Thank you for sharing such a story. I have never been physically threatened in my life. What a wonder and a blessing.
Christmas in the tropics
If I offended anyone saying "Merry Christmas!", then tough! America gives us the liberty to do that! If I were in some Muslim/Arab countries...I'd be beheaded for simply saying that!!!!
Chrissy, yes we are indeed lucky. Head down here....I want our boys home for Christmas, those that are still in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Jenny, I agree with Bubbles. Christmas is all about sharing...decorations and climate are secondary. But I'll take some cookies!!!!
Edited: Christmas is about love too!!! Love my DGers a whole bunch no matter what your spiritual preferences are!!
This message was edited Dec 3, 2007 5:19 PM
This message was edited Dec 3, 2007 5:21 PM
THANK YOU heaven! My sentiments exactly!
Among my many things to be thankfull for listed above, I add that I have never been physically threatened either! We are very thankfull in this country to have the freedoms we do!!!! Our "Peace" has come at a very high cost thru the years!!!!
Our Military has made many sacrifices on foreign soil, and that of Hawaii and some of the territories, to provide the freedom and peace that we take for granted.
Maybe we need times like this to remind us it came with a cost. It wasn't free.
Christ gave His life, His precious blood for that freedom, not just so we could hand out presents to each other, spend money, and complain, He came, lived, and died, for our salvation, and to give us His Holy Spirit to live within us, to share love and JOY, and give us eternal life with Him.
Yet we bend over backwards trying not to offend anyone....that in turn would turn around and speak out in our courts to take away our own freedoms, and we just stand by and let them do it! Some day those freedoms may no longer exist, because we stayed silent, while others who were not afraid to offend someone stood up, spoke out, and sombody listened......They've taken prayer out of school and want to take Bibles out of public places, they advocate taking "Under God" out of written documents that our nation was founded on....but heaven forbid we speak even a positive social greeting to someone to wish them well!
I'm tired of caring if anyone gets offended. I'm offended that they get to speak out all of the time. I will not stay silent. I sincerely say "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!!!!!!"
I have just gotten a wonderful holiday present. I was going to make the trip to San Diego (1200 miles round trip) to pick up packages including 60 pounds of candy for Santa to give to the local children on Christmas. I talked to a neighbor about taking care of my family of dogs while I'm gone and her husband offered to make the trip! The trip is beautiful but exausting and I am usually tired for a month after making it. So I will pay the expenses, he will get to pick up his own mail and do his errands and I will get my packages without having to exhaust myself. I was really dreading having to go so close to Christmas as I have many Santa things to do. And I don't have to leave the dogs, especially Misty who is eleven and failing a bit; she becomes distraught when I am gone.
My dogs are all mixed breeds whom I have rescued. Misty appeqrs to have a lot of German Shepard in her. When people ask me about the bloodlines of any of my dogs I reply, "They're all Mexican." In talking about them and the cats and our relationships I say, "We don't discrimate on the basis of species."
Peace.
katiebear
Aloha Everyone,
When I posted Christmas in the tropics it was just to show how different it is to live here at this particular time of year, in the tropics!
I purposely did not mention anything to do with any particular religious belief especially as Maui has a blending of many different peoples who, for the most part, get along together in peace and harmony, all enjoying the seaon. This post has brought out some strong feelings which was not my intent at all, and I am very sorry that I posted it in the first place. It was really only suposed to be a lighthearted look at how different it is to live here, I was not in anyway saying that I was homesick for the mainland - far from it! I have lived quite a few places in the world and have enjoyed every single one of them, home for me is where I hang my hat at that particular time and place.
Thank you for the lovely stories some of you posted, I enjoyed them very much, lovely to hear of memories...
Katiebear, so glad you are not going to have to make that trip at this time of year and leave your babies. After you live in a quiet place a trip like that is daunting! Your last paragraph says it all - Mahalo!
So sorry, Jenny. I feel responsible for opening Pandora's Box on such a sweet and innocent gesture. Perhaps we will all learn something that we were not expecting. I know I have.
No worries Kilikina. Just wanted to set the record straight about my posting because it's been nagging at me for days...
Jenny...do you have much company from the Mainland? We had so much in the 3 yrs we were there, we had some that overlapped! One of the excursions (after the Polynesian Cultural Center or snorkeling, etc) was a trip to the grocery store. You mentioned cold weather veggies. I would show our guests that we had to buy lettuce by the lb.! 'And apples...whew...a luxury item. Their jaws would drop.
