"Who Are You? Who, who, who who?"

 I did not get "A Hippopotamus for Christmas." I didn't ask for one, but I have been seeing some really cute Hippo videos, on Facebook. Those videos and a few other Internet "surprises" have me thinking. Just who and how has the world, specifically the Web, inserted themselves into my lifestyle, without my permission.

Ah yes, I occasionally click on something that peaks my interest. We all do. But then, low and behold, a similar ad or info blurb will pop up on my screen, for days. I don't like it. 

I am very careful about typing in answers to random questions. I know, that if I admit recognizing a metal ice cube tray, I'm telling my age. And those "you are a genius if you can see a certain letter series in a puzzle" is an ego trap, to get information. I'm onto those tricks. But, if I click on a certain crochet pattern, because it's interesting, who then sends me hundreds of patterns and yarn ads? I don't like these intrusions into my privacy.

If you dare to imagine that the cloud (whatever that is) doesn't know dozens of facts about you and your personal business, you're not in touch with reality. But, bottom line, there isn't much we can do about this particular issue. It's life, as we know or don't know it.

Be safe out there. I know those hippos are cute and the "3 ingredient recipes" are intriguing, but be aware. Someone, somewhere is tracking us and amassing information. Watch what you click on, for I know, almost certainly, that I am on a "hit list". A list of  "old lady, grandma, gourmet, book reader, crocheter, shoe shopper, Beatles fan, adventurous, hippopotamus lovers.

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Dear Lord. Keep us safe from our own stupidity. Your children are constantly in need of Your guidance and wisdom. Watch over us.

"Sleigh bells ring......"

 I would like to write that it is "Beginning to look a lot like Christmas", but it isn't. Today, is December 23rd. We are experiencing mild winter weather, here in Kansas City. Only about 45 degrees and not a drop of moisture to be felt. Gloomy, actually. Furthermore, it doesn't look like we will have a "White Christmas", this year.  I just took a peak outside, and all I see is overcast skies, bare tree branches and brown leaves on the ground. Ugly.

But, who started this idea about snow on December the 25th, anyway? You might reply that it was Irving Berlin, when he penned the seasonal tune, that tops most everyone's Holiday Favorites list. Not true (writes the self-proclaimed "Queen of Lyrics"). He was only "dreaming" of snow. 

It was in southern California, that Berlin wrote, his most famous holiday song, on a typically sunny and warm Los Angeles, day.  In 1941, he created this verse, as an introduction......"The Sun is shinning, all the grass is green. The orange and palm trees sway. There's never been such a day, in Beverly Hills, LA. But it's December 24th, and I am longing to be up North." At this point, Bing starts crooning.......

Maybe, it was Clement C. Moore, when, in 1823, he wrote "The moon on the breast of a new fallen snow, gave the luster of midday to objects below."?  Without a fresh snowfall, why else would Santa need a sleigh? Depending upon his location, Santa could have been just as famous for driving a Conestoga wagon, on a dusty road or poling a gondola, in a canal!

Could it be because of a Currier and Ives printed image?. Those gentlemen started drawing their iconic scenes around 1834.  Snow and sleighs, again. Old time memories.

We don't really need snow, to celebrate Christmas. The Shepherds, because of the latitude of Bethlehem, were not sitting in front of an igloo, watching their flock of sheep. But, I will miss it, this year. There is something about fresh, clean snow that brightens the Holiday scene. I just love a "White Christmas".

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Dear God. Faith is not about facts or even tradition. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". Christmas will come, thank you God, with or without a few snowflakes.

   

L'Chaim

 The lively opening number of a popular musical, is the song, "Tradition". Holiday time is when many of us rely on the steadfastness of traditions. Not a day, or maybe even hour goes by, between Thanksgiving and New Years, when we fail to use the words....... "but, we've always done it that way." 

Traditions don't have to be reasonable, or make any sense at all. Some folks open gifts on Christmas Eve, while other families open their gifts on Christmas Morning. I knew of one family that started "gifting" early on the 25th, and kept at it all day long! They opened a gift or two, ate, opened some more, ate again, took naps, watched TV, ate, opened more gifts, and on and on........

