Merry Christmas

Wishing You All, A Very Merry Christmas.

What Happened To These Products?

I know we are all crazy busy getting our Christmas shopping done, especially since there are only two more shopping days until Christmas.  For me personally, with everything that has transpired this year, I'm keeping the gift buying to a minimum.  I'm trying to enjoy Christmas in other ways; through the movies, music, decorations, and the general good feelings that the holiday time brings.

But that doesn't stop me from thinking about what my friends and family members will be getting for Christmas, what I may have bought them had I been in a shopping mood this year.  And with the way my brain works, that made me start thinking of all the products that were on shopping lists in the days gone by.

Now I know I titled this post, What Happened To These Products?, but to be honest, I don't think I care.  For the most part they were too gimmicky, or before my time to get into.  But it would be interested in seeing how many of you have received these during Christmases past.

The Ref - 1994

Synopsis From Back Cover:

An unfortunate cat burglar becomes trapped in a fate worse than jail when he takes a bickering couple and their annoying relatives hostage.  Before long, they're driving him nuts, and the line between who is whose hostage begins to blur.  His only hope for survival is to act as their referee and resolve their differences - or it's going to mean instate insanity for everyone.

My one Christmas guilty pleasure is watching The Ref with Dennis Leary.  It's crass, vulgar, and overtly crude.  There is a ton of swearing, talks of sex, and just plain naughtiness.

Leary is a cat burglar who, due to a botched job, ends up needing to hide out for a while.  It's Christmas Eve and he takes a couple hostage, makes them take him home, ties up their son, and they all have their lives changed in ways they never knew was coming.

Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis are the feuding couple, and they just ooze disdain for each other.  You can tell the love is still there, but there is so much pain and anger overlaying it, that it's hard to see it.  I can't even begin to fill in all the details and the snarky comments that fly back and forth between the three of them, but it's a supreme pleasure to watch.  It's one of the funniest movies I've ever seen in my life.  I'm not normally fond of crass humor, but the intelligence that this cast, including Christine Baranski and B.D. Wong, does it with, makes up for the childish humor.

Underlying that humor though, is a wonderful commentary on what a family is, and what it takes to keep that family together.  It's about the decisions we make, the sacrifices asked of us, and what happens when those choices aren't fully communicated to everyone involved.  It's about finding the familial center again.  Despite all the pain and recriminations flying through the air, this is a family that truly loves each other, they just need to be reminded of what that means.

He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special - 1985

Synopsis From Back Cover:

When Orko accidentally winds up on Earth during the Christmas winter, he befriends two children who share stories of the goodwill and merriment that the holidays embrace.  When the finally return to Eternia, the holiday spirit is spread amongst the entire Royal Palace, but this overflowing goodwill attracts the unwelcome attention of Horde Prime and Skeletor.  Will the combined power of He-Man, She-Ra and the spirit of Christmas be enough to stop them.

I have to admit that when I came upon this little gem, some odd years ago, at Best Buy, I shrieked like a Justin Bieber fangirl.  I don't think you can be a true child of the 80s and not have a special place in your heart for He-Man and friends.  As cheesy and as ridiculous as the dialogue was, as juvenile as the names were, and as silly as the action was, the show was awesome.  He-Man is right up there with G.I. Joe, The Transformers, and Jem as far as 80s icons go.  So when they released the Christmas Special on DVD, I had to own it.

As you can imagine, the Christmas Special is even cheesier than a normal run of the mill show.  It's over the top in it's sentiment, and just a bit simple in it's story lines.  The twins, Adam and Adora, are getting ready to have their birthday celebration, and Orko has to go and mess it all up.  He climbs aboard the SkySpy, messes up the controls, and ends up on Earth.  By the time Man-at-Arms gets the spy plane back to Eternia, Orko has brought two kids along for the ride, and they in turn bring Christmas to Eternia.

The rest of the show involves Skeletor and Hordak, at the behest of Horde Prime, trying to kidnap the children to stop the spread of the Christmas Spirit.  The twins in their super secret identities of He-Man and She-Ra, do what they can to foible the evil plans, though in the end, it's Skeletor who comes to the rescue and saves the children.  And in true He-Man fashion they do it all in such a serious tone, that the action is made all that much funnier.

