For those of you listening to his re-broadcast of the awesome job he did recapitulating the 2009 Carnival of Christmas, here is the original link...
Unfortunately, I could not post a Carnival this year due to the general craziness of life. God willing, I will have the opportunity to upload some sort of Christmas blessing to the blogosphere... but *sigh* no guarantees!
(UPDATE: I suppose I should link to Kender's site for the broadcast, right? You can find him here and here.)
UPDATE, 25Dec2009 - What a lovely Christmas present: a link from the Blog Daddy himself! Thank you, Prof. Reynolds, and I hope your day was a joyful as mine. For those who would like more Christmas awesomeness, you can also read the first, second, third and fourth Carnivals of Christmas. I love hosting this wonderful Carnival; it has blessed me each year. So, I hope to see you all again for the SIXTH Carnival next year - and you'll send something in for me to link, right? ;-)
Best blessings to you all for a glorious day! (/UPDATE)
UPDATE (24Dec2009, 9a)! Kender, that blessed man, decided to feature the Carnival on his Right Talk Radio program on the 23rd of December. He graciously sent me the file and encouraged me to post it here. So, for your listening pleasure - and in hopes that this becomes a Christmas tradition - here it is. It's just over two hours long, and Kender did an AWESOME job! Thank you, my friend!
(UPDATE to the UPDATE(25Dec2009 7a): *sigh* The complete file was just too long, and died at about 1:15:00, so I have uploaded the eight parts separately.)
Carnival of Christmas, part one
Carnival of Christmas, part two
Carnival of Christmas, part three
Carnival of Christmas, part four
Carnival of Christmas, part five
Carnival of Christmas, part six
Carnival of Christmas, part seven
Carnival of Christmas, part eight
I want to give my deepest thanks to all the contributors; it wouldn't be the Carnival without you all, and I am blessed and honored that you got involved. I truly appreciate all the beauty and care you put into your submissions, and I know they will be a wonderful gift of grace to your readers. Thanks again!
This year's Carnival was a bit hard for me, since we're mourning the loss of our dear Princess Pixel of the Prodigious Purr. It's sad to lose a beloved pet, especially so close to the holidays, but she lived a very good life with lots of kitti-skritchies, snuggles, cuddles, and love. We will miss her cat conversations and her quirky character very much.
With Pixel in mind, I'd like to open with an entry from A Ski, "The Christmas Tale of Baby the Cat." I think that I'm going to see if I can find a little Hummel cat figurine to add to my crèche scene, so that I can remember the purrs who have gone across the Rainbow Bridge.
Let's start with entries about
The Real Meaning of ChristmasAdam, the founder of the Carnival, gives us "The Season of Good News," and reminds us -
Presents are nice, and it’s great to share Christmas with family, but the extravagant gift of God, of what He invites us into is what is the true meaning of Christmas, and that’s why Christmas can be meaningful, even to the pauper and the lonely.
A.F. Ticker reminds us of the Reason we celebrate Christmas -
Now this is a reason for celebration! The King Who came to the world as a child, grew to manhood, was crucified, buried, raised from the tomb, and ascended into heaven is coming again. This time He will not come as a peaceful Child. This time He will come as The King of kings and the Lord of lords.
My friend Doug, who writes at Political Pistacio, sent this in:
On Christmas Morning in 1987 it was my third Christmas in the United States Navy, and my third Christmas away from home. Like all of my other Christmas mornings, I was alone, and on duty.
The first Christmas I was in the state of Mississippi. I volunteered to stand duty watch, since I had nobody else to spend it with.
On my second Christmas in the Navy I was out to sea. I served underway watch, cold in the dark of night with the sea spray tapping on my skin. I served watch alone. I had nobody else to spend it with.
My third Christmas was on shore duty, in an office, alone. I had nobody to spend it with.
I was alone each Christmas, or so I thought, with nobody to spend it with. But during that time, when I felt my most lonely, He was watching over me, keeping me safe, keeping me close. I thought I was alone, but it was then that He was with me.
I assumed I had nobody to spend the time with, but despite my doubts, Christ spent the time with me.
Indeed! Remember, one of the Names of Christ is Immanuel - God With Us!
My dear blog brother, GM Roper, sends in his story about Daddy Bah -
... when you give something to someone this Christmas, do it not because giving is important, do it from love, because Love is most important and the most important gift you can give.
I adore the Random Yak, and this year he sends in proof that Yak the Younger knows the true meaning of Christmas, too!
“Besides, it’s not about getting an expensive gift. We only give presents to remind one another that Christ came into the world to live and die on our behalf. The presents aren’t important, and if you put too much emphasis on them, people forget what they’re really all about in the first place.
“It doesn’t matter what they give me. I know what it stands for, and I’m glad they care enough to send anything at all.”
Ah, Kender - my dear brother, my goofy, fierce, and wonderful friend - Kender sends in his own poem about the Reason for the Season -
No gift on Earth can equal
What the Lord above has done
He sent us our salvation
When He Sent His only Son
Kender is an excellent wordsmith in his own right - and I'm still waiting for that collection of poems and stories, my friend! ;-)
Of course, Kender isn't the only poet here at the Carnival; David at Third World County has penned a beautiful set of verses, the Gift, to celebrate the Reason for the season!
Big Dog has a great post up - no, trust me! - "It's all about the gifts" -
But the true spirit of Christmas is when we give something, no matter what the value, to someone we either do not know or do not have a close relationship with. It is our chance to demonstrate the kindness and to redeem ourselves. It is a chance to do something without any expectation of something in return.
