Wednesday, December 7, 2011

25 Days of Jubilation



Welcome to my stop on the 25 Days of Jubilation! I am so honored to be be a part of this blog event; many thanks to Cyndi, Jacinda, and Yani for organzing this amazing event.

Christmas is a very special time in our house. I'm very big on creating traditions and special memories for my daughter. Decorating the house and tree is an all-day affair, and I can tell you exactly where each and every ornament came from (and yes, some are from my childhood!). When Best Girl was 4 I was able to get her into dance class, and although that only lasted a year, we've had a Mommy-Best Girl day each Christmas season to see a locally-produced version of The Nutcracker since then. Of course we bake cookies--although I will readily admit to not making ALL of the doughs from scratch! Each year we also decorate a gingerbread house, and I always help Best Girl create a homemade gift to give the relatives as a gift "from her"--usually some kind of ornament for the tree.

I also love that the books, movies and music that were so important to me as a child are now so important to my own child, and that we've got many new favorites, as well. Here are a list of just some of them:
  • Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (book and cartoon version, although Best Girl does like the Jim Carrey version)
  • The Year Without a Santa Claus (we love the Heat Miser!)
  • A Christmas Story (love the 24 hour marathon on TBS! "Daddy's gonna kill Ralphie!")
  • The Polar Express (book and movie--is there anything Tom Hanks can't do?)
  • National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation ("Fixed the newel post!")
  • Elf (a relatively new favorite)
  • Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (we recently purchased this for, like $6. I don't know that Best Girl really loves it--and I'm not sure that I do, either, but it does remind me of a happy time in my childhood, so hopefully it will have the same effect for Best Girl!)
  • "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" (we have this in book form, as well!)
  • "Dominick the Donkey"
  • "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"
  • The entire John Denver & the Muppets Christmas CD
What are some of your holiday traditions?

And now, for the giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a $25 Amazon electronic gift card. This way, you'll be able to treat yourself to something nice that may not have made it under your tree/menorah/kinara/Festivus pole. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter to be entered. You don't have to be a follower, but that will give you an extra entry. Contest closes on Christmas Day and I'll announce the winner shortly after that.







Be sure to stop by In the Closet with a Bibliophile tomorrow, and the rest of the blogs coming up!

Thursday, December 1st: Christian at Goldilox and the Three Weres
Friday, December 2nd: Molly at Surrounded By Words
Saturday, December 3rd: Meridith at Mint Tea and A Good Book
Sunday, December 4th: Sandie at Teen Lit Rocks
Monday, December 5th: Shannon at Books Devoured
Tuesday, December 6th: Bex at Becky’s Barmy Book Blog
Wednesday, December 7th: Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian
Thursday, December 8th: Jen at In the Closet with a Bibliophile
Friday, December 9th: Sara O. at The Librarian Reads
Saturday, December 10th: Ginger at GReads!
Sunday, December 11th: Asheley at Into the Hall of Books
Monday, December 12th: Tina at Tina’s Book Reviews
Tuesday, December 13th: Heidi at YA Bibliophile
Wednesday, December 14th: Jess at Gone with the Words
Thursday, December 15th: Lisa at Lisa Is Busy Nerding
Friday, December 16th: Jen D. at Not now…I’m Reading!
Saturday, December 17th: Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner
Sunday, December 18th: Andrea at The Busy Bibliophile
Monday, December 19th: Karis at YA Litwit & Sarah at Workaday Reads
Tuesday, December 20th: Katelyn at Katelyn’s Blog
Wednesday, December 21st: Ruby at Ruby’s Reads
Thursday, December 22nd: Jac at For Love and Books
Friday, December 23rd: Asher at Paranormal Indulgence
Saturday, December 24th: Nikki at
Books Most Wanted
Sunday, December 25th:Merry Christmas! 

Enjoy your reading, and happy holidays!
Christi

49 comments:

  1. Thanks for participating in this giveaway event and for the generous giveaway opportunity.

    My fav book is an old 'The Nutcracker' that mom read us with 'The Night Before Christmas' poem in illustrated book format a close second.

    My fav movie is Hallmarks's 'The Christmas Card', 'White Christmas' is second.

    My fav music is Manheim Steamroller's Christmas CDs- have them all.

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  2. I make my family spend the entire day decorating for Christmas too! The day after Thanksgiving we put up lights and trim the tree while eating leftovers. We even have a special 12 Days of Christmas singing extravaganza with arm movements, lol. I love creating traditions with my family ;)

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  3. My favorite holiday movie is Love Actually. It's funny, romantic, and wonderfully Christmas-y all at the same time.

    I'm planning to read Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle for my holiday read this year. I'm so excited, but I'm going to wait until Christmas break begins to start.

    And I love ALL holiday songs. But I only listen to them between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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  4. My favorite holiday movie is Christmas Vacation. I know it's lames, but I still laugh at it. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  5. Like Rain my favorite holiday movie is Christmas Vacation, though I am also partial to The Nightmare Before Christmas too. Favorite holiday music are the Bob Rivers Christmas Tunes.

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  6. I love watching the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The dog is the best part. I also like to watch Home Alone, its got great Christmas music in it.

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  7. My favorite movie is The Grinch for sure!

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  8. I enjoy watching 'Love Actually' during the holidays. I also enjoy watching 'Home Alone' with my kids. And although it's not really a holiday movie, "While You Were Sleeping' comes to mind too during the holidays =)

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  9. What a great giveaway! How the Grinch Stole Christmas is always a favorite in our house!

