Holidays

This post originally appeared on the DVD Netflix blog “Inside the Envelope.” That company folded in 2023, and the blog was shut down, but you might find some good stuff here. Although we’re talking about five award-winning films based on classic novels, most of these films were produced before anyone knew the books would become…

So, I thought my Christmas shopping was done, and then I realized that I had forgotten to buy a present for our dog, Nutmeg. Wanting to stick close to home, I decided to take a “quick” trip to our local K-mart, whose parking lot has been woefully empty since the Giant Eagle moved out a few months…

The other morning, to occupy myself during the mind-numbing task of lunch packing, I tuned my SiriusXM app to The Catholic Channel and then, EWTN, because my usual morning program was taking a break. As a “Cradle Catholic,” I was surprised to hear on “Morning Glory” that it is not proper to decorate for Christmas until Christmas Eve, rather than right…

Merry Christmas? Happy Holidays? What do you say? Say either one and you run the risk of being “offensive,” to someone. How to properly impart good wishes at holiday time is up for debate. When I was PTA president at my kids’ elementary school, I prepared dinner many evenings with the phone crooked on my shoulder,…

Many folks express disdain for the commercialization of Christmas. Some resent the hijacking of commerce for the last quarter of each year. Others just can’t wait for it all to be over. Me? The Christmas season is my favorite. Here are seven things Christmas gives me the excuse to do each year. So, there you have it—seven…

According to some folks, especially those in Pennsylvania, in order to have good luck in the new year, you should dine on pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day. This, according to legend, is because pigs root forward, a symbol of success. I’ve never seen a pig rooting, but I did make eye contact with…

Today, I’m thankful for:

After spending a week in State College running Penn State’s iMBA residency program, a detour to Punxsutawney, PA, home of Phil, prognosticator extraordinaire, was in order. Having lived in Pennsylvania nearly all my life, I was raised with Groundhog lore, anticipating every year whether Phil, the furry “seer of seers” would see his shadow. If…

Today, Jim and I decided to celebrate the Fourth of July by attending the Millcreek parade, something we haven’t done since our three children were little–so the last time must have been in the nineties. Back then, it was quite a production to get three kids out of the house early enough to stake out…

Yesterday, I had a few items to pick up at the grocery store for today’s dinner. Who wants to visit Wegmans the day before a holiday? I pictured shopping cart pile-ups, empty shelves, and much jostling to reach the potatoes, rolls, and pop that were on my list in addition to a number of other…