A little Christmas fun

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THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

WITH A KIWI FLAVOR

Tune

Sung to the usual tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
Remember to slow down the line " Five - big - fat - pigs ! "

On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A pukeko in a ponga tree

On the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
two kumera
And a pukeko in a ponga tree

On the third day of Christmas
....
and so on, until...

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Twelve piupiu swinging
Eleven haka lessons
Ten juicy fish heads
Nine sacks of pipi
Eight plants of puha
Seven eels a swimming
Six pois a twirling
Five - big - fat - pigs !
Four huhu grubs
Three flax kits
Two kumera
And a pukeko in a ponga tree!

Pukeko = type of bird found in NZ
Ponga Tree = a fern tree that grows in NZ
Kumera = a sweet potato
Piupiu = a skirt made from strips of flax.
Haka = war chant/dance
Pipi = small shellfish
Puha = a type of sow thistle that is eaten as a vegetable in NZ
Poi = Maori word for ball
Huhu = a small edible grub
Flax kits = small woven bags

Ngā mihi o te wā me te Tau Hou

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Bubba Claus

A new contract for Santa has finally been negotiated. Please read the following carefully.

I regret to inform you that, effective immediately,I will no longer be able to serve Southern United States on Christmas Eve. Due to the overwhelming current population of the earth, my contract was renegotiated by North American Fairies and Elves Local 209. I now serve only certain areas of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. As part of the new and better contract I also get longer breaks for milk and cookies.

However, I’m certain that your children will be in good hands with your local replacement who happens to be my third cousin, Bubba Claus. His side of the family is from the SouthPole. He shares my goal of delivering toys to all the good boys and girls; however, there are a few differences between us…

1. There is no danger of a Grinch stealing your presents from Bubba Claus. He has a gun rack on his sleigh and bumper sticker that reads: “These toys insured by Smith and Wesson.”

2. Instead of milk and cookies, Bubba Claus prefers that children leave an RC cola and pork rinds [or a moon pie] on the fireplace. And Bubba doesn’t smoke a pipe. He dips a little snuff though, so please have an empty spit can handy.

3. Bubba Claus’ sleigh is pulled by floppy-eared,flyin’ coon dogs instead of reindeer. I made the mistake of loaning him a couple of my reindeer one time, and Blitzen’s head now overlooks Bubba’s fireplace.

4. You won’t hear “On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen …” when Bubba Claus arrives. Instead, you’ll hear, “On Earnhardt, on Wallace, on Martin and Labonte On Rudd, on Jarrett, on Elliott and Petty.”

5. “Ho, ho, ho!” has been replaced by “Yee Haw!” And you also are likely to hear Bubba’s elves respond, “I her’d dat!”

6. As required by Southern highway laws, Bubba Claus’ sleigh does have a Yosemite Sam safety triangle on the back with the words “Back Off!” The last I heard it also had other decorations on the sleigh back as well. One is Ford or Chevy logo with lights that race through the letters and the other is a caricature of me (Santa Claus) going wee on the Tooth Fairy.

7. The usual Christmas movie classics such as “Miracle on 34th Street” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” will not be shown in your negotiated viewing area. Instead, you’ll see “Boss Hogg Saves Christmas” and “Smokey and the Bandit IV” featuring Burt Reynolds as Bubba Claus and dozens of state patrol cars crashing into each other.

8. Bubba Claus doesn’t wear a belt. If I were you, I’d make sure you, the wife, and the kids turn the other way when he bends over to put presents under the tree.

9. And finally, lovely Christmas songs have been sung about me like “Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer” and Bing Crosby’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” This year songs about Bubba Claus will be played on all the AM radio stations in the South. Those song titles will be:Mark Chesnutt’s “Bubba Claus Shot the Jukebox,” Cledus T. Judd’s “All I Want for Christmas Is My Woman and a Six Pack,” and Hank Williams Jr.’s “If You Don’t Like Bubba Claus, You Can Shove It.”

Sincerely Yours,
Santa Claus North American Fairies and Elves Local 209.

Bobby's Dime

There are certain stories that really tug at my heart. This is one of them!

Christmas Story of the Dozen Roses

Bobby was getting cold sitting out in his back yard in the snow. Bobby didn't wear boots; he didn't like them, and anyway he didn't own any. The thin sneakers he wore had a few holes in them and they did a poor job of keeping out the cold. Bobby had been in his backyard for about an hour already. And, try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his mother's Christmas gift.

He shook his head as he thought, "This is useless, even if I do come up with an idea, I don't have any money to spend," Ever since his father had passed away three years ago, the family of five had struggled. It wasn't because his mother didn't care, or try, there just never seemed to be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the small wage that she was earning could only be stretched so far. What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up for in love and family unity.

