Christmas decorations

[mithrandir]

Hello everyone.  I realize that it's been over 2 1/2 years since I left the Assembly, but I have yet to put Christmas decorations up at my house.  I almost did last year, but I had visions of electrical cords shorting out in the rain...  Anyway, could some of you post practical pointers on installing Christmas lights and preventing people from hijacking your Nativity scene?  I want to be ready in plenty of time.  Seriously!

Clarence Thompson

[al Hartman]

Hello everyone.  I realize that it's been over 2 1/2 years since I left the Assembly, but I have yet to put Christmas decorations up at my house.  I almost did last year, but I had visions of electrical cords shorting out in the rain...  Anyway, could some of you post practical pointers on installing Christmas lights and preventing people from hijacking your Nativity scene?  I want to be ready in plenty of time.  Seriously!

Clarence Thompson

Would Mithrandir be deterred by the thought of a few sparking wires?!!

Anyway, if you have a reason to decorate, just do it!  Read the safety precautions on the packaging of the electrical stuff (most light sets are "indoor/outdoor" safety approved these days) & follow your artistic inclinations.  As far as protecting your stuff from thieves & pranksters, most communities frown on the use of landmines and firearms , and moats are expensive, take a long time to construct, and are an insurance nightmare , so just buy cheap stuff .  If it gets ripped off, figure whoever took it needed it more than you did!

Have a great and blessed season,
al

[outdeep]

Yes, be sure to read the safety instructions:

You are to be the lucky for the receiving of blinking lights system you have purchased with thankfulness.  Insert the lights in water for cleanliness and fullest sparkle.  Afterwards, remember to first do the unplug to prevent the dangerous.  Thank you to collect all paper from the flamable nearness.  Do not use with the gasoline.  Rather, put the lights to the height for optimum seeing.  Be sure to unplugness before retiring your clothing each evening.

[al Hartman]

Yes, be sure to read the safety instructions:

You are to be the lucky for the receiving of blinking lights system you have purchased with thankfulness.  Insert the lights in water for cleanliness and fullest sparkle.  Afterwards, remember to first do the unplug to prevent the dangerous.  Thank you to collect all paper from the flamable nearness.  Do not use with the gasoline.  Rather, put the lights to the height for optimum seeing.  Be sure to unplugness before retiring your clothing each evening.

ENGRISH!!!

Clarence, ignore Dave-- Boycott Walmart-- Buy American!!!

al

[Oscar]

Yes, be sure to read the safety instructions:

You are to be the lucky for the receiving of blinking lights system you have purchased with thankfulness.  Insert the lights in water for cleanliness and fullest sparkle.  Afterwards, remember to first do the unplug to prevent the dangerous.  Thank you to collect all paper from the flamable nearness.  Do not use with the gasoline.  Rather, put the lights to the height for optimum seeing.  Be sure to unplugness before retiring your clothing each evening.

In order to avoid problems that could (though they never have) arise from forgetting to unplugness before retiring my clothing each evening, I purchased a timer that does my remembering for me.

I keep my overhead truck camper in my driveway.  Last year I outlined the camper with lights.    I did so because I thought it was funny.  Still do.

BTW, no one has ever bothered my lights, and I have never heard of anyone stealing Christmas lights anyway.  Why steal something you can't use most of the year?

Blessings,

Thomas Maddux

[Elizabeth H]

Clarence,

We've been hard pressed to find a Nativity scene that does that sacred scene justice. Everything is just so cheap and cheesy. While the glowing plastic may look vaugely festive at night, during the day there's nothing more depressing than a plastic jumble of pretend holiness littering your lawn. Blech!

Our favorite decorations are the white icicle lights lining the eaves and a couple of gently blinking colored lights woven carefully through the shrubbery. Classy, festive with a touch of whimsy.

Don't worry about electrical stuff, everything is pretty safe. An automatic timer is nice, a couple of extension cords and about 3 sets of lights should do the job. Unless you're planning on entering the neighborhood Light Display Competition, I doubt you'll short any fuse boxes or what have you.

Indoors it's always nice to have 2 cinnamon scented candles burning at night. At Michael's you can find beautiful Christmas garlands (and some are pre-decorated with little pinecones and ornaments) to hang over doorways or wrap around stair bannisters. I like to place a garland on a prominent mantle and put my candles around it.

My rule of thumb is: avoid cheesy, plastic, commercialized crap. Even if it means spending a few more dollars, I would rather buy LESS stuff and keep the focus on a couple of beautiful, memorable pieces I can use year after year.

I know, I know. I'm starting to sound like a Martha Stewart groupie! I can't help it! I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE Christmas and am vigorously making up for lost time!

Hope this helps.
E.

[Joe Sperling]

Deck the halls with boughs of holly
fa la la lala, la  la la la
Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la,  la la la la

Don we now our gay apparel,
fa la la......what? uhh...

Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh,
o'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
ho ho ho

[Elizabeth H]

don't forget the figgy pudding Joe, because we won't go until we get some!