And Cao chimes in with some great Illinois pictures and says
The Sounds of ChristmasMaterial things…wealth, money – they come and go. But hopefully through it all, we’re able to maintain relationships with family and friends and help each other out and be there for each other when the times get tough. It is when people go through rough times that you truly find out who cares about you. It is those times when Christ’s message shines through…in that forgiving, unconditional love that is taught in 2nd Corinthians.
Adam also sent in two old time radio shows, first from Let George Do It, and the second from Dragnet. Both have Christmas themes and are lots of fun to hear.
LOL, well there are sounds in this one, but it's not quite what you'd expect! Both GM Roper and David at Third World County thought this worthy of inclusion...
The cadences of poetry frequently set the mood for some stirring or thoughtful ideas. David at Third World County found this beautiful gem by C.S. Lewis, truly an excellent writer in a class of his own.
Nice Deb sends in her annual "A Very Perry Christmas" - oh, I remember Steve Perry (and Journey)! I guess I do miss the 80's sometimes ;-)
"Crabs for Christmas"? Well, Fishersville Mike says you might not get it if you're not from Baltimore... LOL! Very cute, though!
One of my Virginia blog friends, Rick Sincere, has a fascinating discussion of carols and Christmas hymns that I earnestly encourage you to go read. There's a lot of information there, and a lot to learn! Do you know where your favorite carol came from?
A Ski, who sent in the story about Baby the Cat, also sent in this video on YouTube - a beautiful choral rendition of O Magnum Mysterium.
The Traditions of ChristmasMy dear friend, Always On Watch, has had a very hard year. But thanks to friends who believe in doing what Christ commands, AOW and her husband have had a joyous early Christmas!
Is it really the tree or the presents that make Christmas? Brian from Bearing Drift sends in a story about the best Christmas Tree ever - and gives an excellent answer to the question.
The Random Yak reappears to comment on the traditions of how we choose our Christmas trees (oh, I've seen one or two of those trees in my own life!), and reminds us that these family memories really help make Christmas special.
What could be more traditional for Christmas than Santa Claus? Well, Paul at Thoughts of a Regular Guy has a great entry that explains why he believes in Santa - the real Santa! And for more information about St. Nicholas, I encourage you to go over to the Mars Hill Church blog and read all about him.
I can remember, many years ago, that my parents got quite upset with the abbreviation of Christmas to "Xmas." David at Third World County reminds us that "Xmas" is actually a respectful and historical version of the word - so let's keep the "X" in Christmas!
Laying Wreaths at Arlington and other National Cemeteries is very definitely a tradition of Christmas, and one we should hold close. never forget the Man who took the Ultimate Fall, so that we might be raised to new life in Him...
SWAC Girl also posts some gorgeous pictures of Christmas in Williamsburg - a colonial Christmas is truly a thing of beauty, but oh, that candy!!! Yum! Plus, she also has an absolutely perfect story about visiting Santa as a young girl, as well as going to have a Christmas tea after seeing Santa.
Obi's Sister has a picture-filled post up about all the gorgeous Santas she owns - truly an impressive collection!
The Flavors of ChristmasDavid directs us to a Christmas "Chili" - apparently it's not a real chili, but it certainly looks awesomely excellent!
And Peppermint Bark? I loooooooove Peppermint Bark! This looks like an excellent recipe, posted over at Charm Offensive Cooking.
Christmas in the NewsThis is a new section for the Carnival, but I received two entries that I think warranted it. First is from Beth Shaw at Right Pundits, "Advent Conspiracy: Have Americans Lost Our Way?" It is indeed a good question, with so many resenting a cheerful "Merry Christmas!" wish. Beth's post dovetails in nicely with a post from last year by Cassie Fiano at Stop the ACLU: "Christmas is now an official holiday in Iraq." I pray that, as Iraq celebrates Christmas - officially - for the first time this year, that the Savior whose birth we celebrate is born in many hearts!
And that's all for this year's Carnival; I hope that all these wonderful posts will help you enjoy Christmas. May you be surrounded by family and friends this year, but most importantly, I pray that you remember and rejoice over the greatest Gift ever given: a little, helpless babe born in a tiny town who is the God who came to us to be our Savior.
May the Spirit of Christ be born in your heart this year, and may you bow before Him in worship and gratitude for all the abundant gifts He has poured out upon us!
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(UPDATE: This is a sticky post, so please scroll down to find more recent content.)
It's that time of the year again, and I am honored and delighted to announce that CatHouse Chat will be hosting the Carnival of Christmas for the third year in a row. This is the fifth year of the Carnival, which was originally begun by Adam Graham (previous editions are here, here, here, and here), and I hope and pray that the Carnival continues to grow and gain popularity each year.
Adam's original statement for the Carnival was
A Carnival for anything Christmas related. You can share Christmas stories, Christmas poems, Christmas podcasts, Christmas parodies, Christmas pictures, etc. The only requirement is that the post be respectful of the Holiday and in the Spirit of Christmas cheer and kindness.
I am going to add just a couple of clarifications to that: first of all, absolutely no political or advertising posts. I want to make sure the Carnival remains focused on the season and that it celebrates the joy, solemnity and unity that the season ought to bring. Secondly, I earnestly request that all submitted posts be dated from November and December of this year, 2009. I really want to keep the Carnival fresh with new pictures, recipes, memories and meditations, so get cracking and send in some of that awesome creativity I know you all do so well!