Bobby had two older and one younger sister,who ran the house hold in their mother's absence. All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their mother. Somehow it just wasn't fair. Here it was Christmas Eve already, and he had nothing. Wiping a tear from his eye, Bobby kicked the snow and started to walk down to the street where the shops and stores were. It wasn't easy being six without a father, especially when he needed a man to talk to.

Bobby walked from shop to shop, looking into each decorated window. Everything seemed so beautiful and so out of reach. It was starting to get dark and Bobby reluctantly turned to walk home when suddenly his eyes caught the glimmer of the setting sun's rays reflecting off of something along the curb. He reached down and discovered a shiny dime. Never before has anyone felt so wealthy as Bobby felt at that moment.

As he held his new found treasure, a warmth spread throughout his entire body and he walked into the first store he saw. His excitement quickly turned cold when the salesperson told him that he couldn't buy anything with only a dime. He saw a flower shop and went inside to wait in line. When the shop owner asked if he could help him, Bobby presented the dime and asked if he could buy one flower for his mother's Christmas gift.

The shop owner looked at Bobby and his ten cent offering. Then he put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and said to him, "You just wait here and I'll see what I can do for you." As Bobby waited he looked at the beautiful flowers and even though he was a boy, he could see why mothers and girls liked flowers.

The sound of the door closing as the last customer left jolted Bobby back to reality. All alone in the shop, Bobby began to feel alone and afraid. Suddenly the shop owner came out and moved to the counter. There, before Bobby's eyes, lay twelve long stem, red roses, with leaves of green and tiny white flowers all tied together with a big silver bow. Bobby's heart sank as the owner picked them up and placed them gently into a long white
box. "That will be ten cents young man," the shop owner said reaching out his hand for the dime.Slowly, Bobby moved his hand to give the man his dime. Could this be true? No one else would give him a thing for his dime! Sensing the boy's reluctance, the shop owner added, "I just happened to have some roses on sale for ten cents a dozen. Would you like them?"

This time Bobby did not hesitate, and when the man placed the long box into his hands, he knew it was true.Walking out the door that the owner was holding for Bobby, he heard the shop keeper say, "Merry Christmas, son,"

As he returned inside, the shop keeper's wife walked out. "Who were you talking to back there and where are the roses you were fixing?" Staring out the window, and blinking the tears from his own eyes, he replied, "A strange thing happened to me this morning. While I was setting up things to open the shop, I thought I heard a voice telling me to set aside a dozen of my best roses for a special gift. I wasn't sure at the time whether I had lost my mind or what, but I set them aside anyway. Then just a few minutes ago, a little boy came into the shop and wanted to buy a flower for his mother with one small dime. "When I looked at him, I saw myself, many years ago. I too, was a poor boy with nothing to buy my mother a Christmas gift.

A bearded man, whom I never knew, stopped me on the street and told me that he wanted to give me ten dollars. "When I saw that little boy tonight, I knew who that voice was, and I put together a dozen of my very best roses."The shop owner and his wife hugged each other tightly, and as they stepped out into the bitter cold air, they somehow didn't feel cold at all.

May this story instill the spirit of Christmas in you. Have a Joyous and Peace-filled season.

"Bobby's Dime" by Thomas Pucci

The Day After

This is the first time I have ever done *the day after Christmas shopping.* In previous years I have always worked on the 26th, so early this morning I set out to see what I could find.
Whoo Hoo!! did I ever have a marvelous time. I just love Christmas decorations and they were all 50-75% off. I came home with many, many tissue wrapped treasures.

As usual, click on the pictures for a larger view.

As far as I am concerned, a tree is never too full of decorations unless it starts to topple *grin*

Some of my treasures

A pretty clip on glass bird. This year many of the decorations are made of glass and are decorated with very colorful feathers

I just had to have this little bird

Pretty fruit

Gilded wreath

Sequined gold balls and a decoration made from mirror.

A Jim Shore nutcracker. Stands 12' high.

A pretty bauble

Feather and glass bauble

Bird in cage. Anyone would think I like birds

Just had to have these three, especially the cat

As well as the fish, I also purched a wreath, some very nice velvet& gold pointsetters and three red with gold snowflake design, votive holders.
I so enjoyed my shopping spree that I will be looking forward to next year.

Christmas 2006

All three of us, That is, Mr.C, Rocket and I had a great Christmas. Mr.C and I got a kick out of rocket. He is just like a kid when it comes to something new in the house as his curiosity is a treat to see. Truthfully, I think Rocket prefers tissue paper more than anything else.

Hmmm!! I wonder what is in my gift. I was a real good kitty all year and I just know the Santa kitty has brought me something really nice.

Oh boy, Oh boy!! my very own Chia Cat Grass Planter, featuring Sylvester and Tweety, and tissue paper. I love tissue paper, it make the neatest noise when I roll on it and shred it with my sharp claws.