I have watched this every Christmas season since I bought it all those years ago.  It's a a sentimental piece of my childhood that I will never tire of, and every child of the 80s should own.

The Christmas Mansion by Hollis Shiloh

Synopsis From Publisher:

In a world of gas lighting and horse-drawn carriages, Rex is fixing up an old mansion to host a Christmas party for his wealthy family's business.  He meets a gentle, insecure magician named Gene, who's come to work on the crumbling mansion's moldings.  He doesn't expect to fall in love.

I think I've already mentioned my recent addiction to m/m romance stories.  It all started with getting  NOOK last Black Friday, and it seems that I can't stop reading them.  I've found myself enjoying some authors more than others, and even liking certain motifs or character types more than I thought I would.  Some of the stories are really heavy on the sex, and most of it is pretty hot.  There are times though when I want a simple romance, light on the sex, and in some cases no sex.  And that's what I got with The Christmas Mansion.

It's cute, simple, and sweet.  Rex is a guy who gets to plan lavish parties for his family, who are all bankers.  He doesn't have a head for numbers, so he plans events for them to entertain their clients, and to woo new ones.  He has found a beautiful, but rundown mansion to fix up for their Christmas party.  Gene seems to be the misfit of his family as well.  He doesn't have as much magic, doesn't have a boisterous personality, and doesn't see himself as all that special.  When he shows up to redo the moldings, he's almost self-effacing.  As different as the two men are physically, and in their personalities, they fit together.  They don't allow anything to happen until the job is complete, at least Gene won't, and it seems as if the wait was good for them.  By the time the job is finished, and the party is thrown, it seems as if they are ready to move onto their next projects, as a couple.

This was the kind of book I want to read during the holidays.  It has romance, magic, and just enough angst to keep it interesting.  It's a guaranteed happy ending, which is what I need to have this time of year.

Challenges: Christmas Spirit

A Very Disney Christmas

I'm getting ready to watch Mickey's Christmas Carol, which I also own on vinyl as well, and it made me think of the other classic Disney moments that I love so much.  So I thought it would be nice to share some of the other Disney cartoons that I love to watch this time of year.

The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler

Synopsis From Back Cover:

Edgar Award - winning editor Otto Penzler collects sixty of his all-time favorite yuletide crime stories - many of which are difficult or nearly impossible to find anywhere else.  From classic Victorian tales by Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Thomas Hardy, to contemporary stories by Sara Paretsky and Ed McBain, this collection touches on all aspects of the season, and all types of mysteries.  They are suspenseful, funny, frightening, and poignant.

When I'm able to combine my love of mysteries with my love of Christmas, I'm in heaven.  Make them short stories, and I'm soaring so far above heaven, the angels are having a hard time finding me.

Like any other collection of short stories, The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries has a few misses for me, but there are so many more hits.  Going into it, I knew there was no way I would end up liking all 60 stories.  What surprised me, was the fact that I enjoyed as many of them as I did.  Anyone who know me won't be surprised that I jumped for glee when I came across both stories by Agatha Christie, or that I about bust a gut when I stumbled upon the story by Mary Roberts Rinehart.  It's impossible for me to not like something either author has ever written.  Add in stories by G.K. Chesterton, Ngaio Marsh, and Arthur Conan Doyle, and it's a perfect Christmas miracle.

What may comes as surprise to some, is how many of the more modern stories I enjoyed just as much.  I'll be the first to admit that when it comes to mysteries, I'm a Golden Age fan all the way.  I tend to not even bother with some of the newer writers, and I can never get behind the whole "cozy" craze.  Maybe it's because of the main theme, but for the most part I really enjoyed what I read, regardless of who the author was.  One new author, to me anyway, that I really enjoyed was Peter Lovesey.  I'm pretty sure I'll be checking out more of his work.  Did I mention there is a whole section for scarier Christmas stories?  Loved them all!

This will be a collection I can see myself grabbing off the bookcase every year.  I may not read the whole thing through ever again, but I will read one or two of my favorites, or even decide to read through an entire section of stories.  Regardless of how I read them, I know I'll be reading them all again.

Challenges: Christmas Spirit

Wordsmithonia Radio: Christmas Music

Most of you know I'm a huge Christmas fanatic.  I'm one of those that will listen to Christmas music in the middle of the summer, especially in the car.  It seems to trick my brain into thinking it's not so damn hot outside.