[al Hartman]

Clarence,

We've been hard pressed to find a Nativity scene that does that sacred scene justice. Everything is just so cheap and cheesy. While the glowing plastic may look vaugely festive at night, during the day there's nothing more depressing than a plastic jumble of pretend holiness littering your lawn. Blech!

E.,

Why not do what Cathy & I do every year:  Take vacation the last two weeks of Dec. & put on a living nativity scene on your lawn.  We spread straw all over the lawn & dress up as Mary & Joseph.  We rent a live ox & lamb, & the last several years we've borrowed a drummer boy from the local high school marching band.  We decided this year to even have a baby born in time to place in the manger, but that hasn't worked out, so we're hoping Joe Sperling will fill in for us there (he's very young looking for his age).

  al

PS-- Be sure to blow out the candles before you go to bed (& put fresh batteries in the smoke alarms)!!!

[GDG]

Don we now our gay apparel,
fa la la......what? uhh...

Hey Joe,

Who's Don and why is he wearing my clothes?  Hmmm? 

Gay

[al Hartman]

Hey Joe,

Who's Don and why is he wearing my clothes?  Hmmm? 

Gay

Don never could have got your clothes if you had stayed in the closet, now could he???

al

[GDG]

OK All,
As you can guess, having a name such as mine leaves one open to all sorts of interesting experiences.  Just think how common it is for you to introduce yourself.  You just walk up to the person you want to meet and say "Hi, I'm (insert your name here)."  Now, use the same phrase and insert my name, "Hi, I'm..."  Just doesn't work well in conversation  .
Can you imagine what it was like to be the mother of a teenage boy who has a quirky sense of humor?  When the other kids would be having a conversation about their parents, he would interject "Well, my mom's Gay."  Always a conversation stopper. (BTW, he got his sense of humor from his mother)  He still will introduce me by saying, "I would like you to meet my mom.  She's Gay."   

I've told you all that to tell you this.  I have a funny assembly story about my name.  In the summer of '78 I decided to go to a seminar in Fullerton.  I was booked on a red eye that arrived in LA.  When I arrived in the wee hours whoever was supposed to be there to pick me up didn't show.  After waiting around for awhile I called the only number I had... George's.  I woke him up.  He in turn, not so graciously, woke up the brother who was supposed to get me and sent him out bleary eyed to fetch me.  This poor fellow had never met me before, but was given a description of what I looked like and what I was wearing.  Evidently I wasn't the only person who matched that description because after arriving at the airport, he walked up to a woman and asked, "Are you Gay?"  It wasn't me.

Blessings,
Gay

[just me]

Deck the halls with boughs of holly falalalalalala.......

Well we are really getting into the spirit of Christmas around here.  The tree went up the day after Thanksgiving and the stockings are hung on the mantle.  It's beautiful.

We are three years out of our assembly experience and this is the first year that I can truly enjoy Christmas.  I can't believe it took so long.  The first year we did outside lights, no tree, a couple presents (bah humbug).  Last year we broke down and paid too much for a very scraggly tree (especially when you have 16 foot ceilings).  I remember being depressed during the two weeks around Christmas because I had nothing (or no one) to attach meaning to it all.  I was still looking for the outside justification for it all.  (read approval).

This year I have been chomping at the bit since Halloween (hehehe) to start Christmas.  I have been carefully plotting and planning gifts for everyone, planning family get togethers, thinking about decorating...I even have been lying to my little kids about Santa Claus.  Hey the tooth fairy came for the first time this year too.  It feels so good to love my kids and extended family; to plan big events for them; to make things festive and fun.  And yes we even did the Christmas Child boxes for Samaritan's purse.  It feels sooooo good to be normal finally. And I don't feel guilty at all.

Happy Holidays.  Merry Christmas everyone!
me

[outdeep]

And yes we even did the Christmas Child boxes for Samaritan's purse.  It feels sooooo good to be normal finally. And I don't feel guilty at all.

Thanks.  Each box is greatly appreciated.  If you put your picture and address in the box, you sometimes get a letter back.  Also, be sure to put chocolate in the box.  We have to take it out  as a perishable item and the employees get to eat it.  (Just kidding about the chocolate, of course).

[Margaret]

Cheers for Just Me!! We just got back from being out of town for Thanksgiving, and I can't wait to start getting the Christmas decorations up! Actually, I put up a couple of things several weeks ago--with just white lights so as not to be too obviously crazy about Christmas. If you're like us, you'll probably totally blow the budget on Christmas once you finally give yourself permission to celebrate--us ex-ers can't seem to do anything in middle-of-the-road moderation at first, especially celebrations. But hey, it's fun!!

Our church helped me see the Christmas season as a two-level thing--there is the non-religious mid-winter celebration that is common in many cultures and involves presents and lots of lights. And there is the church observance of Advent--celebrating the coming of Christ into the world. It is great to celebrate them both--I don't have any problem celebrating with our culture (which does not involve actual pagan worship  ) and also focusing on the Incarnation for the 4 weeks of Advent. The season is a blessing in both aspects 

mi