I miss watching the Samoan guys climb the coconut tree in our backyard twice a yr. And all the great fruit over there...right off the tree! And RAINBOWS....oh yeah. And sailing to Waikiki on a Sunday afternoon.....and Hanauma Bay...and racing aircraft carriers and submarines coming into Pearl Harbor on our bikes....chasing the film crew for Magnum P.I. around the island.... Shoot, I'm getting Island Fever again.....and I hate that plane ride!
So..I'm sending you this snow and elf and hope you can try it for yourself....and send one back for us to see....
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1149391375
What lovely memories you have about the Islands - they are a very special place full of beauty and Aloha, if you chose to live as a local. I always feel sorry for the visitors who come here and miss so much of what it is really like, the lovely soul of the place...
Ah! The rainbows! Maui is known as the Valley Isle and also the Rainbow Isle. I remember on one of my first trips here we were standing on a cliff with a whale and her calf right at our feet and a double rainbow over the West Maui Mountains - I didn't know which way to look! Such incredible beauty from Mother Nature! Makes my heart sing.
Yes, we get quite a few visitors and always try to take them "off the beaten track" although it's hard to pick what to do in just a short visit. My children and grandchildren keep clothes here so they can hop a flight at the last moment when the fares are practically given away to fill up the planes. They often just arrive at the door for a long weekend with just the clothes they were in when they hopped the flight - always such a lovely surprise!
Even the air feels different here. You land at an mostly open air airport and are greated with soft, gentle breezes and the smell of the flowers and the sight of the mountains. I am so very lucky!
Love the elf thing - going to try it later on today...
Aloha!
Thankyou for the thread :)
Christmas time is a time that stirs the emotions I guess,
you live a life we all dream of and we have glimpsed the Christmas experiences from all over thanks to you!
My favourite stuff on the radio at Christmas?
The littlest Angel by Lorretta Young (loved it as long as I can remember)
The little Drummer Boy (also loved as long as I can remember)
I think the songs, stories and Christmas carols are all part of the experience ...I love it all but those two always make me cry with happiness. I look forward to hearing them on the radio every Christmas morning,
What songs and carols touch your heart at Christmas?
"driving home for Christmas ...I just can't wait to see their faces"
Forgot to add...the 'elf' is my grandson!
Chrissy, since you enquire. My favorite is Charles Brown's "Please Come Home for Christmas."
Bells will be ringing
The glad, glad news
Oh, what a christmas
To have the blues
My baby's gone
I have no friends
To wish me greetings
Once again
Beautiful little elf face. Jenny, I may have to extend and make it a month. hahah
Silent Night always tells me it is Christmas at last. And then Away In A Manger comes right behind it. Guess this was from my childhood. Was a church choir/soloist as a young woman and I miss the preparation of the Christmas cantatas. We would usually start rehearsal in September. One year we belonged to a large church and they built risers in the form of a tree. We had 300 singers that year and it was termed "A Living Christmas Tree". There 4 nights of performance. Really pulled the entire family into it.
In fact I love all the traditional Christmas songs. It's a great thing that our church doesn't accept hummers...
We always had some of those. One of our most faithful choir members was mostly deaf and she would sing loudly very off tune with all of us. Loved it, loved it. We never tried to outsing her and cover her up. She was the kindest heart of all. Mostly, you can just move your lips to the words if you want. But no one is ever kicked out and made to feel inadequate. There are no auditions...just a want to.
Christy, my family is known for their musical prodigies except me!!! So, I know what my shortcomings are and chose to hum in the pew. Let me leave the choir's harmony intact!!!
When the pastor asked all the ladies to go up to sing...I do like you said...just "mouth" the words. LOL!! But I do make joyous noise by myself.
We do the "Silent Night" at midnight mass ...it isn't Christmas without it, we sing all the traditional songs and then go on the the
"stable" where we have the life size scene of the very first Christmas morning. This is beautifully done and the people all wait patiently in line to see this ...the line runs about three blocks long.
I forgot to mention that on the telly ( American programs) we see people going door to door singing Christmas carols ...lovely ... that is something we don't have here must be a climate thing I guess ...you would suffer heat stroke if you tried to do it here :)
Sometimes it does depend on the weather. Oddly, the colder it is, the more likely there will be carolers. I have done that many, many times in my youth. Afraid I might fall in a hole now. hahaha
Music has been a great part of my life and still is. We have several areas that do what is called "A Walk Through Bethlehem".
Just like a real village with all of the animals and people in costume. Very moving with choirs singing all around. And as you say, huge crowds. Can hardly find a place to park block away.
