LorieByrd.com

Track Santa on Christmas Eve

NORAD has a fun site that allows you to track Santa with your kids on Christmas Eve. They also have a page with downloads of Christmas activities and songs for kids including songs performed by the U.S. Air Force Academy Band. We tracked Santa last year and my kids got a kick out of it. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Love

I received the following story in my email this morning.  I don't know how long this one has been circulating, but I had not read it before and liked the thought.

The "W" in Christmas Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant." I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.

So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song. Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.

Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row- center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love." The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down - totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W". The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W".

Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities. For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear: "C H R I S T W A S L O V E" And, I believe, He still is. Amazed in His presence....humbled by His love. Again, HAVE A BLESSED HOLIDAY SEASON!

A Gift for the Reindeer

Every year my kids make reindeer food at school.  It usually consists of a scoop of oatmeal mixed with a little glitter and is packaged in snack size ziplock bags with instructions taped to the front and decorated with ribbon or stickers.  Last year, my four year old came home with this bag of reindeer food decorated to look like a reindeer, made from a brown paper bag, brown construction paper ears, google eyes, and a red pompom nose.  If you want to make these with your kids, the instructions that go along with the reindeer "chow" follow:

REINDEER FOOD

It's the night before Christmas, and since every year, you feed Santa Claus, now feed his reindeer!

Instructions:

1. Wait until Christmas Eve.
2. Open the bag and sprinkle Reindeer Food on the lawn.
3. Hop into bed.
4. Shhh...listen for Santa.
5. Close your eyes and watch for the sugarplums to dance.

Contents:  Enough Reindeer Food for 8 tiny reindeer and Rudolph.

[I first posted Reindeer Food in 2004.]

My Examiner Column

In my latest Examiner column I look at the benefits of "Bush bashing."

As we saw this week with Kofi Annan, you can say anything about President Bush, no matter how incredibly lacking your credibility is on a subject, as long as you sufficiently bash George Bush. Also, if you are a conservative, you can not only bash Bush while escaping scrutiny yourself, but you can also expect positive media attention (even fawning) that is ordinarily next to impossible for conservatives to receive.

(Crossposted at Wizbang.)

You Have To Try This

Rachel Ray's Five Minute Fudge

This recipe makes a fudge wreath ideal to serve at a party or to give  as a gift.  Check out Ray's variations (listed at the end of the recipe) or create your own.  My mom got this recipe (or one incredibly similar) from a friend and used to make this fudge with white chocolate chips, pecans and chopped cherries.

I posted this last year and ended up making several variations.  One that I found yummiest was made using one bag of Nestle's white chocolate chips and one bag of Nestle's "swirls" chips (the white and milk chocolate swirls).  It makes a light brown fudge with a really unique flavor.  This really is super, super easy.  Enjoy! 

Holiday Cupcakes

Linked below are some cupcake recipes and cupcake decorating ideas ideal for kids' school parties or other holiday events.  The snowman cupcakes are incredibly adorable and since they are not Christmas specific, they are perfect for those who don't celebrate Christmas or who need something that is not Christmas themed.  I also especially like the first ornament cupcake. 

One of my favorite cupcakes to make at Christmas is a mini-brownie cupcake.  I use the mini cupcake papers and just fill them with my favorite brownie batter.  Before the brownies are cooked completely, while they are still a little wet on top, I pull them out of the oven and sprinkle with red and green sprinkles or with red and green mini M&M candies.  For adults, they are nice bite-sized treats.  For kids, they are good for a few bites (just the right size for younger kids) and since they are not frosted, they are not messy.  These are also good to make for birthdays -- just use multi-colored sprinkles instead of red and green.

I hope you enjoy these recipes and decorating ideas.

Ornament cupcakes -- Note:  the Reese's cups in this recipe can be substituted with Rolos or other non-peanut candies for allergy concerns. I found Palmer's brand caramel and chocolate cups that are foil wrapped like the Reese's and are available in bags of approximately 25 candies.