HARI KIRIHIMETE

(Merry Christmas in Maori)



For a little fun visit THIS website for a KIWI CHRISTMAS

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

FROM KEEWEE, MR.C, ROCKET AND THE GOLDIES

Through the eyes of a child

I want to share a memory I have of a special time in my life as a child. I wish I had pictures, but I will do my best to paint one with words.
In a youngster’s eyes everything is, larger, brighter, and more magical than it is in an adult’s eyes. You know what I am talking about, think about things you saw when you were a kid, and how they look now, what happened to the magic, why is everything smaller and not so colorful?

Collinson and Cunningham, a large department store, in Palmerston North, New Zealand, was a very special business to visit during the Christmas season, as there was someone every child wanted to see at Christmas, in Collinson and Cunningham's at this time of year.

I remember, walking through the store past all the wooden glass fronted counters displaying merchandise, to the very rear of the building and standing in line outside a wooden swing gate, with my Mum, along with many other parents and kids. We were all waiting to descend the wooden stairs which led down to Santa’s cave. I recall the feeling of apprehension, and at the same time excitement as the gate swung closed behind us as we started down the steps.

As the crowd moved slowly down the worn, shoe smoothed, wooden stairs, into the dimness of a single file corridor, lit with a few lights here and there, the tension built. Some kids were wide eyed, and silent, gripping their parent’s hands. These were the kids who had not been down the steps before and were not sure what they were about to encounter on reaching the bottom. Other kids were and jumping up and down in their excitement knowing what lay ahead.

We wound our way slowly through the twists and turns of the narrow corridor, every so often, coming across a window enclosing a Christmas winter scene. After standing, noses pressed to the glass, and seeing everything there was to see, we shuffled on some more. It seemed to me, at this young age, that the dimmly lit corridor went on for miles, BUT, all of a sudden, we came around a bend, and there, sitting in a recess on a huge wooden chair, was Santa.
OHHH ! there he was, it really was Santa, greeting all the kids and handing each one a gift from a huge sack sitting on the floor beside his chair. Santa also gave all of us, Mums and Dads included, a candy cane and sent us on our way, with the usual belly laugh, Ho, Ho, Ho. Merry Christmas.

Moving along, with gifts clutched tightly in small hands, we moved out of the corridor into what I call a cavern. I have since learned it was part of the store’s basement. The floor was littered with gift wrapping as kids undid their gifts. Some of the children were far too excited to worry about placing the wrappings in the garbage cans, gosh there were things to do, there was no time to look for the garbage cans. The sound of laughter, children running here and there, parents trying to keep up with their excited children is photographed in my memory.

Where to look, which direction to take first? Our mother did not let us run wild, we kinda had to stick close by her, I have the feeling she was afraid of losing us in the crowd.

There was a HUGE train track set up along one side. The kind of a setup a model train enthusiast would have. In fact, upon reflection, I am sure it was the model train society who came by to set up this wonderful display. Miniature houses, trees, train stations, a river with real water and a waterfall with colored lights behind. Just about everything you can imagine.

The story of Santa’s workshop was displayed in fenced bays around the other three sides of the cavern. Each display, and it was all animated, told the story of preparations for the Christmas season. Elves were making toys, wrapping toys, filling the gift sacks and loading Santa’s sleigh. It was all quite fabulous. There were other animated scenes as well, but I do not remember the themes.

Then there were lines of children waiting for a ride on, what we called, a merry-go-round. To try and describe what it looked like is rather difficult, but here goes.

Picture something, which looks rather like a very large all metal wagon wheel pivoting about three feet above the floor. It has about twelve spokes. And on the outer edge where each spoke joined the rim, is a metal chair/seat. There was nothing fancy about the merry-go-round, we all sat in the metal seats, enclosed by a safety bar, and every second person had foot pedals to keep the merry-go-round moving after being push started by a couple of helpers. The pedals were something like you see on rental paddleboats found at some lake resorts. Anyhow, if you were lucky to get a seat with pedals, you would pedal for all you were worth until the helpers applied the brakes. To this day I wonder if we did indeed keep the merry-go-round moving just by pedal power, or if it was actually electrically driven and the pedals were just for our entertainment. The ride was never as long as I thought it should be, Sighhhhhh!

Sadly, like many things, Collinson and Cunningham is not there any more. Gone are the old wooden stairs, the air presure driven system of delivering money through tubes around the building, (kind of like the system banks use now in the drive-through, only on a very large scale) Gone is Santa's cave, all replaced by steel and glass. But my memory of a magical place is still intact.

Ahhh! The imagination, and memory of a childhood past, a wondrous thing indeed.

Graphic from http://www.magiclanterngraphics.com/santasworkshop.GIF

Christmas decorations

Here are just a few of the many decorations I have collected over the years.
Now you know why I like my revolving tree. Go take a look at the YouTube post HERE.