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  10. Watching Home Alone is a tradition my home and I love like many How the Grinch Stole Christmas a classic.

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  11. I love watching "It's a Wonderful Life" with my parents =D

    Emily Tardy

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  12. Movies: A Christmas Story and Home Alone! :)
    Thanks!

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  13. My very most favorite Christmas song is 'Home for the Holidays', as done by Perry Como. doesn't get any better than that!

    Movie...probably How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

    Book...The Little Match Girl

    Excellent giveaway!

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  14. thanks you so much for this giveaway
    my favorite film is Miracle on the 34 street

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  15. I like Elf & Love Actually. Thanks for the giveaway! Gloria

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  16. We eat food (lots of it), go cut down a Christmas tree, bake monkey bread, go sledding, wear red pajamas on Christmas Eve. Gosh, I love your books music and movies that you listed! They are all so great :)
    -Katelyn

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  17. Great giveaway! Hope you'll visit me on the 19th! My favorite holiday book is probably The Night Before Christmas or The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Movie? Love Actually. Runners-up: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Elf. Music? O Holy Night.

    Karis @YA Litwit

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  18. I love pretty much ALL of the Rankin/Bass Christmas movies. I grew up on them and they are the first thing I do when the season starts. Also, A Charlie Brown Christmas!

    Favorite Christmas song, Silent Night.

    I don't know if I have a favorite holiday book, but Clement Moore's "The Night Before Christmas" poem is one of the best!

    Thanks for doing a giveaway and Merry Christmas!

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  19. My favorite holiday movie is A Christmas Story. "It'll shoot your eye out!" Hahaha. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  20. Lovvveeee It's a Wonderful Life and Home Alone!

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  21. Thanks for the giveaway! Favourite movie is definitely Home Alone (or Home Alone 2). Never gets old.

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  22. hey! i love this post!

    also, I LOVE EMMETT OTTER'S JUGBAND CHRISTMAS! kinda jealous you got that one, because mine died years ago with my old Beta VCR.

    my favorite Christmas music is by Family Force 5. the album is called The Christmas Pageant. it's Christmas music with kinda dance-y beats, so my whole house rips up the floor with dance parties when we play it. we also have awesome car dance parties. to me, where Christmas music is already fun, FF5's Christmas Pageant album is extra fun!!!

    thanks for the giveaway!

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  23. Thanks for the giveaway! I haven't seen that many Christmas movies, but I love Home Alone :)

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  24. My favorite Christmas song is the instrumental version of Carol of the Bells and my favorite version is the Trans Siberian Orchestra. Love!

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  25. Favorite book: Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, & Lauren Myracle

    Movie: The Santa Claus (I've been watching it since I was 5)

    Music: any of it!

    Thank you for the giveaway :)

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  26. Oooh Home Alone is a Holiday classic! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  27. My favorite holiday movie would be any harry potter movies.

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  28. I love love love Elf, Die Hard, When Harry Met Sally, and my all-time favorite...Love Actually!

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  29. The Spouse and I have three movies we HAVE to watch during the holidays: A White Christmas, The Nutcracker, and A Christmas Carol.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  30. Thanks for the giveaway! My favorite holiday movie is Elf and A Christmas Story

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  31. GREAT post! I love The Polar Express. I've never read the book, which I must correct, but the movie is amazing. I'm so glad I got to see it in the theater!

    Thank you for participating :)

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  32. My favorite holiday movie is Gremlins. I just love those little slimy dudes!

    Thank you for this awesome giveaway!

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  33. I LOVE watching the Muppets Christmas Carol every holiday season. Talk about silly, entertaining fun! :)

    Thanks for the fun giveaway! :)

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  34. My favourite holiday movies are Home Alone 1 and 2!
    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  35. One of my favorite, series, to reread during the holidays is The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Sometimes it just doesn't feel like Christmas until I read that series. =)

    As for movies, Home Alone 1&2, How The Grinch Stole Christmas and A Muppet Christmas Carol are among my favorites.

    Thanks for the great giveaway.

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  36. My favorite holiday movie is Love Actually.

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  37. I like to watch The Santa Clause.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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  38. Favorite holiday movies are Home Alone 1 & 2.

    I love ALL holiday songs. I think I annoy my family singing them all the time. :)

    Thanks for the giveaway & Happy Holidays!

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  39. Thanks for the giveaway and for opening it to worldwide entries.

    Much appreciated.

    Our favorite movie this time of the year is Home Alone.

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

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  40. My favorite holiday movie is Home Alone. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  41. i like how the grinch stole christmas.

    thanks, jennifer k

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  42. My favorite holiday movies are THE SANTA CLAUSE trilogy with Tim Allen.
    Happy holidays!
    Thanks, June

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  43. Favorite holiday book is The Little Shepherd. Makes me cry every time. Merry Christmas to you, and Happy Festivus to the restivus. ;o)

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  44. YAY! Awesome giveaway

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  45. My favorite holiday book is The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall. Thanks for the giveaway!

    I entered in the rafflecopter form as Evangeline.

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  46. One of my favorite movies to watch this time of year is Little Women. I watched it three times in a row one Christmas Eve! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  47. Accidentally entered myself twice in this (the original thing). Sorry about that!!

    Merry Christmas!!

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  48. My favorite holiday movie is Love Actually.

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