Thanks for Noticing!

This week our theme has been favorite movie lines. What to pick? What to pick?

If I had to guess what our family's all time favorite Christmas movie is it would be National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. There are lots of good lines from there that pop into conversation at appropriate moments not only at Christmas but throughout the year. My husband is always saying, "I couldn't be more surprised if I woke up with my head nailed to the carpet."

I think my favorite line though is said as the family stands in the front yard admiring Clark's engineering feat of illumination--once his wife finally realizes the switch needs to be turned on. Some of the twinkle lights don't work. Now that's a problem we can all relate to. And who would notice and make mention of it quicker than an in-law?

Clark's father-in-law brings the non-twinklers to Clark's attention and Clark just keeps staring at all the lights, nodding his head, and then finally says, "Thanks for noticing." He doesn't get angry and fuss back at that man (of course he hasn't reached his breaking point yet). He just thanks him for noticing.

When things don't go quite right for me and there's a little thing someone brings to my attention, I try to thank them for noticing. It's the polite thing to do. Right?

Quote from a Christmas movie

I wouldn't say this is my favorite quote from a Christmas movie but it is certainly the most memorable quote for me, and it is one no parent likes to think about. The quote is from the 1983 movie, A Christmas Story, and it is “you will shoot your eye out.”

Ouch! Doesn’t that make you flinch? Young Ralphie’s deepest desire is to receive a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas, and that goal is threaded through the whole movie. Set in a small town in Indiana, which could be “anytown USA”, Ralphie tells three adults, his mom, his teacher and Santa Claus, about his Red Ryder rifle quest, and they all respond with this quote.

The quote summarizes parents’ concerns for their kids, as the movie’s hilarious plot twists unfold and Ralphie, his younger brother and his parents manage to survive the holiday and find some joy.

And Why Is The Carpet All Wet, Todd?

Let's get in the holiday mood now by thinking of a fave Christmas movie or song. Our little family of four always watches National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation . . . not just at Christmas but, my husband drags out the video by Thanksgiving if not earlier! We've seen the flick so many times each family member can quote lines by heart, and often we answer one another with the movie lines.

Throughout the year, one of us may ask a naive question and another will answer in an exasperated tone, "I don't know Margo!" Or if we forget something, one of my daughters almost always quips, "Don't throw me down Clark" in an Aunt Bethany quivery whine.

In the summertime, it's "SQUIRREL!"
On road trips, we hear, "I'll get around this egg-timer."
Fall brings, "It's the holidays and we're all suffering."
You hungry? Our advice is, "Nose around in the kitchen and get yourself somethin' to eat."
When our dog coughs, "he's just yackin' on a bone."

The Nixons have a good time hootin' and hollerin' through Christmas Vacation; it's a tradition - one that draws us closer. And don't bother us when the movie is playing. If you need something, well you'll just have to "knock down the --- ---- door!"

Brenda Nixon, http://www.brendanixon.com/
Co-Author, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

Favorite Christmas Quote- It's a Wonderful Life - Trish Berg

There is nothing I enjoy more than watching Christmas movies all December long. We have accumulated some of our favorites on VHS and DVD, and one of my all time favs is It's a Wonderful Life. I love the premise of wanting more than what you have, of feeling trapped in your life, or in a small town.





Of longing for the world, only to learn that the best the world has to offer is right there in your hand, and you have just not appreciated it.



There are so many moments when I am caught up in that movie, when I feel like I am living their lives.

I love it when George falls for Mary as they walk home from the school dance together in robes and an old football uniform, and she runs and her robe accidentally comes off and she has to hide in the bush. Love that scene.

I love it when they toss a stone at the old house and make a wish.

I love the scene when George runs home after all that has happened and the banister top comes off in his hands, and he kisses it and replaces it. I love when he then hugs his children and tells them he loves them.

I love the scene when everyone comes into the house and drops money in the basket, when the IRS guy tears tosses in his own money, and the DA tears up the arrest warrant.

I love when Harry Bailey toast his big brother, George, "The richest man in the world."

But most of all, I love it when George prays. When he humbles himself before the Lord and asks for help. When he realizes that only divine intervention will save him.

Here is that prayer....

"Dear Father in heaven, I'm not a praying man, but if you're up there and you can hear me [begins crying] show me the way... show me the way. "

Yes, Father, show me the way. That is my daily prayer, not just at Christmastime, but every day of my life until God calls me home.

Dear Father, show me the way....show me the way.....

Bah Humbug!

This week the Word Quilters will share some of our favorite quotes about Christmas.



Mine is from O. Henry's Gift of the Magi. O. Henry is a pen name for William Sydney Porter, who allegedly wrote the short story in a New York tavern. It was first released in 1906, and the theme of the story is retold in many genres for entertainment during the Christmas season.



I'll not spoil the story by telling you the plot. If you've read or heard it before then my chosen quote from the story will tease you into remembering the conclusion, and if you've never read it, you can read it here



But first here's my favorite portion of the story that hints at the plot.



"Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair…."


Share your favorite story, movie, song, or carol with us this week.

Now Where Did I Put. . .?

This could be a lean Christmas for many of us. But this is also a great time to get creative with ways to celebrate the season. Years ago (we won't go into how many), I worked a summer job for a family that had a unique tradition at Christmas time. What money they made with their seasonal business had to last the whole year and so they came up with a fun way to spend nothing on Christmas gifts.

Throughout the year and especially as time got closer to the season, family members would hide away little items that belonged to another member of the family. Usually it was something that they would not miss right away and/or wasn't essential--a pair of socks, a pen, a hairclip. Then at Christmas time they would wrap it up with a pretty bow and present it back to the owner. I imagine they heard "I wondered where I'd put that!" a lot.

Of course this probably works better with older kids and there would certainly have to be some rules set down. Or maybe this just might give you an idea to start thinking about some other creative ways for gift-giving that don't cost anything.

Celebrating with adult children

As family situations change, ways of celebrating holidays evolve. Since my husband and I and two sons don’t have any other relatives living in our state, the four of us celebrate Christmas at home. This means we have a quiet holiday which we like.

Now that our sons are adults and have moved out, my husband and I are not wakened at 4 a.m. by boys jumping on our bed, which we kind of miss. Instead, we all gather at a reasonable hour at our family hacienda on Christmas day, to spend time together, exchange gifts and enjoy a companionable meal. We each have a red felt stocking hung on the mantel, and our cats have their own stocking.

The cats’ stocking contains a can of tuna, the kind we eat, not pet food tuna, and I always manage to find a small size gift for each stocking, like a wool ski cap or gloves. One tradition is that Mrs. Santa (that’s me) buys 2 sacks of gold foil covered chocolate coins for the stockings, which is a Jewish tradition, symbolizing prosperity for the new year.

So with our sons, we continue all of the basic family Christmas traditions at our house.