A Few of My Favorite Things...

 My favorites are:

Favorite Christmas romance movie: The Christmas Card (shown on the Hallmark channel). It has romance,  Christmas elements like people actually going to church on Christmas Eve, volunteering, a salute to military personnel, and humor. The characters feel like real people.

Favorite Christmas fantasy movie: The Santa Clause. This is so creative and the special effects are just amazing. I really want to believe in Santa as I watch this movie.

Favorite Christmas animated movie: So many to choose from, but I'd have to say the classic A Charley Brown Christmas because it shows how the real meaning of Christmas can get lost in commercialism if we let it. 

Favorite Christmas book: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. Every year it makes me reaffirm my vow to keep Christmas in my heart all year long. This book is also responsible for the way many of us celebrate Christmas today, with the traditions of attending church, giving to the poor, gathering with friends and family. 

Favorite Christmas song: argggh, this is a hard one- but if I separate music into 2 categories, songs and hymns, it becomes easier. Favorite song is Mary Did You Know, and favorite hymn is O Holy Night.

Favorite Christmas cookie: the buttery, low-sugar and pretty spritz cookies I make. Perfect with tea, coffee, and hot chocolate! (And yes, I made the cookies pictured below.)

Favorite Christmas dinner: roast duck a la orange. Haven't had it in years because with a big family get together, it's expensive and not everyone likes it, so it's reserved for when it's just my husband and self. 

Photo by Carolina Grabowska, Pexels

Favorite Christmas dessert: egg nog pudding. 

Favorite Christmas tradition: playing the bells at the Christmas Eve service, with a close second of piling everyone into the car with a thermos of hot cocoa, a tin of Christmas cookies, songs on the radio or CD, and driving around to see the Christmas lights in our neighborhood.

 You can listen to one of the best groups ringing here:  http://www.wesleybells.org/

Favorite Christmas decoration: the tree! Although we prefer a real tree, as long as I have a tree up (usually two days after Thanksgiving), it feels like Christmas. Every year I rotate ornaments and have either white or colored lights, and different themes, so it's always fresh. 

Photo courtesy of Pexels Pixaby

Now I'll have that song in my head all day- A Few of My Favorite Things... and now, so will you. Go listen to the bell choir on the above link to cure that. 

Char