More Ornament cupcakes

Santa cupcakes

Santa cupcake recipe 2

Santa cupcake recipe 3

Rudolph cupcakes

Wreath cupcakes

Snowman cupcakes

Silent Night cupcakes 

Cupcake Christmas Tree

Holly and Berries cupcakes

Mini Raspberry Snow Cakes -- very grown up cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting -- simply frost with white icing or add red sprinkles or a small candy cane or peppermint candy on top

Note: These recipes were first posted here as part of last year's Countdown to Christmas.

The War On Christmas Debate

I recently attended my husband's company Christmas party in California (Catalina to be exact -- did I mention that my husband's employer is incredibly cool?). Anyway, his boss welcomed us all to the party with a hearty "Merry Christmas."

I am not one of those who is terribly offended if wished Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. I can almost understand how some merchants would not want to offend their non-Christian customers, although that reasoning is pretty lame when you consider all the Christmas decorations and gifts they push in their store displays and advertising. Even being one of those who doesn't rank the "Merry Christmas greeting controversy" at the top of her important issues list, I do hate political correctness so I really enjoyed the caption Lucianne gave a picture of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.

This is not a Hanukah Shrub. This is not a Buddhist Bush. This is not a Muslim Maple or an Orthodox Oak. This is a CHRISTMAS tree and it celebrates Jesus and his birthday. So there.

As for the excuse of not wanting to offend non-Christians with Christmas greetings, I would venture to say that the overwhelming majority are not. Don Feder makes a good case at Front Page Mag that the War on Christmas is something religious Jews should oppose as well as Christians.

The increasingly successful effort to purge Christmas from our culture (correctly called the War on Christmas) proceeds apace - municipal Christmas trees are re-christened (no pun intended) "holiday trees," schools ban Christmas decorations and the singing of Christmas carols during holiday programs. Christmas - excuse me -- holiday parades are excluding Santa Claus, and, everywhere, stores (which derive 20% of their annual revenue from Christmas sales) are in Grinch overdrive. This year, Lowe's employees are permitted to say "Merry Christmas," but only in response to a customer initiating the greeting. On its website, Barnes & Noble offers a "Gift Guide" which includes "Holiday gift baskets," "holiday sleds" and "holiday delivery." FYI, the "holiday" celebrated by 95% of the American people at this time of the year is called Christmas. The Best Buy website offers "unique gifts for the season." According to Liberty Counsel (a Christian legal action group), a company spokesman claims the use of the word "Christmas" is disrespectful. Disrespectful to who? The 5% of the American people who don't celebrate Christmas? But how many of them actually care? (For years, people said "Merry Christmas" to me, without inflicting severe emotional harm.) Would it be disrespectful for a clerk in Tel Aviv to wish someone a "Happy Hanukkah"?

He goes on to make the case that religious Jews are much better off in an America that recognizes religious practices and traditions than in a secular America. I agree with that wholeheartedly and while the Christmas greeting controversy doesn't push my buttons like it does some, the greater "War on Christmas" does and is something that we all should be concerned about -- Christians and non-Christians alike.

(Crossposted at Wizbang.)

Barney Cam

I watched HGTV's coverage of the White House Christmas decorating last night and it was beautiful.  Barney Cam V provides a unique perspective.

Click the picture to watch.

Hat tip: Hot Air via Kim at Wizbang.

I Am Back

I apologize for the disappearing act.  I took a quick trip to California for my husband's office Christmas party and have been busy with work and doctor's appointments since I have been back.  I took last week off from my Townhall column, as well, but will be back on Friday. 

Visit Wizbang for my political blogging.  I will post some holiday stuff here this weekend, so be sure to check back in. 

On the plane trip to and from California I almost completed Arthur Chrenkoff's new novel, Night Trains, which can be purchased through Amazon in the left sidebar on this page.  I throughly enjoyed the book and will post a review as soon as I finish it up this week.  For those looking for a good kid's book, check out The Story of Two-Toed Sam which was written and self published by my daughter's first grade teacher and her husband.  It is illustrated with lovely pictures from the NC coastal area.