Tag: christmas

Can you answer these questions about Christmas? Take the quiz!

by Pam Harris, "blind" writer

This is the 20th Century Club in our community, the oldest women’s civic group in our town. It was formed in 1900, and no, we have no original members still with us. We have members as young as in their fifties (well, one, and she’s not in the picture because she was sick), and our oldest member is 96. But we have fun together, and what follows are some questions we had in a Christmas trivia game we played.

Confession: I created the game by researching. So if one of the answers given is not correct, please comment and let me know.

We did the game as a multiple choice activity, so I will give you those options as well. Correct answers will be at the end of the blog.

Christmas Trivia

  1. When was Dec. 25 first declared to be the date of Jesus’ birth? a. 75 A.D. (I think the proper term these days is C.E. for Common Era, but I still use the B.C. and A.D.) b. 510 A.D. c. 33l6 A.D. d. 190 A.D.
  2. Three wise men from the east followed the star to Bethlehem. a. True. b. False
  3. Which of these Christmas songs has sold the most? a. “Silent Night” b. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey c. “Blue Christmas” by Elvis. d. “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby
  4. When adjusted for inflation, which of these movies grossed the most at the box office? a. “Home Alone” b. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” c. “Christmas Vacation” d. “A Christmas Story”
  5. We Baby Boomers remember the Bob Hope specials that aired around Christmas. How many USO tours did Bob Hope and his variety of guests do for the troops? (not necessarily the Christmas productions) a. 12 b. 81 c. 57 d. 23
  6. Who played “Mary,” Jimmy Stewart’s character’s wife, in “It’s a Wonderful Life?” a. Greer Garson b. Donna Reed c. June Lockhart d. Mary Pickford
  7. How tall is the 2025 Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center in NYC? a. 75 feet b. 90 feet c. 120 feet d. 140 feet

I had ten questions, but these are all I can remember. I don’t have my original questions because I gave them to someone else to use at another Christmas party. Here are the answers:

  1. 336 A.D. The Roman emperor Constantine declared Dec. 25 to be the date of Jesus’ birth. In 350 A.D. or sometime after that, Pope Julius I made it official as a holiday to be celebrated by Christians. The date coincides with the winter solstice pagan holiday celebrated by Romans at the time. Scholars and theologians agree there is no evidence to support the date, but it is still a time for Christians world-wide to commemorate the birth of Christ.
  2. False. the Bible does not say how many wise men came to see Jesus, but the number “three” is represented because of the three gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In addition, the wise men did not go to the stable where he was born. the Bible says they came to the house where he was, and Biblical scholars say Jesus could have been as old as two years old since Herod had the boys two years old and under slaughtered in his attempt to prevent a new king from taking power.
  3. “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby. It has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide.
  4. “Home Alone.” I was surprised to learn that “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Christmas Vacation” were also very close, ahead of “Elf” and “A Christmas Story.”
  5. 57. Bob Hope began the USO tours in 1941, and his last one was in 1991 in Saudi Arabia during the Desert Shield era. One source said 47, but other sources said 57, so I went with that. Regardless, it was a lot! He was born on May 29, 1903, so you can do the math!
  6. Donna Reed. Some of us remember “The Donna Reed Show” that aired from 1958 until 1966.
  7. 75 feet. I was surprised by this. I think it looks much taller on television!

How did you do? If I hadn’t been the creator of the game, I would have missed most of these questions. And, like I said, some of the numbers may be off a bit because if the sources used. I tried to use reliable sources since AI, believe it or not, is not perfect!

I won’t blog next week, so I will wish each one of you a wonderful Christmas and hope you will know peace and contentment during a time of year that can be stressful and sad for some as well as happy for others. Many thanks to all who take the time to read my blogs because looking at those stats warms my heart to know so many take the time to do so. I hope you find something in each one that entertains, inspires, comforts, or makes you chuckle.

Happy Holidays!