But just because I love Christmas music, doesn't mean I love it all.  I'm actually pretty damn picky.  I tend to only like one or two versions of a particular song.  So, from now til Christmas, I thought I would share some of my favorites with you.

Guest Post at Lost In Books

The lovely Rebecca of Lost in Books, graciously invited me to participate in her Holiday Extravaganza event this year.  So please go by and read about my love of Christmas TV specials.

The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge

I know I'm late signing up, the challenge started yesterday, but better late than never.  This is the fifth year my good friend Michelle has done this challenge on her Christmas blog, The Christmas Spirit.  You guys know I'm a sucker for Christmas, and I've participated in this every year, except for last year when I disappeared.  

I'll be doing the Mistletoe level, 2-4 books.  I'll also be doing the Fa La La La Films challenge.  I have no shortage of Christmas movies to watch.

If you guys are interested in the details, here they are from Michelle's announcement post: 

Like last year, there are multiple levels for participation, like children's books and watching Christmas movies AND theChristmas Spirit Read-a-Thon is back again this year. Keep reading for details!

Details and sign up:

• challenge will run from Monday, November 24, 2014 through Tuesday, January 6, 2014 (Twelfth Night or Epiphany).
• cross over with other challenges is totally permitted AND encouraged!
• These must be Christmas novels, books about Christmas lore, a book of Christmas short stories or poems, books about Christmas crafts, and for the first time...a children's Christmas books level!
• Levels:

            --Candy Cane:  read 1 book

            --Mistletoe:  read 2-4 books

            --Christmas Tree:  read 5 or 6 books (this is the fanatic level...LOL!)

          Additional levels:

            --Fa La La La Films:  watch a bunch or a few Christmas movies...it's up to you!

            --Visions of Sugar Plums:  read books with your children this season and share what you read

          *the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above

• The Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon is back again this year. I'll be hosting once again over at Seasons of Reading and it's a WEEK LONG this year! Monday, November 24 through Sunday, November 30! Details and sign-up can be foundHERE.

• the most important rule?  Have fun!!!
• I will have a review linky posted as a page the day the challenge starts.  You will find it at the top of the right sidebar.
• Sign up in the linky below (link to your post with your reading list...you can change up your list during the challenge...I just want to be able to stop by to welcome you and see what you plan to read).

One final note:  The giveaway this year will be a first prize of a $10 digital Amazon gift card and a second prize of a $5 digital Amazon gift card. This giveaway is open internationally.

I hope you will join me!

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

Synopsis From Back Over:

Christmas Eve, and the Lee family's reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched scream.  Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed.

When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion.  It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man...

So I am ridiculously slow on my Agatha Christie self challenge.  How the hell was I naive enough to think I would be able to do this in one year?  I'm not even half way through, and it's almost five years later.  One piece of good news though, with this book, I am officially over halfway through the Hercule Poirot books!  I don't hate him anymore, but I prefer to spend my time with Jane, Parker, Tommy, and Tuppence.  They don't grate on my nerves the way Hercule does.

This wasn't a book I had read before, at least I don't remember anything about it.  I'm not even sure I've ever seen the PBS Mystery version of it.  So I was able to go into with a fresh, open mind, and I loved it.  There was nothing about it I didn't like, though it was the setting and the characters that made me fall in love and not let go.

Dame Agatha was brilliant at setting her stories, and she was on her A game here.  Who doesn't want to spend Christmas in an English manor house, with all the odd assortment of relatives and hanger-ons.  Add in a good old fashioned murder, and you have me hooked.  It's the perfect Christmas, and why someone hasn't made it happen for me yet, disappoints me every year.  So if one of you guys would be so inclined to make this happen for me this Christmas, I would really appreciate.

TV Stars Hit the Radio Waves

It's been a while since I've done a music post, and I'm feeling a little nostalgic tonight.  I was in the mood to listen to a little Jasmine Guy, and I after that I found myself going with a theme.  I found myself listening to some of my favorite songs by those who became famous as TV stars before they became know for their music.  When I was done, I wanted to go back and listen to them again, so here I am, sharing with you guys some of my favorites.