The past two years that CatHouse Chat has hosted the Carnival, I have pretty much accepted as many entries as I've gotten and haven't limited people to one submission per person; I'd like to continue that tradition. However, bear in mind that the Carnival has gotten bigger each year (hooray!), and I may have to limit people to, oh, three entries per person *grinz*
The deadline for submissions will be Tuesday, 22 December, and I plan to post the Carnival no later than 3 p.m., ET, on Christmas Eve. Hopefully, I'll get it up by the 23rd, but I like to give myself that extra time just in case something crazy happens.
I will NOT be using the Blog Carnival tool for entries this year. Please send ALL submissions directly to cathousechat -AT- gmail-dot-com, and use CARNIVAL in the subject line. In the body of the post, please include the permalink to your post, as well as the trackback URL if you want me to send one when the Carnival is posted. Please also give a brief (one or two sentence) description of the post, and what category I should put it in. So far, I'm planning on
I may end up adding some categories (and there's always "miscellaneous!"), but these have been fairly standard for the Carnival so far.
All right, that's it so far. If you have any further questions, please feel free to e-mail me at the cathousechat address above (NOT the romeokat e-mail listed in my right hand column) with QUESTION in the subject line, and I will get back to you with an answer as soon as I can.
May your Advent season be full of joy, and may your Christmas be truly blessed!
UPDATE: Thank you for the links and promotion, my friends!
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I pray that it will be a joyous season for us all, and that the Reason for the season guides our thoughts, words and deeds. May all Christians rejoice and sing with renewed enthusiasm this year as we celebrate the birth of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done,
In sending His belovèd Son.*
Since 2005, I have tried - and mostly succeeded - to post a Christmas entry each day between the first and the twenty-sixth of December. I made myself a rule that all posts were to be Christ-centered and include either Scripture or a scriptural hymn (sometimes both). I wanted a way to help myself be focused on the wonderful grace and kindness of my Lord and Savior, a way to keep Him in the forefront of my thoughts each day.
I was in a bit of a dilemma when I sat down - just this evening, I confess - to decide what my theme would be this year. Last year, I did the Alphabet of Christmas, and I've done hymns/songs as well. I had been thinking of Biblical prophecies of Jesus' birth, but wasn't sure it resonated with me this year. One friend suggested using the lives of saints, and another the books of the Bible (which tied in with my prophecy thought), but I think what I'm going to do this year is focus on the Names and Titles of Christ. I hope to learn more about Jesus, and hope you will join me for the journey.
As for the Carnival of Christmas, I have contacted the Daddy of the Carnival of Christmas, Adam, to see what his plans are for this year. I've had so much fun hosting the past two years that I'd love to do it again - but I shouldn't be selfish; Adam might like to take up the reins again this year. We'll see what happens!
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“ Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
It is truly an honor and a joy to be able to host this wonderful Carnival again. I had so much fun last year that I pretty much badgered poor Adam Graham into letting me do it again! I am grateful that he said yes. And we have over sixty wonderful entries (well, at least I think so – I believe I lost count at around fifty, LOL).
To open up and set the mood, I offer up the Wexford Carol, performed by Celtic Women (sent in by my Cotillion sister, Nice Deb):
Welcome to “Bethlehem” this joyous season! I pray that this Carnival will be a blessing to all who read, and that God sheds His infinite grace and love upon us all. I hope that this Day finds you with family and loved ones all around, and that you look back on the year and remember all the blessings given to us. I pray, as always, that we don’t leave the “Christmas Spirit” behind when the season is over, but rather that we spread the kindness and love to all we meet throughout the rest of our lives. But most of all, I pray that this Carnival, now and in the future, reminds us of the Reason for the Season, and helps us still our minds and spirits so that we may truly have a glorious Christmas – and
REJOICE!
Pride of place this year goes to Hoosier Army Mom, who reminds us of the men and women in our armed forces. These brave and unselfish citizens volunteered to serve our country in a time of war, and many are far away from home and family. Please remember them in your prayers, and go over to buy them some phone cards at the Online Military Exchange.
Our second pride of place entry goes to Gayle, who writes of Christmas Lost and Found. Truly, this is a wonderful post about how God can – and does! – turn mourning into dancing, and works all things together for good to His called. Gayle is a perfect example of this year’s REJOICE! theme!
Oh – DON’T FORGET TO TRACK SANTA ON CHRISTMAS EVE!
And now for the rest of all those excellent entries:
Christmas Traditions and Memories:
Our Carnival Daddy, Adam Graham, starts us off in this category with The Christmas Advantage. Don’t forget, in these uncertain times, “a lean Christmas doesn’t have to be a poor one.” Amen, Adam. Amen!
Jenn H. presents His Christmas Legacy over at Mixed Metaphor.net. It is a beautiful and touching tale about the simple faithfulness of the season, and how rich a simple, loving life can be.
Rick Sincere, one of my Virginia blog-brothers, has sent in two delightful posts – one about his memories of how his family celebrated Christmas in Milwaukee (and he’s got pictures AND a video – gosh, you were a cute kid, Rick!). I love seeing how other families have traditions springing out of their former cultures… His second entry is no less worthy, and speaks about new traditions being made, this time in Arlington, VA. I will definitely have to try and get up there next year for some good music and theater – maybe Rick can get me the tickets! LOL *wink*
Have you ever wondered whether wrapping presents is worth it? Well, according to a study that GrrlScientist dug up, it certainly is!
Suldog reposts Pointy the Poinsettia this year, and all Pointy’s fans will be delighted to know he’s doing very well!
TF Stern sent in his Gingerbread Cookie Tradition – which ought to go in the recipes section, except it’s not a recipe. It’s a story about sacrifice in lean times, and how the true value of any gift is how much of yourself you put into it.
