Tradition Test Runs

I'm way in to Christmas. This year I may have taken too much on especially when Oscar doesn't even have the capacity to care yet.

I made my own makeshift advent calendar out of scrapbook paper, buttons and string. That has turned into even more work because each day on the countdown has a family activity we're supposed to do. Some of the activities are easy like drink hot chocolate or watch "Elf". Somewhere along the line I got overambitious and many items like "Leave a dollar taped to a soda machine", "Donate to SPCA", and "Collect Pinecones" snuck in there. It was hard to imagine when I was making my list that I wouldn't want to go out of the house and do something every day of December.

We've also decided to read a different new(to us) book every day of December until Christmas and do Elf on the Shelf to make a picture book for when he's old enough to understand it. Books, yes. Elf... I did not even get around to buying. I also decided I'll probably just buy some much cuter toy and make my own book. Because really? Thirty bucks for that thing of nightmares?

Our Christmas is definitely secular and would not make my neighbor with a plain white "Keep the Christ in Christmas" sign on his lawn happy. I'm pretty partial to Santa. If someone were to start a religion based around Santa and some reindeer I'd at least give them a listen when they came to the door. Hopefully caroling, cookies in hand. 

Here is an unfortunate quote from Bill O'Reilly on why we shouldn't say Happy Holidays this year:

What is interesting this year is that Hanukkah will be over on Thursday, so there are no more holidays between then and Christmas Day.

 This is my first post in my blog and normally what I'd do is dissect quotes or rant about them, whatever you want to call it. So this is probably a bad start but I have nothing to say to that. It's too ridiculous to think that a grown man would decide to say something like that.