You won't see any of the vanity projects by the likes of Don Johnson or Philip Michael Thomas on this list.  Nor will you be seeing the Mouseketeers Timberlake, Spears, of Aguilera on here.  You also won't see anyone who did the opposite, start as a singer and move to TV.  So Will Smith, Julie London (though I love you), and all you others are off this list as well.

First up is Jasmine Guy with "Just Want to Hold You."  You guys may remember her from back in the day on the hit TV Shows Fame and A Different World.  She has more recently been back on the silver screen in Dead Like Me and The Vampire Diaries.

Then I move onto "Come Back to Me" by Janet Jackson.  If you guys don't remember, she was on the hit shows Goodtimes, Diff'rent Strokes, and Fame.

My journey took me to "Toy Soldiers" from Martika.  Of course, Martika was on Kids Incorporated.

Before Stacey Ferguson was simply known as Fergie, she also starred on Kids Incorporated.  I didn't hear from her again until her girl group, Wild Orchid, released "Talk to Me."

And that brings us back to the TV show Fame.  My next stop was "Street of Dreams" by Nia Peeples.  She has been on quite a few others shows since then, including Pretty Little Liars.

So I had to pick at least on cheesy song, and it just so happens to be Michael Damian's cover of "Rock On."  For those of you who don't remember, Michael was on Young & the Restless.

And just because Will Smith is disqualified from being on this play list, doesn't mean his costar, Tatyana Ali can't be included.  I loved her single, "Boy You Knock Me Out".

And here comes Joey Lawrence.  I'm going to be the first to admit that I couldn't stand Blossom, dumbest show ever.  And I will even say I thought Joey Lawrence releasing music was a joke at first.  But if you ignore the hair and the horrific video for "Nothing My Love Can't Fix", you hear that this guy has a voice.  It's a voice that has gotten better with age, and I for one think he should release another album.

I thought I would end this play list with a man who may have become rich and famous because of TV, but boy does he have a voice.  Seth MacFarlane's version of "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" is one of my favorites, and since it's Christmas in July, I thought I would be a good addition.

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen

Synopsis From Dust Jacket:

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me - well, actually, my true love, Darcy O'Mara, is spending a feliz navidad tramping around South America.  Meanwhile, Mummy is holed up in a tiny village called Tiddleton-under-Lovey with that droll Noel Coward!  And I'm snowed in at Castle Rannoch with my bumbling brother, Binky, and sourpuss sister-in-law, Fig.

So it's a miracle when I contrive to land a position as hostess to a posh holiday party in Tiddleton. The village is like something out of a A Christmas Carol!  But no sooner have I arrived than a neighborhood nuisance, a fellow named Freddie, falls out of a tree, dead... Dickensian, indeed.

Freddie's merely a stocking stuffer.  On my second day in town, another so-called accident turn up another mincemeat pie - and yet another on the third.  The village is buzzing that a recent prison break could have something to do with it... that, or a long standing witch's curse. I'm not so sure.  But after Darcy shows up beneath the mistletoe, anything could be possible in this wicked wonderland.

I'm so ashamed of myself for not getting this review done before now.  I actually read this book within the first few days of the year, but I never had the energy to write up the review.  Then, I decided to take my little sabbatical from blogging, and here we are, writing/reading a review of a Christmas mystery, in March.  I guess since we always seem to have a freak snow storm in March, that I can claim the idea that at least it's still in the same season.  Additionally, though I'm ashamed to admit this, the Christmas decorations in my bedroom didn't come down until the first few days of February.  I just didn't have the heart to take them down, I guess with everything going on that I just wanted to keep that Christmas feeling going.  So I'm now getting to enjoy Christmas in March, even if it does involved quite a few dead bodies.

I have to say putting Georgie into an idyllic country home during the Christmas season, something I would love to do myself, was perfect for my mood.  And apparently it suited hers as well, come to find out, the home is owned by some relatives of her Darcy, who shows up, to the surprise of them both.  Her mother is just down the lane, and when her grandfather shows up to run that household, things couldn't be more perfect for her.  She has her family around her for Christmas, and the mystery of why so many people seem to be having fatal accidents in the village.  Once Georgie figures out that the deaths could easily fit into the song "The 12 Days of Christmas," Georgie can't help but try to figure out what's going on.

Now like most Georgie books, there is a ton of humor, most of it due to the circumstances she finds herself in, and nothing is ever taken too seriously.  This as just what I needed to read at the time, a light, easy murder romp through an English Christmas.  And the flame on the plum pudding, was that Georgie and Darcy seem to have cemented their relationship, and George seems to have come to a generous understanding with her mother.  As we leave her, things seem to be looking up.  Something else I needed to see in my life at the time.

Challenges:  A-Z, CS

Merry Christmas

May You Have A Very Merry Christmas And A Prosperous New Year!

Favorite Fictional Character --- Suzy Snowflake

I truly can't believe that it's less than a week before Christmas.  This year seems to have flown by so quickly, that part of me is still stuck in August.  What's more important, I'm about to have another nonwhite Christmas.  I have lived in Kansas since 1994, and while I don't want to be quoted on this, I'm pretty sure we have only had 3 or 4 white Christmases in the last 18 years.  When I stop and think about it, it's rather depressing.  So this year, the tree was decorated with nothing but snowflakes and that motif is carried throughout the house.  Snowflakes on the patio doors, snowflakes on the bathroom mirror, snowflakes on the dining room table, and snowflakes on the kitchen rugs.  It I can't have real snow, I'm going to be drowning in fake snowflakes.  Maybe even we can get Rosemary Clooney to sing this song, our next character may be able to fix all that in time.

If that can't convince the lovely Suzy Snowflake to come and save my Christmas from being a balmy day in the 50s, I'm not sure anything will help.

The lovely winter fairy who brings the snows every winter, is not someone I would ever want to have mad at me.  I mean, what happens if she were to never come back and visit.  Would we ever be able to make a snowman ever again?  Would be be able to take a sleigh ride through a snow covered field or wooded area?  Would our eyes ever light up upon the arrival of the first snowflakes of the season?  Dont' forget to add in skiing, sledding, making snow angels, throwing snowballs, building a snow fort, or playing king of the hill would be things of the past.  No longer would kids experience the thrill of sliding down a hill.  It's a future that I just don't want to contemplate.

Luckily for us, Suzy Snowflake doesn't seem to be the type to withhold her charms for very long.  I think she gets just as much fun watching us play in the snow, as we do.  So when Suzy Snowflake comes around in her snow white gown, tappin' on your windowpane, make sure you make her feel welcome.  Don't grouse about the shoveling or scraping you will have to do.  Enjoy it instead, let yourself revel in the freedom that snow brings.  Allow yourself to be a kid again.  I promise you will have a blast.

The Christmas Thief by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark

Synopsis From Dust Jacket:

Alvirah Meehan, the lottery winner turned amateur sleuth, teams up with private investigator Regan Reilly to solve another Christmas mystery.  In Deck the Halls, they rescued Regan's kidnapped father. This time they get in the middle of a case involving a beautiful eighty-foot blue spruce that has been chosen to spend the holidays as Rockefeller Center's famous Christmas tree.  The folks who picked the tree don't have a clue that attached to one of its branches is a flask chock-full of priceless diamonds that Packy Noonan, a scam artist just released from prison, had hidden there over twelve years ago.

An excited Packy breaks his parole and heads to Stowe, Vermont, to reclaim his loot.  Once there, he is horrified to discover that his special tree will be heading to New York City the next morning.  With a bumbling crew consisting of Jo-Jo, Benny, and an unsuccessful poet, Milo, he knows he has to act fast.

What Packy does not know is that Alvirah and Regan are on a weekend trip to Stowe with Alvirah's husband, Willy; Regan's fiance, Jack; Regan's parents, Luke and Nora; and Alvirah's friend Opal, a lottery winner who lost all her winnings in Packy's scams.  On Monday morning when they're supposed to head home, they learn the tree is missing, Packy Noonan may be in the vicinity, and Opal has disappeared.

So I finally got around to reading the second book in the Christmas collaboration between Mary and Carol Higgins Clark.  I've already read the first, third, and fourth book, not in that order, so I'm not bothered by the fact I'm finishing with the second.  My only regret, is that so far, the series is over with.  I've now read the only four Christmas books starring Alvirah and the Reillys.

What I've enjoyed about this series was the lightness of it all.  I now there is kidnapping, thievery, and general mayhem; but it's fun at the same time.  Nothing is taken too seriously, they are the perfect mysteries for a Christmas night.  Now I just have to hope that the duo get together soon, and write a new book.

Challenges:  CS

Mailbox Monday for 12/17/12

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia at Mailbox Monday and is currently being hosted by Suko's Notebook.

I only signed up for one Secret Santa Exchange this year, and I got my present in the mail the other day.  The lovely Audrey of So Many Books, So Little Time was my partner and she sent along two Agatha Christie paperbacks.  I received Dumb Witness and Murder in the Mews.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Snow Miser

So yesterday was the first day it was actually cold, I think the overnight lows went to around 19 degrees.  Sadly, it's not going to last for very long, as it's supposed to be back in the 50s within the next few days.  This warmer weather is really putting a dampener on my Christmas cheer.  It's just not Christmas without the cold.  I've gotten used to not having a white Christmas, I'm not sure I can handle Christmas in the 50s.  So it's a good thing that this month's FFC posts are featuring characters that scream cold, snow, sleet, and blizzards.  Now if I could only get this song to come true, I'd be a much happier boy.

Since I'm not going to be getting my way, again, I will have to settle for the movie.  Of course I could always make a deal with Snow Miser to send some of his winter air down my way, but I have a feeling his brother, Heat Miser, isn't going to allow that this year.

In The Year Without a Santa Claus, Santa is in a funk.  He no longer feels that children believe in him, and it's leaving him in a rather bad funk.  It's gotten to the point where Santa has stressed out so much, it's made him sick.  So instead of doing his usual routine, Santa decides to skip Christmas that year.  Well as you can imagine the denizens of the North Pole are all in a tizzy over the news, two elves, Jingle and Jangle decided to fix things once and for all.  They take it upon themselves to search for children who do believe in Santa Claus and in the small southern town of Southtown, they think they have found it.

Of course, nothing can be that easy.  You see they brought along a young reindeer named, Vixen, who got picked up by the pound as a stray dog.  Now Jingle and Jangle, along with a young friend they made, try to get Vixen out, but it's a no go.  They try to explain the mission to the Mayor, but the Mayor just scoffs.  He tells them that if Santa Claus is real, then Southtown will have a white Christmas that year.  Well as you know, the southern United States rarely gets snow, so it's up to Mrs. Claus to make things happen.  And that is where our friend, Snow Miser, comes into the picture.

You see, Snow Miser is the guy to see if you need a good strong winter wind, a slight dusting of snow, an ice storm, or even a blizzard.  And at first, he's all for helping out Mrs. Claus, until he learns where the town is at.  Southtown lays within the boundaries of his brother's domain, and Heat Miser doesn't like to share.  Now I won't get into too many details on how they work it all out, but Snowie (as Mrs. Clause calls him) gets the job done and Christmas is saved.  Now I just need Snow Miser to get started on central Kansas.  I'm not going to give up on a white Christmas just yet.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Jack Frost

It's Christmas!  Well almost anyway, either way, Christmas is on the way and I for one can't wait for it.  There is something so magical about Christmas that it makes the entire month of December come alive for me.  I will be busy watching my favorite Christmas movies (with or without my son), we will go look at Christmas lights, listen to Christmas music, cook up a storm, and enjoy the time we have to spend together.  I have a sneaky suspicion that we aren't going to have a lot of cold weather this year, let alone snow, so I'm going to have to interject those two things into my life as much as I can.  So I think for this month, I'm going to focus on my Favorite Fictional Characters that bring the snow, cold, ice, and fun into my life every year.  So for now, I'll leave you with this song, once it's done, please reacquaint yourself with Jack Frost.

Hopefully that song put you into the mood for a little cooler weather, the type of weather that is impossible to have without our hero, Jack Frost.  Now I know he appears in various incarnations throughout the movies, books, and other forms of media, but the version I want to focus on today is the Rankin & Bass version.  Now you may be thinking, wait a minute, they have two different versions of the character, and you would be right.  There is the Jack Frost that appears in Frosty the Snowman, who as much as I love him (he is my current Facebook profile pic), he doesn't have his own back story.  So for the purposes of this post, we are going to focus on the Jack Frost that appears in his own Christmas special, which first aired in 1979.

Jack Frost is an immortal winter sprite, and not just any sprite at that.  His special task is to usher in the cooler winds that usher in winter, bringing snow to the world.  He works closely with his boss, Father Winter, as well as two other sprites, Snip the snowflake maker and Holly, the holiday snow gypsy.  He has lived a contented life until one winter day, he spies on a mortal girl called Elisa.  He saves her from a terrible accident and falls in love with her during the process, and he takes an expression she says to mean the same thing.  He runs to Father Winter and begs him to become human in order to win the mortal girl.  Father Winter eventually agrees but gives Jack some conditions to work with.  Jack must prove he can succeed as a human.  He has to earn a house, a horse, a bag of gold, and a wife by the first sign of spring.  If Jack can't do that, he must become a sprite again.

With the help of Snip and Holy, who also take on human guise, Jack opens up a tailor shop in January Junction, the hometown of Elisa.  He makes the acquaintance of the young lady and her family, but he quickly realizes that Elisa has her sights set on another man, Sir Raveneau.  Determined to win the day, Jack works at being human.

When Elisa is kidnapped by the evil Cossack King, Kubla Kraus, it's Sir Raveneau who saves her, not Jack.  Kubla Kraus is so angry though that he vows to destroy January Junction and imprisons Jack, Snip, and Holy who were attempting to rescue Elisa on their own.  Jack, out of fear for the town, makes the decision to become a sprite again and calls up a winter storm, freezing Kubla Kraus and his clockwork army in a avalanche of snow.

Poor Jack though has to stay there to make sure the freeze sticks and with Groundhog Day fast approaching, it doesn't look like he will be able to succeed in being human.  He scares the Groundhog with his shadow, buying a little more time, but when that time runs out, he forced to take drastic action.  With only a few minutes to go before spring has to start, Jack uses some trickery to destroy Kubla Kraus' army and send him far, far away.  Sadly, in the time he spent away, Elisa and Sir Raveneau have cemented their affections for eachother.  Jack, who can never be angry, blesses the union in his own special way, and goes back home with his friends.  As Snip said, winter would just not be the same without him.

Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann (Plus Giveaway)

Synopsis From Dust Jacket:

The tale of the Nutcracker, written by E.T.A. Hoffman in 1816, has fascinated and inspired artists, composers, and audiences for almost two hundred years.  It has retained it's freshness because it appeals to the sense of wonder we all share.

Maurice Sendak designed brilliant sets and costumes for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Christmas production of Nutcracker and has created even more magnificent pictures especially for this book.  He has joined with the eminent translator Ralph Manheim to produce this illustrated edition of Hoffmann's wonderful tale, destined to become a classic for all ages.

The world of Nutcracker is a world of pleasures.  Maurice Sendak's art illuminates the delights of Hoffmann's story in this rich and tantalizing treasure.

Believe it or not, I have never read Nutcracker before, I've never seen the ballet, nor have I ever seen the various TV productions that have come out over the years.  Despite all of that, I still had a vague idea of what it was all about.  I knew it was about a young girl who loved her Nutcracker and how that Nutcracker battled the evil Mouse King.  

What I didn't know, was all the stuff that happened in between.  I didn't know that there was this rather creepy godfather who was a genius clockmaker and would make her and her brother magnificent Christmas present every year.  I also didn't know that on one particular Christmas, the young girl, despite her lovely dolls and pretty dresses, fell in love with a little Nutcracker, a gift for the entire family.  I didn't know the legend behind the Mouse King or why he was so bent on destruction.  I didn't know of the magnificent battles the toy soldiers, lead by the Nutcracker, fought against the hoards of mice.  I never would have guess the real identity of the Nutcracker and how he came to be cursed in such a way.  I didn't know how action packed, romantic, and plain fun this would be to read.  Having illustrations by Maurice Sendak, was icing on the cake.  

Thanks to the lovely people at Crown, I have a copy of this book to giveaway.  All you need to do to enter, is leave a comment telling me your favorite Christmas story.   You also need to leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you are the winner.  You must be a US resident, sorry guys.  The giveaway will run from now until 11:59 pm CST, on 12/5/12.  I'm cutting this one short in order for the winner to get it by Christmas.  I will use random.org to pick the winner.

Challenges: CS