Gratitude Day-Merry Christmas!

Over at the Beautiful Vidya Sury's Blog, The last Thursday of each month we post about what we are grateful for. Isn't that wonderful! It is Christmas Day and this day is special in so many ways. What better time to post about being grateful for what one has in one's life. I have decided to do the ABC's of Christmas and I am winging it so here goes:

1. ADVENT-4 Sundays before Christmas one celebrates the coming of Christ's birth. I actually make my own Advent wreath and it hangs from the ceiling. One is supposed to light a candle each Sunday until all 4 are lit, but since my candles go wonky and I don't want a fire...I pretend they are lit.
2. BEAUTY- We all complain about, well, everything, but we forget the beauty of the season, the beauty in people and in a simple snowflake
3. COOKIES- Ha! Thought I would say Christmas-fooled ya! Who can't long for a good cookie, I do and I don't care if it adds fat to my fat.
4. DESSERT-From the 50lb brick called Fruitcake that never seems to go bad to trifle and Christmas pudding..what's not to love?
5. ELVES-Those strange little men who don't mind working every single day just for toys. They really need a Union.
6. FAMILY and FRIENDS- From the holy family to our dysfunctional family, Christmas is about being with loved ones and thanking them (well the nice ones) and this includes our dear friends and blogger friends-Thank you!! By the Way thanks Vidya for your sweetness, it touched my heart and I will be a guest on her blog in the near future:)
7. GOODNESS-We can be touched throughout the year by the people who have touched our lives and have made us smile. This is the goodness in people which we must always remember. I am more spiritual but this time of the year makes many people think of God and be thankful.
8. Holly-Holly looks so good but they are prickly...damm Holly:)
9. Icicles-Thought I would be saying Ivy eh? Fooled ya again! I love how icicles look-so clean and pretty unless one falls and knocks you out, that wouldn't be good. I have to dream about them today as it is almost 50F-I want cold and snow!
10. JOLLY-Why do we think that only fat men can be jolly, like Burl Ives? Anyone can be jolly we just have to set our mind to it. I guess I should have picked Jesus-he is a little more important but everyone would pick him:)
11. KRIS KRINGLE- He goes by many names and he may be wanted by Interpol...just saying?
12. LIGHTS-I love the little lights that twinkle. Some like all white, others like multi-coloured or just one colour. Some will have the lights go off to music and others will decorate the outside home so that the Martians can see us and try to conquer us (Ever see that film "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians?) . Some still love the old fashioned ones that could burn your fingers off
13. MARY-Nope not Merry but Jesus's mother. She is the mother of ALL mothers and sacrificed all as all mothers do. Too bad it was immaculate conception (I wrote consumption and then thought..that's not right) she didn't even have fun first.
14. NUTS-Oh...so much can be thought of with that one word but I am thinking of Chestnuts, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, beernuts..oops not the last one. This is the time we all love to crack open some nuts even the men
15. ORNAMENTS-They are so beautiful! We all have favourites because they bring back memories. Even the tacky ones and we all have at least one that we hang in the back of the tree.
16. PRESENTS- Under the tree and in the stockings-they are great and I love presents but what gives me more joy  is giving and seeing how happy the person is in receiving it and usually they are not faking!
17. QUALITY- Whether it is in the fabulous food we eat, the tree we bought we all want good quality especially quality of life and what better way to appreciate what we have. Just remember this if you dare go out shopping the next day which I avoid.
18. RUDOLPH-His bright red nose, how can one not like this slightly effeminate reindeer and the cartoon is as old as me. Personally I think he went more for Hermie than Clarice.
19. SANTA- I love Santa, St. Nicholas, Sinter Klaas, Weinnachtsmann (see the letter K above). This redneck changes from being fat in a red suit to being thin travelling alone or with Angels or, in German Bavaria with Krampus-an Evil devil.....Yeah not sure I get it either but has to be some midieval thing going on here
20. TANNENBAUM-The Christmas Tree where we hack down a tree from nature bring it into our homes and decorate it with tinsel, lights and ornaments. Sounds kinda nutty actually.
21. UMBRELLA-It came into my head today because it's raining which sucks...I want snow!
22. VELVET-This is the time we love to wear velvet dresses and it feels rich. We even think Santa or whatever his name is on his passport, wears. I even think men could wear their 70's light blue velvet suit and get away with it.  On second thought, nope still hurts my eyes.
23. WENSECSLAS- That good king who looked out on the frost of Stephen? Who is this guy?? Oh yes he was a good King who probably went Wassailing....what the gumdrops is that?
24. XMAS-Yeah, I hate spelling it that way too but it fits with X
25. YOUTH-Why do I choose that word? So many people say "Christmas is for Children". This is when I daydream about wringing their necks and slapping them upside the head. They miss the meaning and lost it when they decided to "grow up". My dad used to say "If Christmas is for kids, then I am the biggest kid of all". He loved the whole spirit of it, the music, the decorations, and the meaning behind it which is very Holy. Peace and goodwill to men. I am young in heart and will always love Christmas and gift giving and the music
26. ZITHER-HUH???- I love this musical instrument made famous by the film "The Third Man". Music is a part of Christmas. When I was in Prague, a few years ago, There was a man on the St. Charles bridge playing this musical instrument. It was a highlight of my trip to see him play around gorgeous surroundings. He had a Christmas CD and I love it and play it during the holidays and it is all with this instrument.

See how much I have to be grateful for. Merry Christmas and to all a Good Night!