Christmas Morning

Christmas morning—

a Fraser fir tucked in the corner,

Grandma’s buttery cookies on the counter

stockings hung from the mantle.

I’m coming home for Christmas.

Flying home Christmas morning,

over the tip of the wing

I’ll catch that first glimpse

of the city I love.

On Christmas morning,

I’ll be scanning the landscape,

for that one particular dot;

even high is the sky,

I’ll now it is the place I call home.

There’s no place like home,

especially for Christmas.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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This picture is from http://www.bettyschristmashouse.com/

Books on Beds

 

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Scurrying around

trying to find the perfect gift?

The best gifts are traditions

    with meaning

        and memories.

A Book on Every Bed.

Take a book.

Wrap it.

Leave the book where Santa can find it.

Santa places the book on a child’s bed.

Children awaken to a gift

outlasting any toy—

Literacy

    and the universe of imagination.

My son loved Six by Seusss, when he was little.

I still like hardcover books, but I know kids today have tablets. If your child is getting a Kindle or other tablet for Christmas, why not preload it with some books? Click on the amazon shopping cart (top left) to order e-books or paper books, or even a tablet.

The good thing about kindle books, for kids or for everyone on your shopping list--is that they arrive immediately—you’ll be sure to have it in time for Christmas.  No shipping fees either.

 

For more information about “A Book on Every Bed” project go to familyreading.org.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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This picture of a book on a bed is from http://examiner.com

Sally Forth

I like holiday crowds.

I like seeing everyone out and celebrating.

I like seeing everyone getting

      into the spirit of the season.

It’s exciting—

All the hustle and bustle.

I knew I needed a happy poem today. I found one, where else, in the comics section.  The comic strip is named “Sally Forth”. Sally Forth is the lead character in the strip, but the words “sally forth” also mean “saunter out.”  The pun was cheering.  And I do like find the crowds at the mall during the holidays cheering as long as I don’t have a lot of shopping to do.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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This picture of a happy Christmas shopper is from www.forbes.com

Menorahs

Menorahs—

made of metal,

made of hand painted ceramic,

made of wire and glass.

Menorahs lighted

to celebrate Hanukkah.

Menorahs as art and decoration,

pieces of art,

part of a religious heritage,

on display in Jewish homes.

The eight days of Hanukkah begins tonight at sundown.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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Christmas

A Merry Ho-Ho-Ho,
Cheer and Good Will,
Holiday Songs, old and new,
Fun and Merriment—
Christmas.
In our hearts,
the Spirit of the Season.

Enjoy the spirit of the season.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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I found this picture at http://www.toledoblade.com

The Holidays

This holiday season

Enjoy

The holiday spirit.

Enjoy

The season you love

With the ones you love.

 

I hope you’ve caught the holiday spirit.

 

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

 

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Feast of Tradition

Thanksgiving turkey dinner

Thursday’s dinner is a feast of tradition--

every whiff of freshly baked pumpkin pie,

every drip of turkey gravy

can make a memory come alive

A table strewn with familiar comfort foods



CLICK HERE

recalls the joyful spirit of the day.

 

Have a very happy Thanksgiving.

 

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

 

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CLICK HERE



 

 

Family Fund

Families are homeless
looking for a warm bed,
a safe place to stay.

Families are hungry,

struggling to put meals
on the table.

Abused children

are scared
and hurting.

There are organizations in your community

working hard to ensure that your neighbors
have food, shelter, education.

They need your help.

Contribute. .
You truly can make a difference.

The Orlando Sentinel requests donations to the “Family Fund.” Every donation is matched 50 cents on the dollar by the McCormick Foundation.  All administrative expenses are taken care of by the Orlando Sentinel and the Foundation so that 100% of your contributions can go to the community groups that help people in need.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

Donate at OrlandoSentinel.com/familyfund

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Traditions

Traditions and rituals---
the heart and soul of the holiday season
enriched by history and heritage.

Holiday traditions,

sacred and secular,
customs and rituals,
prompting happy memories.

Rekindle the past.

Keep traditions alive.
Combine old traditions with new.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

 

Old traditions should evolve into new traditions, yet should always retain a bit of the old.

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Memorial Day Events

Memorial Day Service:

Today at Veteran’s Park,
roll call of veterans.

Memorial Day Remembrance:

Flyovers and 21-gun salute,
followed by taps.

Memorial Day Ceremony:

Tolling of replica Liberty Bell
in memory of the dead of all wars.

Memorial Day Parade:

Placement of wreaths
at Veteran’s Memorial.

Memorial Day Speaker:

CLICK HERE to see more

Flags placed on veteran’s graves,
honoring the memory of fallen soldiers.

Memorial Day Service

American Legion and VFW.
Music. Cookout from 3 to 6 p.m.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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Memorial Day places upon us the solemn duty of remembrance. Remember to observe a moment of silence at 3 p.m. today.

Easter Magic

On Easter Sunday,
Amway Center
was a house of worship.

“Easter at Amway”—

was a mega multi-racial
blending of congregations.

We are gathered together

black, white, Asian and Hispanic
to worship as one.

We are one here today.

Worshiping together,

a diversity of people,
all ages, sizes and colors.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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If you attend worship services, choose one where all ages, sizes, and colors worship together every Sunday (or Friday or Saturday, as the case may be.)

P.S. If you don't live in Central Florida, you may not know that the "Amway Center" is whee the backetball team known as the Magic play their games.  The word Magic in the title is a reference to that.

2012: The Year of the Dragon

Chinese New Year.

The Year of the Dragon.

The mythical creature

brings optimism, and

hope for better times.

The dragon—

 the most powerful sign

of the zodiac—

delivers energy and prosperity.

Optimism and better times is exactly what the United States needs for 2012. Our energy will bring us to prosperity.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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