Here is a very worthwhile read: Teaching Your Children About Giving on Christmas Day. Vickie of SidetrackedMoms is one of our prolific contributors this year, and I think this is my favorite entry from her. But then again, I also adore her post about Christmas traditions, so you ought to go over and decide for yourself!
Oh, I remember cutting our own Christmas tree – and this story about a family’s first experience with cutting their own tree is both funny and heartwarming… Thanks to Philaazophy for this contribution!
Laura Lee Donoho tells us a beautiful tale of how she learned to give the gift someone wanted. That’s a very difficult lesson to learn – we often want to give what we think someone ought to want – but Laura relates the story with a simple honesty that is truly touching. There’s a lot more, so you really really need to go read! Thank you, Laura; I’m so glad you found the Carnival this year! (And Jo was always my favorite, too!)
My dear blog-brother – and new grandapa! – GM Roper writes about Daddy Bah and his Gift of Love. The GMan writes so well, and the story of enduring and selfless love will really bless your heart!
How many of us sing the story of Frosty the Snowman? Well, Jody Wilcox at Contemporary Conservative shows us how very like Jesus ol’ Frosty is… And does an exemplary job of reminding us of the meaning of Christmas!
Obi’s Sister sends in two entries of Christmas memories: the Best Santa Ever! and one about singing with Robert Shaw’s youth chorus one year *happy shivers* I love hearing big, well-trained choirs sing!
Finally for this section, Big Dog (yeppers, another blog-brother!) reminds us that a Simple Gift for Christmas is what it’s all about.
Christmas Meditations:
My dear blog-brother Scott, after the terrible deaths during the Black Friday shopping frenzy, reminds us of what is really important about the season. He goes on to remind us that it’s OK to wish people a Merry Christmas! After all, for all the political correctness running around, the holiday (short for HOLY day) we are truly celebrating is Christmas!
GrrlScientist (who sent in several entries) posts America’s food-availability crisis, a strong reminder that amid all the bounty many of us enjoy, there are others in need. Please keep the season in mind, and open your hands as generously as you can to help those less fortunate.
Crystal Clear Conservative posts Joy in the Heart, a beautiful memory of how she learned that Christmas is about giving – and giving of yourself is the most rewarding thing you can do.
Connie sends in an unusual contribution: her Christmas story is a day by day journey with lots of beautiful images. Well worth the read!
Save Your Christmas! Brent, of the Ominous Comma, gives us this wonderful, practical post which shows us how, with a little personal sacrifice (just a little), we can give someone in need the gift of pure, clean water (and he’s going to see this and tell me to take out at least eight commas, I’m sure!) Go on over and watch the video – and then put the Christmas Spirit into action!
Robert and Jennifer from Conservative Convictions send in two excellent posts, about appreciating the simple things, and finding peace in those simple things. These are two posts well worth the reading to remind you of the meaning of the season!
SWACGirl thinks back to a 10 year old boy she knew long ago, and how his joy amid his trouble reminds her to be grateful during this season. Merry Christmas indeed, Stacy – wherever you are.
In Eight Ways to Ruin Christmas, Michael Teft relates a story that looks at our Christmas decorations and points to what they should remind us of – definitely something to teach our children! (Odd title, though *grin*) He also sent in the Gift of a Bible, which has a link to a video by Penn Jillette (of Penn&Teller fame) that is a MUST-WATCH.
Another very dear blog-brother of mine, Ogre, posts two items. One is a cartoon about the Christmas rush – look carefully, because that is what the Christmas rush ought to be! The second is a reminder of what the Christmas story really is – and, oh, I love that old, old story!
Christmas Recipes:
Toni presents "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" posted at Wifely Steps. She’s got a love of excellent videos up, starring the wonderful Food Host, Nigella Lawson. Nigella’s recipes are always easy and delicious – and you’ve gotta love that accent!
Oh, sugar cookies! I love holiday sugar cookies, but don’t usually have the time to make them. Gretchen at Dishes and China offers a simple recipe for them that I’m sure taste as good as they look.
Vickie of SidetrackedMoms, sent in a recipe for Christmas ornaments you can make with children. No, it’s not for food, but the fun you can have with your children is certainly the best part of a recipe for cherished memories!
We also have an entry from Making This Home – a link to some delicious German Christmas Cookies! Oh, dear – all I have to do is look at that recipe, and the pounds just glom onto me *grinning*
The Merry Widow is posting several recipes which, taken all together, will make sure you’ll roll out of the house on a very full and satisfied tummy Christmas night: Christmas Breakfast, Christmas Appetizers, Christmas Bread, and a Christmas Standing Rib Roast (OMG, I have just died in ecstasy – it’s been ages since I’ve cooked a rib roast…). I know she’s going to post a couple more after the Carnival’s deadline, so make sure you swing on over to find out what else she’s cooking!
Well, he calls them “cheap,” but really, these are foods you can get on a budget and still celebrate scrumptiously. Thanks to Ben of Money Smart Life for sending these in!
Julie from More4Kids sends in some recipes for fun Christmas desserts… And my scales are still creeping up-up-up!
Melody Rhodes sends in a post with a smorgasbord of items, but since she starts with several recipes, I’ll put it here. Go on over for some wonderful ideas!
SWACGirl returns to this edition of the Carnival with Forgotten Cookies, which look fascinating – I’ve never heard of cookies you can bake all night!
And gingerbread – at least in my memories – plays a huge part in making Christmas festive. I haven’t made gingerbread or gingerbread houses in years, but go on over to Walking Prescott, and look at the pictures of their annual gingerbread house competition. No recipes – but, WOW! – I didn’t know you could do that with gingerbread!
Christmas Songs, Pictures, Video and Poetry:
My goodness, this section got a lot longer than I expected…!
I want to thank the very talented Warren, of Longshot, for the graphic to the left. He created it especially for my dear friend, Always On Watch. AOW has composed a beautiful acrostic, A Piano Christmas, for her contribution to the Carnival.
Yet another of my blog-brothers, Kender, who is an extremely talented storyteller and writer, wrote the Love that Burns Brightest, which is a marvelous poem about the meaning of love, and its greatest Example.
GrrlScientist has a beautiful picture of Helsinki draped in snow – I wish Finland would send some of that white stuff to south-central Virginia; it would be lovely to have a white Christmas!
Chaosgone sent in two video-rich entries – one with beautiful traditional songs, and one with the *ahem* more amusing side of Christmas music, LOL!
NiceDeb, who gave me the link to the Wexford Carol video up top, sent in several pictures of her beautiful decorations at home. I’m jealous; I don’t usually “do” decorations – I leave them to my Beloved Husband and the Darling Munchkin, while I cook and clean, LOL
Fishersville Mike sends in his favorite Christmas carol – which is one of the most beautiful and uplifting of the traditional hymns.
Our Carnival Dad, Adam Graham, pops back in with the story of the Big Little Jesus – go on over and have a listen! And then he’s also posted his Christmas Eve (got THAT one in under the wire! LOL) roundup: a Truth and Hope Christmas.
Alton, who blogs at I’m not Emeril, has two posts with video. First, the Christmas story with a little video he made, and then the lyrics to “Christmas Wrapping.”
Homesteader Belle presents a post with lots of pictures of the beautiful Christmas ornaments and paper snowflakes her family made. What a gorgeous way of decorating!
SWACGirl, one of our prolific sender-inners, posts a picture of the gorgeous Christmas quilt made by her grandmother. Just lovely – and something, as a quilter myself, I can really appreciate! Then, she makes me very jealous with her pictures of snow, Christmas lights, and elegant old Virginia, dressed for the holidays. If she sends some snow to her “sister” (me!) down in south central Virginia, I will be an extraordinarily happy camper!
Another of my dear blog-brothers (gee, I do have a lot of them, don’t I? LOL), David of Third World County, has a whole set of discussions on Christmas hymns in his Christmas Alliance category. I love the old songs so much, and particularly like Thou Who Wast Rich Beyond All Splendor, Beautiful Savior, Ding Dong Merrily On High, and Still, Still, Still. You need to go over and check him out; he has a neat way of ferreting out interesting tidbits of information about the most beautiful music!
You definitely need to stop by Carrie and Danielle’s place for a list of worthy Christmas songs. I love their first choice so much, that I’m going to embed the video here (but do go see their other recommendations, because it’s a fantastic list, and full of really fun stuff!):
Christmas Advent Series:
My dear blog-brother Michael, of the Write Side of My Brain, has been posting beautiful Advent meditations all this month, and they have been a wonderful blessing to me.
I also have my Alphabet of Christmas series, which I hope has helped us all focus on the Reason for the Season… And, yes, I am going to go all the way to the letter “z”!
Christmas Humor:
GrrlScientist returns with the hilarious How to Stuff Your Parrot for Thanksgiving – which would work equally well for Christmas, I’m sure!
Madeleine Begun Kane, of MadKane, slyly gives us the Mad Gift Giving Guide, a contract between a husband and wife. WARNING – although this will make you laugh, there’s a lot of good sense in there, too!
Christmas Miscellany:
I know it’s late for shopping tips to help us this year, but I thought I’d post Vickie’s suggestion for a Girls’ Shopping Day, as well as MoneyNing’s 32 Shopping Tips. OneFamilysBlog also has some frugal shopping tips. If you bookmark them and come back to them for next year, I’m sure they could be very helpful!
And looky here – Christmas card designs which are downloadable! I am going to bookmark this post and use some next year – thanks to Brent Diggs who sent this in from Home Life Weekly.
Finally, don’t forget the animals who share our lives – they should enjoy the season, too! GP from Manely Montana helps us have a Doggone Safe Holiday (there’s even a recipe for some doggie treats), and GrrlScientist gives us tips on how to keep our feathered friends safe as well.
UPDATE - Christmas Delays:
I knew this would happen - there would definitely be a couple of extremely worthy late-comers to the Carnival that I absolutely HAD to link... LOL
Yet one more from my dear blog-brother, David - but not musical this time, even though it's a poem.
And this post is truly fitting to end with: A Police Officer's Story. Truly, an ending done right is only the beginning...
Well, that’s all for this year; I hope you’ve enjoyed reading through the Carnival entries as much as I have. It’s been wonderful fun, and I hope we can keep this annual tradition going for a long while. In the meantime, I will wish you all a very blessed and merry Christmas, and hope to see you again next year!
Please also make sure you follow the guidelines; I've had a few spamblogs try to sneak in entries, which is not helping with the Christmas Spirit, LOL!
Test trackback link to help GMan...
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UPDATE: The Carnival of Christmas, 2008, is NOW POSTED!
FEATURED POST THROUGH DECEMBER FIRST: PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR NEWER POSTS
This will be the fourth Carnival of Christmas, which was started in 2005 by Adam Graham. He very graciously permitted me to host it last year, and I am honored to continue the tradition.
Here is the general premise: I am calling for submissions from bloggers for their posts which celebrate the joy of this season. Family memories, favorite recipes, Christmas stories, meditations on the birth of Christ, thoughts on how to focus on the true meaning of the season vs. commercialism, and so on. I will happily include Hanukkah posts as well, or even Kwanzaa, so long as everyone remembers to focus on the joy and love and wonder of the season.
