Tag Archives: Hanukkah

A Northern Sky, a Cool Yule and a Miracle

Posted on by Run DMT
7

Does any else feel like Christmas threw up on them?  That’s the ugly metaphor I’m choosing to describe the Christmas chaos I’m feeling.  You should see the state of my house.  I think the tree is finally decorated, but I still have a gazillion cards to post and a pile of last minute gifts still yet to buy and of course, tons of wrapping to do.

However, all of that will be put on hold, because today I am chaperoning a field trip to Legoland with Allana’s class.  I plan to write some cards on the bus on the way, but with how car sick I get, I could literally puke Christmas.  I may need to rethink that plan.

Anyhow, this Music Monday post will be a little light today because I’ve got so much to do, like blog about our anniversary date in the midst of the Christmas madness.  Yesterday, Allan and I had a fabulously fun Serendipity-style date, but I’ll explain all that in great lengths in another blog post.

While you wait for all the details, I’ll tease you with a movie clip from Serendipity set to Nick Drake’s Northern Sky.

If you didn’t know already, I have this thing for movie soundtracks and I absolutely LOVE the Serendipity soundtrack, so I have to include the song even though it’s not a Christmas song.  It’s a very fitting song for our anniversary because my Allan comes from a northern town in England and of course, like I said, a perfect way to tie in a tease about our Serendipity-style date.

But Christmas music has been the Music Monday (and Xmas Dolly’s Monday’s Music Moves Me) theme for the past month, so I’ll share a Christmas song from Serendipity.

And since tomorrow night is the first night of Hanukkah, I’ll leave you with some Matisyahu.  Besides, it will take nothing short of miracle to help me with all this Christmas chaos.



Visit Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.

Our Christmas Countdown

Posted on by Run DMT
7

It’s time once again to dust off our family Advent calendar and start burning myself out counting down the days to Christmas.  You see, our Advent calendar is more than tiny doors hiding small morsels of candy.  Each day leading up to Christmas, our Advent calendar uncovers activities to enjoy the season to the fullest.

Since we have no creepy Santa spy Elf on a Shelf, I bribe my children with Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses and bits of paper.  If they finish all their morning chores, then they can discover what lies behind the day’s door.

This little gem was hidden behind door number one today since I have no earthly idea what my children want for Christmas other than earrings.

Thankfully, Day 1 met Allana and Emmalynn’s approval as evident by their lumpy smiles.

To plan our 24 days of fun, I used a printable calendar to coordinate the days with my moms’ group’s play dates and events happening around our neighborhood.  I also added a few extra activities because you just never know how the weather will be literally and metaphorically.  Sometimes life simply gets in the way of our fun.  So, I’ll swap days around and my kids are none the wiser.

If you’d like to join in the holiday hullabaloo, here is a rundown of what will be doing over the next 24 days

1- Start the holiday season by writing a letter to Santa.

2 – Let’s catch a wave of the holiday spirit at SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration!

3 – Time to trim the Christmas tree and get the house looking festive!

4- Bake cookies with Grandma and Auntie Simone. It’s sure to be a sweet time!

5 – Go for a Christmas light stroll and count the Santas and snowmen. Graph the results.

6 – Eat dinner at Chick-fil-a on Waters Ave. and enjoy the Christmas lights.

7 – Santa stop here! Let’s make reindeer dust so the reindeer know where to land and have some extra energy to make the long flight back home.

8 – Sip cocoa while watching your favorite Christmas movie.

9 – Dress up in your fanciest Christmas attire. It’s time for a Christmas Tea Party!

10 – It’s a movie day with Grandma.  Now showing: Arthur Christmas!

11 – A reason to be merry! We’re off to Moms on the Go Christmas party at Gator Freds today!

12 – No hard hats necessary just plenty of creative juice for today’s fun! Let’s build a gingerbread house!

13 – Watch the Symphony of Lights at The Shops of Wiregrass.

14 – Create pipe cleaner candy canes while snacking on candy canes.  (We’ll also make this candy cane craft.)

15 – Let’s sip some hot cocoa and toss our cookies at a Christmas Cookie Swap.

16 – All aboard! Let’s take a Christmas train ride through the woods at Crews Lake Park!

17 – Take a drive around town to look at Christmas lights while sipping hot cocoa.

18 – Make wrapping paper and create Christmas cards for our family members.

19 – Find time today to fold up some paper to create Christmas origami fortune tellers for some silly seasonal fun.