Chrissy, Christmas carolling is done in Singapore too. You could ask your neighbours whether they'd like to enjoy some carols...gather a few of your buddies, and start a tradition. That's how the gospel got to me.
I grew up in a family that sang and was in Choirs throughout my school years in addition to the church choirs. I sure do miss it! But about 12 years ago an infection destroyed 2/3 of my vocal chords and now I can't carry a tune in a bucket! I would gladly sing along off key but unfortunately, I can still hear me and man, it is not a pleasant sound! So I lipsynk a lot these days and enjoy listening to everyone else sing.
I always had a good ear for harmony and usually improvised random harmonies with the voices around me when we were not performing. Funny thing is as I listen now I still "hear" that harmony I used to sing in my head.
I used to be able to carry the entire soprano section. I can't even get a croak out anymore. Still love to listen. Thrills my heart.
I am soprano too!! But it has been years since I sang in choir so it is nowhere near it's peak potential. But I still sing along with choirs and the radio.
Hey BB, what a cutie! I have made an elf to post, but how do you get it here?
'tis the season to be jolly tra la la la la la la la la......................!!
Hi everyone! 'We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!!........
Back soon with christmas goodies!
Braveheartsmom.....e-mail your 'elf' to yourself, or someone else..In your e-mail, it'll read "click on the link below." You can then 'copy' the internet link that shows up in that e-mail..and 'paste' it into a DG post. We're anxiously waiting to see a Maui snow elf!!!!!
Sandi
She's beautiful. Already have seen her picture.
One of the news anchor groups has elfed themselves. Saw it last night.
I forgot to say that at Christmas where we live ,the tourists start coming in on the hot air balloons, a wonderful sight as they drift over the mountains ,this picture shows you the first two of the season, Christmas is coming ...(you may notice that it is grey with humidity,97% at 80F at 7.45 on Sunday morning) ...I wish you could be here they are so graceful.
More storms and rain forecast ...I hope you are all safe and sound where ever you are
chrissy
Hi Chrissy and everyone! It is 77 deg F here with 74% humidity! It is so beautiful outside! Hope you are having a great day!
Totally wierd being in the Tropics for Christmas... Parades and Santas just don't go with the surroundings and the weather. But the kids get into it and the stores sell Christmas Trees and everyone eats too much...just like anywhere!!!
I used to spend Christmases with my parents in New Mexico...and on Christmas Eve there would be big bonfires and people singing Carols in the cold/snow around the fires...it was lovely!!!!
Bob and I usually drive down to the ocean with the dogs and enjoy the salt air on Christmas morning... get a big dose of insignificance in the light of our surroundings!!!!
Is it too hot for chocolate stockings Chrissy?
Sounds wonderful to be in both places! We have much to be Thankfull for!!!!!
It is still warm here! You would not believe it is Dec. in Texas! Finally got some shopping done today!!!!!
Yes I can definately feel for those Santas in 110!!!!! DS actually played Santa a couple of years for Wally world here. Fortunately it wasn't hot then. But we've done Clowns in close to 100degF heat in the summer!
Added some red Christmas bulbs to my Christmas tree that has been up for over a year. It looks much brighter. Picked up the white ones my cats knocked down and rehung! Looks really nice! Granddaughter will be here Fri and will run the Christmas music / bells pretty much Nonstop!!!!!! LOL!!! She sings and dances and prances around! Pure Joy to have a round!!!!!
Hey t how are you going mate? have you got snow over there yet? and holly ...you would have holly in England wouldn't you?
I love the stockings although I don't like chocolate myself only the really dark bitter one.Pass the salted cashews :) it isn't hot today only 68F unheard of at this time of the year and the sky has been grey forever or so it feels, it's starting to rain again!
take care :)
Oh gosh Terri, Cadbury stockings - to die for!
Well...it is all about the important things....right?
I really miss not having (or being!!!) little ones and the anticipation and wonder of it all. For me, like all Holidays, it is a personal interpretation I enjoy...of myself and of others. New food, new customs, new friends .... rebirth, rejuvenation, recommittment....
No I don't think so Chrissy, just me. I love Cadburys...really the only sweet thing I care for.
Carol, I miss the little ones too. My grandchildren are 16 and 18 now, and I really miss the hugs!
No snow yet!!!!!!!!!!!!! expected 6 degrees tomorrow, Zero on wednesday. ahhhh I don't like going out anymore! but I will have to brave the elements and go christmas shopping sooooon.
I haven't used my Holly to make anything yet, but I will, it involves going outside!! I love cashews too, and any other nuts!
We will probably have a nut roast for our chrismas dinner. Will you have your dinner outside on the barbie?!!! lol
