Today's the 20th, and that means another Dirty Dozen Reunion! Here's the challenge Jami issued:
It's almost Christmas already??? If you're not yet caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season it's likely that you soon will be. Take a minute to think about a favorite childhood holiday memory or some of your favorite things about this season and let that inspire your card for this challenge. Since we'll all probably be up to our eyeballs in wrapping paper I figured it would be fun to use some on our cards. Check out the details and come play. You know you can always use another Christmas card to send out!
Challenge Focus: A Christmas/Hanukah/Winter Card inspired by a childhood holiday memory or favorite thing about the season.
Required Element: Wrapping paper. Use a piece of holiday wrapping paper on your card in some way.
Restricted Element: No snowflake stamps, papers or embellishments.
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I have a thing for paper. I know, you're all *so* surprised. I have rolls and rolls of wrapping paper in all different shades of red, and this Jingle Bells paper I picked up at the Container Store is one of my favorites. I thought of it immediately when I read the challenge.
Most all of my favorite memories of Christmases past involve singing. We would carol at the nursing home with the church youth group, sing in school programs, sing at Midnight mass, sing with my grandma and great aunts and great grandparents. . . sing everywhere. Every year, we'd drive back home to the little town where Mom & Dad grew up and live now, singing every Christmas carol (and church hymn) that we knew, the whole way there. Sometimes we'd sing solemnly, reverently, and in harmony. Sometimes, we'd sing badly off key. Always it was the three of us kids in the back seat, Mom and Dad in the front, gifts and our stuff in the trunk. One song that Dad really messed up on purpose every year (and still does!) was "Deck the Halls". . .he'd say "deck dem halls with boo-jes of holly" just to make us laugh. I still snicker when I hear the song, and made sure to include this holly paper in the card to tie that memory in.
We're on our way back home to celebrate Christmas with my mom, dad, brother, and sister this afternoon and my kids will be singing all the way there.
What are your favorite traditions?
Date: Saturday, December 20, 2008 GMT Views: 869
Favorited:4
Registered: August 9, 2004 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado Posts: 33063
Sat, Dec 20, 2008 @ 9:44 AM
Oh Jen, this is awesome! Love the bells... especially love the shared memory. My mom was one of 7 girls and they use to sing Christmas songs/hymns for hours on Christmas eve. I'm afraid they stopped doing that when my mom passed, but the memory will always be fresh in my mind! Thank you for the walk down memory lane!
------------------------------ ~* Holly *~ Gallery Blog
Registered: September 3, 2004 Location: Sunny Alberta Posts: 12789
Sat, Dec 20, 2008 @ 11:43 AM
Aw Jenn, what a great story, left me a little misty...we love to sing too. And some of my best memories are of different singing events, college choirs, worship....beautiful remembering - it really does make Christmas special....and it's a gorgeous card! Love the sparkle!
Registered: April 22, 2006 Location: SCS in NC Posts: 20914
Sat, Dec 20, 2008 @ 1:43 PM
This is terrific Jenn. Thanks so much for sharing this special memory with us. I am sure that this is very fun for your kids. My sister and I would compete to see in the car how loud we could sing. My poor parents. This is a super card. I really like the jingle bells. TFS
------------------------------ Dawn B. Anything is possible when you open your heart.... My BLOG
Registered: January 7, 2006 Location: Central California Posts: 16758
Sat, Dec 20, 2008 @ 3:42 PM
Jenn, this is beautiful!! I love all the sparkle and the jingle bells. And you brought back memories that I'd forgotten. Thanks for the memory trigger, and for sharing!!