I would ask that anyone who sends in a post for inclusion in the Carnival please be respectful of these guidelines; I will not accept political posts, diatribes, or any commercial-type articles. Take a look at last year's Carnival, the one from 2006, or the first one, and you'll have an excellent idea of what the Carnival is all about.
Some things I would love to have - and for which I will give proper credit, of course - are Christmas-themed photos that I can pepper through the post (as I did last year), as well as some more Christmas music entries.
Hard deadline for submissions to the Carnival is December 23rd, and I plan to post the Carnival here on CatHouse Chat sometime on Christmas Eve. At the moment, I do NOT have access to the Blog Carnival account, so please send submissions to my blog e-mail: cathousechat -at- gmail -dot- com (with the proper modifications, of course!). Please note: that e-mail is NOT the e-mail on the right column; I need to keep the Carnival e-mails separate so I can keep track of them properly.
Finally, I would ask that my blog friends help me out and promote the Carnival whenever they can; I had a glorious response last year, and would love to make it an even bigger Carnival this year!
All right? Great! Now, let's get those Christmas-themed posts coming!
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Welcome to the December 24, 2007 edition of the Carnival of Christmas! I want to thank everyone who participated this year - there are a lot of excellent posts covering a wonderfully large range of topics.
Even more importantly, I hope and pray that you have been blessed by all the wonderful entries at the Christmas Alliance, and that you take the entries in this edition of the Carnival to make your Christmas season more enjoyable for you and your family and friends.
May God richly bless you all... And now, on to the Carnival!
First, I'd like to give pride of place to two people who have always been an inspiration to me. They remind me of hope and joy in the midst of trials, and they are wonderful examples of courage and cheerful perseverance. First, my beloved blog-brother GM Roper offers a beautifully moving story about his grandfather, who really understood the true meaning of Christmas: Nat Melbert's Last Christmas. And then my blog-sis, Susan Kerry, writes about the Ripples that radiate out from events in your life. Hope and joy out of pain - truly, a wonderful lesson to learn in this blessed season. If there are only two posts you read from this round-up of excellent submissions, these are the ones to savor!
Oh, and don't forget to watch NORAD track Santa!!! 
[UPDATE] Ah, another post of note - Kender had to take time off from his vacation to get this to post for me, since Blogger was being snicky and didn't want to publish it when he told it to... But you should go read Christmas Without Mom, over at Kender's Musings.
Christmas Recipes
Karen Dowell presents Christmas just wouldn't be the same without Brussels Sprouts! posted at Wiggly Wigglers. Now, I'm not fond of Brussels sprouts, but pesto and garlic can make anything taste yummy!
Kathy Maister offrers three entries to the Carnival. First up is Holiday Cookies posted at Kathy Maister's startcooking.com. Kathy reminds us "You don't need fancy baking skills to make these beautiful, tasty, easy-bake Christmas cookies, and they're great for entertaining over the holidays." Kathy's second offering is How to Carve a Turkey or a Chicken "If you need help carving your bird for Christmas dinner, here's everything you need to know." Finally, she gives a wonderful recipe for Cranberry Relish, saying, "If you are lucky enough to get an invitation to a dinner that includes a turkey or a goose, offer to bring the cranberry relish. This recipe involves no cooking, but I guarantee your efforts will be appreciated!"
Christine has two recipes posted at her blog Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France: first Hot Apples with Cinnamon and Honey which she says are "Delicious, all natural, healthy holiday dessert!" Then she adds Vin Chaud - Hot Wine saying, "Bring a little bit of France home for the holidays with this traditional French favorite, vin chaud (hot wine). Enjoy the holidays!" Very similar to mulled wine, but with a slightly different twist
Rebecca presents Gingerbread House Patterns and Inspiration posted at The Experimental Kitchen.
GP presents The 10 Commandments of Holiday Eating posted at Innside Montana-Your Home at the Range, saying, "The 10 commandments of holiday eating... thou shalt not skimp on holiday goodies.. Read on!" Oh, how true... 
Music
GrrlScientist presents White Christmas posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, "One of my readers sent me this very cute rendition of the classic Christmas song, 'White Christmas', so of course, I had to share it with all of you! It includes the soundtrack along with a goofy cartoon." It's cute!
David at third world county is our music maestro and has many beautiful old hymns you need to experience: Who Is He in Yonder Stall? which is "...a brief excerpt of the song as performed by the Moody Bible Institute choir/band", then A Christmas Lullaby. Of course, even though Christmas is on a Tuesday not a Thursday this year, he also gives us a Thursday Thirteen post: T-13; 1.50: Fav Xmas Carols (Re-run :-)) And finally, a gorgeous hymn one rarely hears anymore: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus. Thanks, David - it's good to be reminded of these real Christmas songs!
[UPDATE] *shakes head at self* I forgot that Alton - yep, another blog-brother - had sent in Wee Fish Ewe A Mare... Great job, Alton, and I apologize for the oversight!
[UPDATE] And another blog-brother sneaks in under the wire, LOL Jay over at Stop the ACLU has a beautiful video up!
Gifts
Roger Carr reminds us of some simple Christmas Acts of Kindness at Everyday Giving Blog. I really like seeing posts like this, because they remind us that Christmas is not really about getting stuff, it's about giving!
Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips - Last Minute Gifts, and there are many good ideas here (I particularly like the gift certificate to a favorite restaurant idea! 
