Comments on: {my simple} Christmas in July…

By: The Perfect Gifts Are Personalized Gifts | Christian Jewelry

The Perfect Gifts Are Personalized Gifts | Christian Jewelry — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:50:31 +0000

[...] {my simple} Christmas in July… « Simply Altered [...]

By: Richard Pyatt

Richard Pyatt — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:14:22 +0000

DICK PYATT’S FUN WAYS TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN JULY-
Of course, one of funest ways to celebrate is to give a “Christmas Gift” in July. I was thinking of this when I put together a collection of traditional Christmas favorites such as Oh Christmas Tree, White Christmas, and Christmas Waltz for my CD, “A Christmas Gift.”.
And I thought at the same time, it may be as unusual as Christmas in July to include a dramatic and emotional rendering of two traditional songs of the Jewish faith, Eli, Eli and Kol Nidre, as a highlight on the CD as they are seldom performed in a secular music environment
Although the legendary Johnny Mathis , pictured with me on my CD,, A Christ mas Gift is one of a few who in his 1958 album for Columbia, “Good Night Dear Lord,” brought his mellow sounds to the great Yom Kippur show-stopper “Kol Nidre” and Yiddish theater hit “Eli Eli”.
In this context, one of the delights included on the CD is composer Al Petrone’s A Christmas Gift recorded a few years ago by among others, Julius La Rosa . The melody and sentiment created by former backup singers for the great Karen Carpenter on the CD turns July into a cold and warm cozy winter haven.
Now to get in the mood for the fun ways to celebrate Christmas in July , first, of course play my CD in the background and then Play Christmas prty games from A to Z.
Then Make Christmas decorations from plants, leaves, flowers, and twigs.
Make and decorate your favorite Christmas cookies.
Trim a live or artificial tree. Use one that’s growing in your yard, or find a nice tree branch without leaves and decorate that with flowers, natural ornaments or ribbons. Hang shells, starfish and fishing lures for ornaments if you want a tropical Christmas theme.
Make a garland from paper decorations and string it up along your porch.
Decorate the house or garden with your favorite Christmas lights and decorations. Try some wacky party lights for a summertime twist – perhaps red and green chili pepper lights for your Christmas in July decorations.
Hang stockings for Santa to fill on July 24, or to fill with party favors.
Play Christmas music, or have a Christmas carol sing-along.
Make a treat-filled holiday pinata for the kids – pull-string style.
Hand out Christmas coloring books and small packets of crayons – or fill stockings with these.
And of course you’re playing a Christmas Gift Music ( remember?) and forgetting about the troubles of the world..

By: simplyaltered

simplyaltered — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:02:46 +0000

I am SO much in aggreance with this comment Lana, it nearly leaves me speechless!!! “some” might enjoy all the shopping and getting sucked into consumerism, but how many of these people like to rush and worry a week before the holidays, that not EVERYTHING on their list is done??? or they need to find just ONE MORE gift??? I am NOT one of them!!!!! I simply refuse to buy into all of that!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so glad you do too. Give memories. One size fits all.

By: simplyaltered

simplyaltered — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 04:59:31 +0000

no no no , don’t assume this means I am bah humbug. I am not. I could not agree with you more about seeing the REAL reason of Christmas, and it is certainly not in the gifts!!!! THAT is my only point here. To gt away from the “commercialism and consumerism” is exactly what I am after. Nothing more.
I will be there on December 24 as it is the day I return from my “Christmas Cruise”

By: Kattee'

Kattee' — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 04:48:29 +0000

Well, I LOVE LOVE everything about Christmas!! It breaks my heart to hear someone bah humbug this holiday because of the special meaning of Christmas! Besides being with my family, my favorite part of Christmas is church, especially the Christmas Eve candlelight light service at CRC and it is a special gift to me to see family members (& my friends) there to join me! Please come – it will be a blessing to you too!

By: Lana

Lana — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 02:44:00 +0000

Kelli…I totally get it! All of it….I am all for not getting gifts and doing nice things for people or having the same done for me….like you said though…not everyone is on this bandwagon…and why not??? After literally spending two weeks straight trying to get prepared for my garage sale, I sometimes wonder if not wanting something that ends up in the garage sale later…or thinking that you got less than someone else, or you already have that..how could they…does this want…come from age…or just an understanding of where someone is…finally in their own life and they wish they could get everyone to just catch up? This is where I am. In all honestly after planning my garage sale on my birthday…I was so overwhelmed by the fact that all my friends and relatives..long lost employees even showed up to share cake and bring me a card and buy stuff all at the same time! Everyone being there to say hi and to visit…was the perfect gift….I am very lucky…anyone close to me knows…I want nothing…and if you must……..then give money to my Weim Rescue…lil’ pcs of a persons personality is so easy…as is giving someone something used that is dear to your heart…or theirs!
The greatest gift sometimes is understanding and knowing…you don’t have to buy people you care about a single thing. Christmas…like every single day we are on this Earth…are our MEMORIES…yea granted if someone pays off my car or something I would be ellated…but the things we do for people, the time we spend with them…the memories we create with them are the gifts we leave behind when we are gone…not a DVD player, or sweater…probably! When we were little…we never had someone draw our names, we never went christmas shopping…mom didn’t have a dime…but we had fun. Us kids would make stuff for each other..no matter what we always had some silly tree..and that is possibly the reason today mom thinks she ….must buy things…THINGS…it satisfies her need…so I just drop it…and more than likely it goes to the garage sale.
If everyone could just think on the same wave length…what a friendlier…less selfish place the world would be…and well lets not even talk about kids who get everything… Constantly one upping till they go broke, and end up with kids that don’t appreciate a thing…nor ever end up deep in the heart of Texas volunteering like your daughter or building schools in El Salvador like my son…Maybe someday we will convert more than we have so far…it’s easier to to do nice things all year long. Maybe it is easier for me…since our family rarely speaks during the holidays…;) something always seems to happen right before anyone has to buy anything…but with your large family the favors…the helping out, the bartering and fun ideas would be an endless list, to make Christmas in July….just early enough to get everyones creative juices flowing by the time the actual holiday even gets here!

By: simplyaltered

simplyaltered — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:16:43 +0000

I love that….traveling and doing fun things INSTEAD of gift giving!!!
I am SO flattered that I and my blog have made a difference for you!!! you have truely made all my effforts worth it ten fold with that compliment!!! So happy you were able to quit your second job. It can be done, you just have to make the necessary adjustments, which you probably needed to do anyway?? life will be much richer without all the other non-essential habits we might have!!!

By: simplyaltered

simplyaltered — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:14:36 +0000

that is what you get for planning a little too far ahead. Bummer for you.
I hear the cabin you went to last year was REALLY awesome. How did you come across that idea???

By: simplyaltered

simplyaltered — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:13:23 +0000

I love to hear that!! when I was growing up, Christmas was a fairly big deal, and back then, it was the ONLY time of the year we got surprises. Now, yes, if there is something you NEED, you usually get it. I so enjoy saving others the frustration of shopping for me, I know I am hard to BUY for as I really do not need or want too many things in life. I much more appreciate freeing up their time for better things!!! just leave me with heartwarming memories.

By: simplyaltered

simplyaltered — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:11:18 +0000

yeah, pretty much I had to give the secret away. NOW…..am I really up to babysitting 4 kids??? hmmmmmm……if not , maybe I can just scrapbook for you again, in my OWN home in silence.
I love the tradition of waking the kids up for Christmas lights!!! even better that it is not a Santa related wake them up surprise!!!