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?

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

Nixon Christmas Habit?

"Jingle bells, Batman smells!" Our family (my husband, daughters, and I) have many fun family holiday habits. One is to ride around town looking for the house with the prettiest outdoor decorations. But, gas being what it is, that is a habit we may break.

Our other habit is watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I'm singing the ditty of Christmas Vacation right now. We have watched this movie, starring Chevy Chase, so many times we literally have the lines memorized and throw them around at each other during all times of the year.

So, Margo, tell me what you do every Christmas as a family.

by Brenda Nixon