“Oh, why can’t every day be like Christmas?”

by Pam Harris, "blind" writer

Well, let me qualify that title. I’m not talking about the presents or the rampant marketing strategies retailers do to generate the income that will get them through the rest of the year. I’m not talking about Elvis songs, although the title is one of the Christmas songs on an album he recorded in the ’60s.

I’m talking about the way our attitudes and feelings change for the better. Don’t get me wrong, I know we all have our Scrooge moments, and the gift-buying can cause stress for many reasons: financial (can’t afford the gifts for your loved ones you’d like to get), emotional (loved ones who are no longer with us or an empty home because of living alone), frustration (what do you buy for someone who has the money to buy whatever they want for themselves?), and busyness.

I’m talking about the overall feeling of good will. People are reaching out and helping others. They’re donating to charities. They’re remembering people with thoughtful, not expensive gifts, like their hair stylist, cleaning service, and so on. Even the drive-through workers at our local McDonald’s occasionally say”thank you” when my husband goes through the line to pick up my once or twice a week treat of a Diet Coke. Yes, I know it’s not good for me. That’s why it’s an occasional treat. Don’t judge me.

I used to love to make things for others at Christmas. It started with my niece when I was in college and on a very limited budget. She was seven, and I made a Raggedy Ann type of doll and a quilted robe for her Christmas present from me that year. Over the years, I sketched pictures of my parents, framed them, and gave to them as presents. I made lap quilts for family. I did cross-stitched pictures and had them framed. I made macramé towel hangers and purses, which I lined with a satin fabric. I painted country scenes like a barn or cabin or a country church for my parents because they longed for their younger days.

Looking back, I realize those presents may not have been that meaningful to the recipients, but making them brought me joy. I hoped they would appreciate the hours it took for me to make those projects, and I hoped they’d appreciate the fact that while I was making them, I was thinking of them. I wanted to give them something special that couldn’t be purchased in a store, something that was identical to countless other items. I wanted them to receive something special.

I can no longer do many of those things, but I try to put as much thought into my gift-buying as I did when thinking of a project to do for my loved ones. It’s challenging, I’ll admit. And my inability to get in the car and drive to all the cute shops in our area to look for “just the right” present makes it even harder. I know many of you love online shopping, but give me the good old days of catalogs and in-person shopping where you can see a wide variety of things and pick from them without having to search for something specific. Not to mention the fact that when the item arrives, it doesn’t look like it did on the computer. Those of you who follow my blog know I write these blogs the same way I shop online: my laptop is connected by an HDMI cord to a 47″ television, and then I enlarge the screen so the font is about 30 pt. so I can see what I’m typing.

Maybe, though, the best present we can give someone is our time. Watch that ballgame with the men even if you’d rather be doing something else. Visit shut-ins. They get so lonely. Invite your widowed mother out for a day of shopping or at least go to lunch. I know I would love to have a daughter or sister in town I could call upon anytime I felt like getting out of the house and doing something. My husband is great about taking me where I need to go, but he can’t replace the fun and companionship of female conversation. Not to mention I could have really used another female helping me select gifts since I’m out of the loop with what’s new and trendy or useful. Shopping this year has been tough, and I’m not happy with what I’ve ended up with, but I’ve tried. So if you’re reading this and you are a relative of mine or a close friend, reach out to me next year the next time you plan a shopping spree for Christmas. I’ll pay for the gas and even your lunch.

With all that said, why am I still thinking Christmas is a wonderful time of year? Because of the music, the decorations, the smiles and “Merry Christmas” being heard. It’s the thoughtful Christmas cards received and sent (sorry, I didn’t mail any this year, but I did sign and designate 30 Christmas cards for the shut-in bags at church).

However you spend your Christmas, I hope it brings you joy, and I hope that joy continues. There are so many in the world who would give anything to have a shelter to keep them warm in winter, cool in summer, and dry when it rains. They’d love to be able to choose what they want to eat instead of eating whatever they can afford. They’d love to have clean drinking water and electricity 24 hours a day. Maybe some would just love to have electricity.

