It's coming on Christmas!

It always amazes me how excited this Jewish girl becomes once December rolls into town. The Christmas lights start to go up on the street, the first snow falls and it’s so pretty (by mid January I’m bitching about the sludge, the traffic, the COLD, but for now……) and Christmas songs fill the radio, elevators and malls, and the television plays all my favorites, Rudoph the Red Nosed Reindeer (I know EVERY word to every song, even ‘Silver and Gold'), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (NOT the Jim Carrey movie but the original cartoon), Miracle on 34th Street (with Natalie Wood) and of course, my very favorite, It’s A Wonderful Life (gotta love that Jimmy Stewart).

Favorite Christmas songs that I can't help but smile and sing along to? That’s easy:

River – written by Joni Mitchell, but I love Robert Downey Jr.’s version best

Please Come Home for Christmas – U2, The Eagles and Bon Jovi all do great versions

Santa Claus is coming to Town – Springsteen (seeing this live in Buffalo approx. 30 years ago was incredible!)

Merry Christmas Baby – Springsteen again

All I Want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey

Feliz Navadad - Jose Feliciano

Last Christmas – Wham!

Do They Know it’s Christmas – Band Aid

Happy Christmas – John Lennon

And of course, Little Drummer Boy by Bing Crosby and David Bowie

Let’s be clear here, I also enjoy my Chanukah gelt (money), potato latkes and Adam Sandler’s The Chanukah Song (all three parts).

This year, in lieu of Secret Santa gifts at the office, we’ve chosen to buy toys and donate them to the ‘Make a Wish’ Foundation. I will probably buy books. It really is true that it is better to give than to receive, so I encourage you to give something to someone less fortunate.

So whatever you’re celebrating, get into the spirit.

Please Remember:

1) When you’re fighting the crowds, don't forget to smile, or help a package laden stranger by opening the door.

2) Ease up on your horn when sitting in traffic or trying to maneuver through a snow clogged street because the car in front/beside/behind you, might be a 'new' driver (someone’s child) or an ‘old’ driver (someone’s parent or grandparent). You’ll get where you’re going eventually.

3) Put some thought into your gifts, as opposed to your dollars – make, bake or create something. Spend TIME, not money with your family!


You can’t stop it anyway, as we learnt from the Grinch. And I quote…..

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

Happy Chanukah, Feliz Navidad, Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanza!