Luke 2:8-14

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

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I feel good tonight, I spent the last two days Christmas shopping and for the most part I am finished, but there are a couple more gifts I need to get out in the next week. Gifts are not such a big deal for us, because really, what do we really need, that we cannot get any other day? So the Christmas challenge each year is for both of us to create a special gift from scratch. This gift [or gifts] cannot come from our lists, but it has to be original.

This is where I take a page out of my mother in laws play book. I find a pretty basket from a local store and I fill it with little things from here and there. Each gift in the basket is wrapped separately and usually, for me, runs on a theme for that year. I spent the better part of Wednesday and Thursday combing the underground city for trinkets and goodies. It was a great success…

Yesterday, which would have been Thursday, I went back to the underground city to complete my mission. One of my nieces wants a “Webkin!”  What did I know about webkins, so I happened to my little Gold Crown Store where I buy most, if not all of my “special gifts” for people every year. I know the shop owners, and every year the wife of the owner calls me when she gets her collection in and I shop like a mad woman on a Charge It spree… This year did not disappoint.

I got a webkin for my niece. This webkin I found out was a little animal, sort of like a beanie baby, but in pet form, and you can purchase cards with internet codes on them to buy things and clothes for your virtual pet online. [who knew??] I bought her an adorable little blue dog and a handful of internet cards and a set of trading cards, which itself holds codes for more online purchases.

While I was there on Wednesday I bought a box of Christmas cards because Blinky was in the mood to write cards, [what you've never heard of Blinky?] Blinky is Santa’s head elf at the North Pole and he visits Montreal every year and wreaks havoc throwing snow balls at people on the street. He’s a little mischievous.  I came home and methodically wrote out all the addresses on the envelopes and Blinky did the writing. All of my Christmas cards are in the mail now, and Blinky has taken my lists to the North Pole…

At this time of year, I check my reads for their wish lists. Blinky has a tradition of sending Christmas gifts to people every year, so if you have a wish list, please let me know and I will forward your link on to Blinky!! You never know if you will get a Blinky gift from the North Pole.

I am almost done with my last paper for Celtic Christianity, it is due on Monday. I have the rest of the weekend to finish it, and I have 6 pages written already, so anything more is icing on the cake, so to speak.

There are 18 shopping days until Christmas…

Sunday the 9th of December, is my [6th sober anniversary] YAY!!!