The W's of Christmas-Blogmas Day 4

A little book that is an ornament as well.

     This fall I started a Friday posts  answering the who, what, why, when, and where's of life. For this month, I thought I'd hone in a bit more a just a couple per week. Since this my book club Friday, I thought I'd start with ,,,

What I'm reading

     Well, tonight we will be discussing  The Hideaway by Laura Denton. I won't give the book away, but I'll start by saying it started out interesting and went to pretty vanilla ending. I'm just going to say, when the book plot or storyline center has an impetus around dumb misunderstandings and then dumb non-action, I'm never impressed. I guess that is how life can be, but it all seemed to be so resolvable decades earlier and that annoys me. I remember a Mary Higgins Clark novel that took place at Christmas. I'd like a good Christmas time mystery-recommendations or a jog ro my memory would be appreciated.

     What I want to turn my reading attention to  is the collection of Christmas books I take out every year as part of our  Christmas decorations. Really since the kids have gown, they are more decorations but have been used and read by nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews over the years as well. I keep them in a coz  Longaberger basket and just set in a corner. When the kids were little, they would pick one or two and we would read together, not minding that we had to duplicate  over the month.

     This one has a special place in  my heart. My sister gave it to my son for his first birthday in December 1989. It long wore through all the smell on the scratch and sniff. Several decades later, and my daughter first found a new copy, and then I found a couple more and tucked them away for my own kids households. I hope I recall where I tucked them away! 

     Another one that goes all the way back to the start of our family is A Story a Day until Christmas, a good one to pull out to read to kids when they are tucked into their beds, but I'll admit, I still enjoy a read through myself. One of my favorites is the story Christmas Every Day, where a child wakes up to it being Christmas every day. After the initial excitement wears off, the stress and expenses kicks in, and Christmas loses it's magic. I can't help in my 55 year Covid life brain, think about the irony of all of us that wished  life could just slow down, that we didn't have packed calendars, that I could telework and not deal with traffic and  so on. Yes, really, be careful what you wish or long for!

     The others have good memories-I love the Mickey's Christmas Carol book, and the Little Golden Books that are much older story wie, but are sweet. Do you have a few favorites from your own or your children's childhood?

Where I'm going

     We are still under a Stay at Home  Executive Order with socializing outside of your own household on the do not participate in list. This currently is set until December 18th. I've seen a little activity in my neighborhood/community Next Door app about where some good Christmas lights are. With it getting dark so early, I think Saturday or Sunday would be a good night for an evening drive to take in the splendor.

      I took this one last night of a house that put a few lights on their back fence across the pond. Not so much splendor! Rumor has it a house in town did the whole Clark Griswold Christmas Vacation light up. I have ventured out far enough from my house yet to see, but we will.

 (Yes, you will read a lot of Christmas Vacation references-it sort of is my families Christmas classic. DH and DS laugh when scenes are just mentioned. I find it ironic that the idiot Cousin Eddie is portrayed by Randy Quaid who has come out as a major Trump sycophant. Art  resembles life I guess.)

     I do have to figure out the Christmas card situation-either pull together  what photos we might have or just buy ready made. Either way I need to get cards and stamps picked up, so that will be one out of the house outings. I need to be strategic as I need a few baking and candy making items and don't want to be in and out of several stores. Regardless, my outings and where I'm going will be minimal-yet again! The good thing is DD2 has been home now for two full weeks pretty much in quarantine between our house and her sisters for better WiFi and we have all stayed healthy. I wish she could at least see a small bubble of friends, but with it not being sub zero, she can at least meet up for distanced walks and the Griswold house is not too far from her best friends. I'm doing my best to keep the Christmas spirit alive and well in my house, heart, and mind.  Please share anything you are reading, memories you want to share about favorite Christmas or winter stories, and places you might be going this weekend.