)
Kim Ethridge presents 10+ Top Alternatives for Gifts in the Spirit of the Season posted at Cranberries on the Counter, saying, "Some alternative gifts in the true spirit of Christmas." Again, many good, alternative ideas for gifts which emphasize a generous and selfless outlook.
Gilly Marcelli presents Christmas Spirit posted at DiscoveryDiva, which is an excellent list of ways to give the gift of your time and effort one someone's behalf. This is gift-giving in the true Spirit of Christmas by helping others in a loving and generous way.
Joshua C. Karlin writes a very thoughtful post,How Should We Give? at Marketing & Fundraising Ideas. No, despite the title, it is NOT a splog! Joshua really has a grasp of the attitude behind our giving, and this is a wonderful essay we all ought to read. Here's a quote: "I give because it is the right thing to do. And Maimonides is trying to teach me that the act of giving is not about me, but about the recipient. I need to be concerned about the dignity of the recipient more than how I feel about giving."
GrrlScientist presents The Gift of Giving posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, "Surprisingly, gift-giving often provides more benefits for the giver than the recipient." Ah, yes, there's that old saying "It is better to give than to receive!" How true...
Steve Faber presents - Holiday Gift Ideas to Save Money posted at DebtBlog. Yeah, I know, it looks like a splog, but the suggestions in the post are excellent - and who wants to splurge on Christmas and then get all those extravagant credit card bills?
Traditions
Leslie Carbone is one of my blog-siblings from Virginia, and is a brilliant and gracious lady. She's offering three submissions, all about Colonial times and how they celebrated Christmas, and accompanied them with beautiful pictures: Colonial Christmas Decorations, Colonial Christmastide at Night and More Colonial Christmas Decorations. Simply gorgeous!
pickel has been really digging around the 'net, and submitted several posts: Russian Holy Supper which is posted at A Child Chosen. Then pickel found Our Eve Tradition (which really sounds delightful!)posted at My Two Boys. Now I'm fortunate that my daughter never had issues with Santa, but pickel's final find, The Do's and Dont's of Visiting With Santa (found at Discussing Autism - which looks like a very worthy blog just for the topic!), gives many helpful guidelines so you don't have a terrified child on your hands.
The Random Yak tells us what the Random Family does on Christmas "E"ve. Family traditions like this are what really make memories!
Dana reminds me of Family Traditions posted at Principled Discovery. I remember having a program on TV on Christmas Day when I was growing up - it only had a warm fire crackling in the fireplace, with beautiful Christmas music playing. It was very simple, but so beautiful! Thanks for reminding me, Dana - and I like the horses in your banner!
Host Bee gives many tips on how to keep Believing in Santa at Busy Bee Lifestyle. I remember on Christmas in particular when Santa was very real to my Darling Munchkin, and that child-like delight and wonder she had is a cherished memory for me.
Christine pops up again with Marche de Noel | Christmas Market posted at Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France, and says, "Happy holidays from Strasbourg!" I really like seeing traditions from other countries
Karen Dowell at Wiggly Wigglers makes another appearance, too, and discusses the The Twelve Days of Christmas with all sorts of factoids about this traditional song.
Parodies and Humor
Catnabbit presents Knotty Cat Got Vacuum for Christmas posted at Catnabbit!, saying, "Instead of a visit from Santa Claws, the knotty cats get a visit from the Unholy Vacuum Beast!" Oh, noes! The poor kitti-purrs must have been very naughty indeed!
Wenchypoo presents Post-Holiday Commentary posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket. Well, I suppose you could say this is satire, but Wenchypoo does put her finger on some of the more insane things we do at Christmas. Don't forget, tomorrow is supposed to be joyful and fun!
Madeleine Begun Kane presents Ms. Legal Person Answers Your Holiday Questions posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog. Cute!
Ron is another of my Virginia blog-sibs, and he found Chinese Food on Christmas posted at Isophorone.He sent it in with this comment, "Sorry, couldn't resist!" That's OK, Ron - my husband loved it so much, we had to pull it up and show it to the family! 
WhatWorksForUs presents No. Ornaments Are NOT Chew Toys. posted at What Works For Us. They're not?! Well, y'all are gonna have to get that poor puppy some good rawhide to gnaw on, then!
Pictures and Video
GrrlScientist chimes in again (gosh, I really like how several people found many things to send in!) Lincoln Center Christmas Tree 2007.It's gorgeous! I love nighttime shots of Christmas lights.
Ogre, who is a dear friend even though he DOES need a bath (Sorry - inside joke ), lets us know the progress of his Snowman Army over at Ogre's Politics and Views. You know, Ogre, I'm still not sure you AREN'T the re-incarnation of Calvin...
chaosgone presents Christmas Time All Over the World posted at Chaosgone, saying, "Videos of Christmas all over the world." How fun! As I said before, I really like seeing how other countries celebrate.
Hilltown Families presents DIY: Christmas Spider Holiday Cards posted at Hilltown Families. This is a cute little video (but... "Christmas spider"?! LOL)
cookingfor5 presents Christmas Cookies posted at Cookie Creations, saying, "For my family, Christmas is simply not Christmas without Cut-out Cookies." It's a lovely picture... But where's the recipe?
Always On Watch, yet another blogger who has honored me with friendship, posts Christmas 2007 at Always On Watch. AOW loves the hymn "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and found a beautiful video to match it.
Stories
Suldog presents Pointy The Poinsettia posted at Suldog-O-Rama, saying, "The story of Pointy The Poinsettia!" Well, this could have gone in "humor," too, but I wanted to put it here... And I'm glad that Pointy has a good home!
Santa's Elf asks you to post your Christmas memories & stories at Love Santa, saying, "Our whole blog is a collection of Christmas stories & memories."