Traditions are what give us continuity, from generation to generation. Familiarity helps us to cope with the cares and challenges of every day life. It's okay. Traditionally, Italian-Americans prepare a Feast of 7 Fishes, for dinner on Christmas Eve. That sounds tasty. In my hometown, crispy waffles cookies, called Pizzelles, were a great traditional holiday treat. And, depending upon the family's ethnicity, they were flavored with either anise or whiskey. 

My mother always gifted her children, with underwear, at Christmas. It was not a very exciting tradition. I never remember exclaiming, "Wow! Underpants, thanks so much, mom!" We were kids. We always got much needed, not wanted, new underwear.

In most families, the decorated tree occupies the same place, every year. These days, it's likely to be an artificial one, that comes out of a box, but it continues to be standing in the sames corner or in front of the same window, year after year. All the kids may be grown with kids of their own, but Santa Claus still comes to town.

Traditions, as the song says, are important. Without them our lives would be as unstable as a....... you've got it.....a "Fiddler on the Roof."

HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

"Is it Mary or Sue?"

 I had occasion to think about names this week. Let me start by telling you that my given name is Nancy. Ann. Doing a bit of research, Nancy is a derivative of Ann. So I guess my name is really Nancy Nancy. Nancy is a common name, just about everywhere in the world. Five towns in the USA, are named Nancy. Nancy is a sizable city in France. I once had a Sudanese lady, burst into a song, for me, about "Nancy." From the smile on her face, it might have had some rather risque Sudanese lyrics.

As parents, we all spent a considerable amount of time choosing names for our offspring. We chose good solid names, strong names and often chose to reuse the names of cherished relatives, to honor them. But, in reality, why did we bother? Only one, of my four children, chose to use the name that I called him, as a little one!

Owing to my experience as an elementary school teacher, I cautioned my "Fabulous Four" to please choose names, for your children, that will not encourage playground trouble. Fancy Nancy was pretty annoying, you know.  And don't, I added, make their names so long that they won't fit on one line of a Big Chief Tablet. No 6 year old wants to miss recess, because he can't finish printing his name. My children chose to ignore my suggestions, of course. 

Have you ever read the full name of some of the current Royals? They all have 4 or 5 given names. Why? Prince William is really William Arthur Philip Louis. And I think that his last name currantly Windsor, but it used to be Mountbatten, and before that Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Can you imagine yelling, "William Arthur Philip Louis, go wash your hands!" ? Seriously.

To quote William Shakespeare (did he go by Willy or Bill?), "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." And, we've all heard the line.... "You can call me anything, just don't call me late for dinner."

Call me Crazy, if you must. Actually, Crazy kind of fits with my surname. A mild sort of alliteration, don't you think. I think I'll change my name to Krazy K. Kincaid.

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Dear God. You are known by many names. Right now, in our hearts, you are a little baby, coming to us soon, to save the world. We are honored by your Holy Name.

"Happy Birthday"

Are you having a birthday, today? I'm not, but I have two close family members, who were born on this day.....80 some years apart. That, and it's December, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Those events got me thinking about birthdays, in general.

Did you know that most births, in the United States, occur in the months of August and September? Actually, someone has figured out that the most popular date, for births, is September 9th. The least number of births occur on....you guessed it.....February 29th. 

Now, there is a fifty percent chance (at least) that if you get 23 folks together, in one spot, at least 2 people will share the same birth date....month and day. This fact makes for a clever party trick, crowd warmer or team builder. But, if you increase the number of gather-ees to 30, the stats will increase to 90 percent.

And, as I get closer and closer to yet another milestone birthday, I have considered forgetting my age, and stop counting, from now on. After all, as my mother cautioned me years ago...."A lady never divulges her weight or her age." Good advice, Dorothy Mae.

Then, there are the assumed facts about Jesus' birth. Probably not in A.D. 1. More like 4-6 A.D. Those dates are, due to historical facts, more accurate. And, the shepherds, near Bethlehem tended their flocks of sheep outdoors, only in the summer months. So, likely not cold December.

But, hey. Happy Birthday, Linnea and Happy Heavenly Birthday to her Great Grandfather, Mike. Happy Birthday Everyone.

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Dear Lord. We thank you for our family and friends. Life is a blessing.