Random Thoughts Tuesday! Christmas Trees, culture and dirty houses

Tuesday. Random. Go!

*The Unmom's blog won't let me copy the button for today. Every time I right click the html, it gives me a little popup that says "Sorry, the blog you're trying to access has run out of inspiration. Please try later." Ummm, what?

*Why is it that Mr. HH's contribution to decorating for the holidays ends once he carries the boxes up from the basement?

*I have become obsessed with our Christmas tree. Seriously. It's like a sickness. I swear to you I have moved every ornament on the tree at least 4 times (probably more) and this morning I moved many of the lights. It's actually one of the prettiest trees we've I've ever done, but every time I look at it I feel the need to move stuff around. It's starting to drive Mr. HH crazy (mission accomplished).

*My house looks like a a trashcan exploded. There is packaging, spare ornament hangers, bubble wrap, scraps of ribbon and garland, water bottles, gum wrappers (Indy), blankets, scarves, books and shoes just everywhere. WTH?

*Evergreens were used for winter/feast/solstice celebrations long before the advent Christianity. Because they held their color, they were thought to have mystical powers.

*I coordinate the colors of my tree with the wrapping paper for the gifts. Last year it was blue and silver. This year it's red, white and silver. Very festive.

*My dad will be here in 3 days! I should probably put fresh linens on the bed for him, huh?

*Last week I posted that Indy was walking around humming the British Nat'l anthem. Satakieli, who is seriously cool, commented that she preferred "Rule Britannia" and I realized that's what he was humming. The British Nat'l Anthem is God Save the King (Queen), which we Americans know as My Country Tis of Thee, and is quite possibly the most boring patriotic song ever. Also, why would they use the music for the British Nat'l Anthem for an American song? Weird.

*Indy's had a culture filled 2 weeks. We took him to a symphony 2 weeks ago, on Friday we went to see Handel's Messiah (Mr. HH was singing in it) and on Sunday we went to see the local production of Oliver! which he loved. We just finished reading Oliver Twist as part of our schooling, and he was so excited to see the musical. He was a bit disgruntled though that Bill Sykes got shot instead of hung in the play. He's a bit of a purist.

*Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gothe, consort to Queen Victoria, is credited with making the Christmas Tree (a German tradition) popular in England. Yay Albert!

*My garland fell. Now I have to put it back up. Crap.

*In Greenland all the Christmas trees have to be imported because no trees live that far north.

*I can't figure out how to change from one phone call to a new incoming call on my house phone. It took me almost an hour to figure out how to get the menu in English (not as easy as you'd think), but the flash button? Not a clue. Makes me feel stupid. Why is there no flash button????

*Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, is thought to have been the first to add lighted candles to a tree. Walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles.

*Germans sell little candle holders that clip to the tree for REAL candles. Are they nuts?

*I have faux candles (electric) on our tree. Far safer.

*The dogs just knocked over an entire stack of empty ornament boxes. Great. More mess.

*I ordered 2 Playmobil sets for Indy off German ebay, but the delivery service can't get them to me because of the security on post. I had to call and set it up for me to pick them up at the service center. On the phone, I cannot point and make silly hand gestures to get my point across. We eventually got it worked out, but my brain hurts from all the effort.

*Show this to your kids. Make them afraid.