20 – Let’s share some goodwill and cheer by caroling for the residents at Carollwood Care Center.

21 – All aboard! The Polar Expressis now showing at Wilderness Lodge. Put on those pajamas and let’s roll.

22 – Make snowflakes and drink milkshakes. (We may also make these snowflakes puzzle ornaments.)

23 – Let’s have a Holiday Pampering Party complete with mud masks, pedicures, make-up and a glittery hairdos. (Inspired by Kristi of Live and Love Out.)

24 – It’s Christmas Eve! Remember to set out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. Then, sprinkle the reindeer dust in the yard.

25 – Santa arrives! Merry Christmas! xox

 

Some extra ideas just in case!

Jesus is the reason for the season.  Read The First Christmas.

You’d better watch out! Santa has a personal message just for you.  (Idea from Kelly)

All hands on deck! Let’s make paper hand wreaths and other handy dandy crafts!

Buy gifts for family members at the school Holiday Shop.

Let’s rock around the Christmas time with a Christmas music dance party!

Walk through A Winter Wonderland at the Lowry Park Zoo.

Watch a live performance of A Christmas Carol.

Visit a live nativity scene.

Read a story telling of the first Christmas.

Watch a live performance of The Nutcracker.

Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. Read stories about the Festival of Lights and sing songs. Then, light the menorah, play dreidel and dance the horah. (12/20)

 

*Submitted to*
Mama's Losin' It
“The first of December is upon us! Describe an Advent Calendar or a special way you count down days until Christmas (past or present). (Inspired by Classy Chaos)”

PhotoStory Fridaythe hollie rogue

Happy Holidays

Posted on by Run DMT
17

Today we crack open the first door of our Advent Calendar.  The girls are so excited to begin our holiday fun.

Before Emmalynn left for school yesterday, she scolded me for not filling the boxes yet.

So while the girls were at school, a sneaky little elf filled our Advent calendar with candy and activities.

 

 

 

Songs In The Key Of Hanukkah

Posted on by Run DMT
11

Although I’m not Jewish, I own a menorah.  My Italian decent mother grew up in a predominately Jewish neighborhood in NYC.  As a young woman living in Forest Hills, NY, my mom learned to embrace and appreciate Jewish customs.  That love and admiration trickled down to my sister and me.  As a teacher and a parent, I have always understood the importance for my children to embrace and appreciate other cultures, particularly Jewish celebrations such as Hanukkah.

 

This Wednesday, my children and I will light our menorah and play dreidel on the first night of Hanukkah.  We’ll also sing songs to celebrate the Festival of Lights, but these are far from the songs my sister and I sang as kids.

 

Over the years as I have taught my children some of the Jewish customs, there has been a resurgence of Jewish music, but these traditional Jewish songs have been modernized.

 

 

 

From New Line Records:

“Songs In The Key Of Hanukkah is a record that takes Hanukkah music to a place it’s never been before. It’s a musical voyage that bears repeated listening both for adults and kids who will love to hear the re-workings of the songs they already know as well as the new, original tracks,” says Baron Cohen. “Hanukkah has always been a kid-focused holiday so the challenge was how to transform the music so that it was cool and interesting for adults and yet something that the whole family could enjoy.”

 

While searching YouTube to find songs spotlighting the Jewish culture in honor of Hanukkah this week, I discovered one of my favorite artists, Matisyahu, released a Hanukkah album, entitled Miracle.

 

 

Matisyahu is a reggae artist who combines beatbox with traditional Jewish themes.  His music and the message behind it all truly moves me.

 

 

 

 

To really understand Matisyahu and his music, I highly recommend you watch One Day, which is only available to view on You Tube here.

 

For the next three weeks, I will be sharing my favorite holiday tunes.  It would make me very jolly if you shared your favorite holiday tunes, too.

 

 

Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.

 

Barenaked for the Holidays

Posted on by Run DMT
8

Since Barenaked for the Holidays is one my favorite Christmas albums, I’ve selected Barenaked Ladies’ version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen for this week’s Christmas Musical Monday theme.

 

More than an album full of stuffy Christmas standards, Barenaked Ladies showcase their talents and humor with their own style and flare of holiday favorites.  Adding Sarah McLachlan’s sweet angelic voice as an accompaniment to their joyful sound of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen makes this Christmas classic even more enjoyable.

 

 

And since Hanukkah, starts this Friday, I shared Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah by BNL on Blip.fm since I couldn’t find it on You Tube.

 

Happy Hanukkah!