Trish's Bean Dip to go with it.  This goes soooo well with the endless board games and movie nights and lazing around that Christmas vacation brings.

Snow: love it or hate it?
As long as there's no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Colorful or clear lights on the tree?
Clear. 

Favorite Christmas song?
This year? Christmas Night in Harlem. Usually? God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen or Oh Holy Night.

Do you celebrate Advent?
YES!!! It's my favorite thing about Christmas.

Travel at Christmas or stay at home?
Stay home. 

Favorite Christmas cookie?
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. I used to be sooooooo afraid of them, but then I made them and now I love them.

Favorite Christmas tradition?
Advent and Epiphany. On Epiphany we have atiyfs for breakfast, open the presents from our parents, and have a Middle Eastern feast.

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas morning.

Most annoying thing about this time of year?
The cold? Other than that, I wouldn't change a single thing.

What is the “sil­li­est” fam­ily tra­di­tion you do, or miss doing?
I don't think we have any silly traditions. Do we?

What do you want for Christmas this year?
I need some new sneakers. There are a few books, movies, and cds that I'd like. Reach Records always has a Christmas sale which makes me nostalgic over t-shirts. I'm getting old because there's a face lotion that I love but that's a little $$$, so I'd be quite happy to unwrap a new bottle of it.

What holiday traditions are you looking forward to most this year?
All of them! I'm excited that my sister is home this year. I wish my brother could be here and that Ron and Julie and Jay would come over like old times. Our decorations are still in storage, so I only have the "extra" garlands and lights to hang. I look forward to Christmas as we know it sometime SOON.

I'd love to hear your answers! Feel free to make a post of your own this week. :) 

DIY Advent Calendar

In case you didn't already know it, I am NOT a crafty person. When I did my student teaching, Mrs. J told me that I really needed to overcome my weaknesses and learn to incorporate songs and crafts into my lessons. Every now and then, the voice of Mrs. J (and the knowledge that my Mom, sister, or friend Heidi will come to my rescue if my genius idea doesn't pan out) inspires me to pull out the crafting supplies and create something...Every now and then, everything turns out exactly as I hoped it would.

Last Friday when God brought my plans for Advent into existence, I attempted to make myself a calendar using things that I already had on hand. Since we've been living without 90% of our belongings for the last few months, my options were super limited. It's not Martha Stewart and it's received a few laughs, but it works and it makes me happy every single time I see it.


Let's get started!!!

For this project, you will need:


paper - I used newspaper because we happen to have a bunch of it
scissors
a sharpie
a hole punch
yarn
a needle with a large eye (optional)
painters tape - I'm sure you have some other kind of adhesive on hand though

Begin by choosing the sections of newspaper that you will use. I looked for pieces that were heavy with printed text, a few bold headlines, and I made sure that both sides appealed to me. Use your scissors to cut them into any shape. I went with rectangles, but this is YOUR calendar.

Next, use your sharpie to label each shape with a large number which will correspond to each day leading up to Christmas. Some people count down, but I always count up for some reason. Again, this is YOUR project.

Punch a hole near the center of the top of each shape.  I used a three hole punch, but if you've got a single hole punch, I have a feeling that will go a lot faster!

Cut two lengths of yarn and thread one length into the needle. String the numbered shapes onto the string so that they are in order. Repeat with second length and the remaining shapes.

Use your painters tape to secure your banners in a place where you will be sure to see them throughout the day. If you want to, you can cut out an extra piece of newspaper and write down some words that summarize your focus this Advent season.

There you have it!!!

I plan to gently tear off each day's numbered shape and use a dark pen to write a few short words or a Scripture that summarize what I learned that day. I love having a calendar on the wall because it helps me to build excitement for the days to come, it's a visible reminder of what I have learned, and it pushes me to do the study each day.

Whether you have fancy supplies, or odds and ends that really aren't all that fantastic, I do hope that you can create something to add to your Advent celebration! It's never too late to give your soul time to prepare for the hope that the first coming of our Savior brought or for the joy that His second coming will bring!!!!

What's your favorite DIY of this Christmas season? 

Advent 2015: Waiting On God

By the beginning of November I start planning ahead for the Advent season. This year the first Sunday came and went and I still had no idea what I was going to do. I searched and searched and not one single study or specific Scripture stood out to me. Little did I know that the book I would be using was waiting in a thrift store for just 49 cents. 

Last Wednesday (the fourth day of Advent) we decided to pop into a thrift store during the break we had between an appointment and rehearsals. After doing a search for any stores that were nearby, we pulled into the parking lot to find that they were having a major sale. My Mom and I headed straight to the bookshelves. We found some great theology books (something that doesn't happen all that often in thrift stores) that were all in excellent condition. After combing through the stack, we narrowed it down to 16 titles. 

Friday rolled around and I was still anxious about what I was going to be doing for Advent...That's when I decided to look through the small selection of books we have at this house (the rest of our books are still at the other house) to see if anything could be adapted into a study that would take me through Epiphany. 

Andrew Murray's little volume titled "Waiting on God" which happens to consist of 31 days worth of meditations on the topic seemed pretty fitting. I set to work mapping out the study with the calendar. I gathered up materials that we happened to have on hand and made a simple Advent Calendar to hang up. My plan is to read one meditation and the Scripture that goes with it each day. Along the way I will journal my thoughts and keep my eyes peeled for hymns, poems, and daily happenings that go along with what God uses my study to teach me. 

I completed the first study time this morning and I can't wait for the next 30 days!!! Everything I have I owe to God and the fact that this study seems perfectly planned by Him shouldn't come as a surprise, but if I'm honest it is causing me to stand back in awe. I have so very much to learn and the weeks leading up to Christmas following a fall spent being reminded that the grace and presence of God are my greatest treasures is going to do much for my soul. 

I'll be here studying what it means to wait on God and I'm expecting Him to teach me how to do it...Our lives are full of examples of His providence, protection, and provision. May we all see His glory in a way that we've never quite seen it before this Advent season. The glimpses have already begun!

How do you celebrate Advent? 

From Four Days

When I was growing up, we had a tradition around our dinner table every evening. 

We would go around the table with each person giving a "high" and a "low" from their life that day. 

Sometimes the "high" would be a positive thing that happened and the "low" would be a less positive thing that happened. Sometimes both the "high" and the "low" would have a more negative feel to them. Sometimes the "high" was truly a high point and the "low" was truly a low point.

I will *try* to start doing this each week. Just giving a list of highs (and maybe even some lows) from the week.


FROM FOUR DAYS 


Favorite Picture 
(from the week)

Taken from the couch....© Victoria 2012

Highs

(You will notice a theme: WARM WEATHER, SUNSHINE, SPRING.)

* I spent time in the yard cleaning up, relaxing, and studying. 

*Finding an unexpected surprise....Last year I got some mint from a friend of mine and              

  wasn't sure if it would come back or not. It did!

 © Victoria 2012

*It's time for another baseball season.

*Sitting on my porch swing, anytime really, but especially during my new favorite time of   

  day. 

*Pulling out my warm weather recipes. 

*That Together For the Gospel is happening again. Thousands of men are there and I am   

  happy for them. I am also happy that they post the messages online and I listen at home! 

*Playing basketball in the driveway again.