Most of us in this country are blessed with these conveniences, and we’re all guilty of taking them for granted.

The photo is one of my Thomas Kinkade houses given to me by my sister-in-law when her mother passed away. When I set up the five houses and church each year, I think of Dorothy. My favorite part of decorating is setting up my Christmas village. To me, the village represents the beauty and simplicity of Christmas in the past.

The title song ends with these words: “For if every day could be just like Christmas, what a wonderful world it would be.”

For the hundred or so of you who follow and hopefully read my blog, I hope the good feelings of the season continue into the new year. Thank you for reading my blog. Your time dedicated to reading it is a gift you give me all year.

Thank you, and may God bless each of you in 2025.

Thanksgiving is over, but now is the time for giving.

by Pam Harris, "blind" writer

No matter what your holiday tradition might be, there is one idea that all beliefs can embrace. Not only can we embrace it now, but we can embrace it all year.

Donate. Yes, donate to a food pantry, a homeless shelter, an angel tree, or a clothing drive. But be careful. Too many times I’ve seen people pull up in their Lexus or similar vehicle and drop off a sack of canned items they would never consider buying for themselves. Faded clothes, some with holes or frayed hems, scratched cookware, broken picture frames…it’s as though we are saying the less fortunate should be grateful for anything given to them, and to some extent I think they are. But what would be wrong with donating new clothes instead of used ones? They do’t have to be designer clothes, but brand new jeans and shirts from Old Navy are likely to be more appreciated than the designer jeans you no longer want because of the bleached out spot when you accidentally spilled some on the pair.

I know a man who requests that his family donate to a favorite charity instead of buying him Christmas presents. I think they might get him something anyway, but it’s usually something not too expensive, and the bulk of their present to him is the donation requested.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I’ve thought about the students I worked with and how sad the holidays were for too many of them. When I was principal at a middle school, a new girl in our school wore very old polo shirts (in compliance with the district’s dress code) and ill-fitting jeans every day. I called her to my office one day and told her an anonymous donor wanted me to select a deserving student to receive a special Christmas gift so I was going to submit her name and asked her what her clothing sizes were.

About a week before Christmas, she opened the bags in my office, and there was no mistaking her appreciation for the three new pairs of jeans, the three new polo shirts, the new jacket, and some other items. She shared her thanks, but I knew she appreciated them because after that, I never saw her wear any of the older clothes again. Every time I saw her, she was wearing the Old Navy jeans and J.C. Penney polo shirts.

Some of you may be like us and already donate monthly to places like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or another charity, but during the holidays is a great time to give a little extra.

Here are some organizations near and dear to my heart:

  1. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This leader in research and treatment of childhood cancers shares their knowledge with other medical organizations, and all treatments are free. Some people have the misconception it is funded by the Catholic Church, but this is incorrect. It is funded by donations of multiple organizations and individuals. You can make a one-time donation or decide to become a Partner in Hope, in which your credit card or checking account is charged each month. I think you can donate as little as $20 a month.
  2. Hadley. This free online resource for the visually impaired, legally blind, and totally blind is extra special to me. I have been learning Braille for well over a year. They send the free books to me, and I access the lessons by phone or online. They have tutorial videos in using smart phones, how to navigate with a cane, how to cook safely, how to garden, and countless other topics. They sponsor podcasts, book clubs, writing groups, and more. It’s all free, and it’s all funded by donations.
  3. Your local library. You may not be aware of it, but library budgets often do not include extra services like children’s summer reading programs, guest speakers, and other activities. All too often, their budget for books, videos, and other resources are not adequate to meet the needs of the community.

If you don’t like the idea of giving to an organization, you might want to contact a local school and be the anonymous donor/gift buyer to brighten the holiday time for a particular student.

There are too many opportunities to list in this blog, but if I’ve encouraged at least one of you to be more giving this year, I have accomplished my goal. And, to be honest, writing this has inspired me to more giving as well. So, happy holidays and happy giving, everyone!