"If the troops in Iraq can't be home for Christmas, then we're going to make sure that a little bit of home goes to Iraq," said one volunteer at the Carroll County Agriculture Center on Saturday, December 1." And thus begins Kevin E. Dayhoff's report,20071201 Operation Christmas Tree. What a wonderful thing to do, to show love and support for our troops!
Leticia Velasquez presents THE JESSE TREE posted at cause of our joy.
The Random Yak sends in Surprise! It's a Christmas Tree! posted at The Random Yak. It's a perfect retelling of the glorious and you-must-do-it-at-least-ONCE experience of finding the Perfect Christmas Tree(TM)!
The Spirit of Christmas
Adam Graham sent in Christmas and the People We Ought to Be posted at Adam's Blog. Adam is, of course, the originator of the Carnival of Christmas, and it's a delight to read his post. Here's a sample: "It's a remarkable thing. Amidst all the commercialism, the birth of Christ lays out the standard for goodness and love to our fellow man. Sometimes, we think goodness is only for Christmas, but it's not. Real needs live on long after Christmas is gone." Indeed!
Julie Heath posts about Teaching Kids The Meaning of Christmas at More4kids. This one is from last year, but I think it was submitted after last year's deadline, so it rolled over to this year. It's very worthwhile reading!
The Career Counselor presents Holiday Season: Simple Ways to Increase Morale and Happiness at Your Office posted at ask the CareerCounselor, saying, "Between business deadlines, social events, and family affairs it's often hard to find the time to celebrate with your colleagues. To life spirits at your office, here are a few quick and easy ideas that offer a lot of smiles for very little time or expense." Again, this is from last year, but there are a lot of good suggestions for the workplace.
Erika Wilson asks What's So Special About Christmas? at Royally Redeemed, saying, "For Christians, Christmas is a time for great rejoicing. For this is the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Read about why Christmas is so very special and browse my favorite Christmas things."
Yet another of my Virginia blog-family sent an entry in! Scott White asks Where has CHRISTmas gone? at Scott's Thoughts. "First of all, Christmas should be personal. It is best celebrated they way you and your family want to celebrate it. It's a time of joy, thanksgiving, friendship. family, love, blessings, gifts. A time of celebration. It's the time we, as Christians, celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus." Amen, Scott... Thanks!
GP presents The Best Things in Life Cant be Found at the Mall posted at Innside Montana-Your Home at the Range, saying, "There is so much to do in this now-extended holiday season that it all seems to fly by before we even have time to just sit quietly and enjoy a cozy winter's evening waiting patiently for Christmas to arrive. Seven ideas we have come to value as we embrace the notion that, The Best Things in Life Aren't Things." You said it!
Rena Williams talks aboutChristmas Meaning posted at Balanced Success, and discusses how the meaning can change throughout life.
Big Dog, another blog-buddy of mine, reminds us of The Reason for the Season posted at Big Dogs Weblog. "Christmas is a time of renewed hope. A time where people can reflect and realize that while we are born as sinners, our sins were forgiven because of the selfless act of Jesus Christ. While we mark this as his birth, we also realize that his birth was the beginning of a journey that ended in suffering and pain, all out of the love God has for mankind." Make sure you read the whole thing!
Cathy presents CHRISTMAS! WHERE THE HEART IS! posted at Joy Thru Generosity, saying, "Many years ago I found myself far from home as Christmas approached. I was in a country that spoke a different language and I hardly knew anyone I was with. There was no escaping the fact it was December 24th and the next day was sure to come."
Podcasts
Adam Graham presents The Big Little Jesus posted at The Old Time Dragnet Show, saying, "In these 1952 classic Dragnet radio episode, A statue of the Baby Jesus has been stolen and Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith must track it down before Christmas morning."
Poems
Xyba gives us A Different Christmas Poem at Once More Into the Breach. I've read this one before, and it always brings a grateful tear to my eyes.
Elizabeth Wrobel presents Poem: Christmas Time posted at Little Cottage in the Northwoods (A Writer's Paradise). I like it!
Other/Misc.
Debora Silkotch presents O Christmas Tree posted at Ramblings, saying, "Plant a living tree!" It's a great idea! When we moved to Virginia many years ago, we had a live tree, and it was still growing happily in the front yard when we sold that house a while ago. I think that next year we'll do it again.
kelly at {the ringpop bride} gives 11 tips for a holly jolly christmas party..., and they are excellent ideas for really making the holidays sparkle for your guests!
Susan presents Holiday Romance in a Sea of Consumerism posted at The Innovative Traveler.
Tip Diva returns with Top Ten Tips - O Christmas Tree, offering several helpful hints for a successful and beautiful tree.
And I'm going to finish up with our music maestro, David of Third World County, whose final entry is a Fifteenth Century Christmas Sermon: "For this is the most holy night on which the Redeemer of the world, Jesus Christ, chose to be born of the glorious Virgin Mary. Arise, therefore, all, and watch. Prepare your hearts and pray. The Lord has come. Come and adore. Seek Jesus, and you will find him. Knock at the door and it will be opened to you. Enter the house and you will see. Our King has arrived. Christ has been born to us."
Thank you so much for participating in the Carnival of Christmas. I pray that tomorrow is full of joy and laughter for you and yours, and that this roundup has made you smile, made you think, and made you remember why we celebrate! Don't forget to go over to the Christmas Alliance for a whole bunch of goodies which weren't submitted to the Carnival.
May you have a blessed New Year, and I hope you enjoyed it! Oh... My Christmas posts can all be found here, if you'd care to look at them
Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Christmas using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
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