Taking Down the Christmas Tree

How do I love and look forward to Christmas so much…

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Three Things I Learned This Week

“Paris Syndrome” is apparently a psychological condition, mainly experienced by Japanese tourists, marked by an extreme disappointment when the City of Lights does not live up to expectations. It can cause disorientation and even hallucinations.

Rock polishers do not polish rocks quickly. Expect each batch of rocks polished to tumble for about a month. Expect that month to be underscored by a gritting, grinding sound.

There are apparently four types of introverts.

The Resolution to Write

I love New Year’s Resolutions. I tend to make a lot of them. But there’s one resolution I make year after year:

The resolution to write.

Then again, it isn’t really one resolution. Some years my resolutions are about word count. Sometimes they’re about establishing routines, carving out time–my “writer’s life,” if you will. There are dozens of ways to resolve to write, and that resolution can be regularly renewed or revamped. I’d say there are so many ways to resolve to write, that the blanket statement isn’t enough: we need to focus on a more specific, more concrete goal.

Since I’ve been resolving to write for so long, I thought I’d share some of my more specific resolutions. You’ll notice that they all come with a common theme: Don’t expect too much of yourself. I don’t want you to underestimate yourself, either, but it’s better to set yourself up for success than for failure.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all the wonderful things in the world this Christmas. Wishing you love and comfort and cheer. Wishing you a Happy Hanukkah, a wonderful winter, and a sparkly New Year.

Ghosts of Christmas Past

Remember when no one shared photos of Christmas morning because they were all bed-headed and crusty-eyed?

Remember when “sharing photos” meant getting your film developed and handing someone a photo album or just a pile of prints to flip through?

Remember slide shows?

Remember when your dad set up the camcorder in the living room to record the opening of the presents and then no one ever watched it?

Ever?

Five Things I Learned This Week

The Russian birthday song is way prettier than the American one.

Bing Crosby was married twice and had seven children.

A former classmate of mine was recognized by Oprah for her book, Happy Like This.

An owl’s neck has 14 vertebrae (that’s twice as many as humans have).

The tradition of Great Britain’s Christmas Number One began in 1952.

LadBaby’s Historic Christmas #1, Christmas Spirit, and the Power of Social Media

If you’re British (or you’ve seen Love, Actually) you know that it’s a British tradition to award the title of Christmas Number One to the season’s most popular new song.

This tradition dates back to 1952. It’s gone to the Beatles, the Spice Girls, Ed Sheeran and now, LadBaby.

Twice.

That’s never happened before. LadBaby has now been named Christmas Number One two years in a row and has officially made history.

But who on earth is LadBaby? Have you heard him on the radio? What kind of music does he play?

Spicy Gingerbread Cookies

I love gingerbread. I love ginger snaps. I love ginger anything, really, including redheads.

I especially like them if they have a little oomph.

It was nearly a decade ago that I discovered my spicy gingerbread recipe, and I’ve made it every year since. It’s not for everyone; it has a kick, by which I mean it kicks you in the back of the throat. It lingers on the palate. It goes really well with ice cold milk or a glass of eggnog.

I wouldn’t waste this recipe on a gingerbread house. I would try this mix of spices in other ginger recipes–molasses cookies, maybe, or a classic gingerbread loaf.

The Unfairness of the December Birthday

My daughter was born two weeks before Christmas.

That will be fine, we assured ourselves. Two weeks is a long time.

I am here to tell you: it is not a long time.