My Christmas Eve Plans

Because I probably won't have a lot of time tomorrow to post I thought I'd let ya'll know what I'm going to be up to Christmas Eve!



My dad has off from work tomorrow and his plan is to get all of us up and out to town early to start the day off with a yummy breakfast! Then we have groceries to pick up to make sure we have everything for Christmas!



In the afternoon my family and I are going to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader at the cinema! I can not wait to watch this! I've been counting down the days! I finished reading the book last week in preperation for seeing the film. This is my second favorite Narnia book and I just can't wait see Reepicheep and Eustace (oh and Lucy, Edmund and Caspian too)! ;)



In the evening my aunt and uncle have invited us over for dinner! It's been a while since we've seen them and their baby boy and I can't wait to see how this handsome little man has grown! It's so nice to get together with family at Christmastime!



Last but not least is our annual midnight trip to L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine. We started going to Bean's a few years ago when mama needed a new winter coat for Christmas. This store is open 24/7 year round, even on Christmas! We've found that the best time to go is late at night on Christmas Eve. There are very few shoppers and the employees are marking down many items for the Christmas and after Christmas sales. So we go about 10-11pm and do some browsing then, right at midnight the large old-fashioned clock in their store chimes in Christmas and we go around wishing shoppers and employees alike "Merry Christmas!" Then we take our purchases to the register (getting the sale prices), enjoy the Christmas lights display in their parking lot (it's a huge tree and many other lights), and head home singing carols!



I'm so excited! Tomorrow and Christmas will be a whirl of activity! Good thing I have all of my gifts wrapped and am almost ready for a good night's rest!

So what are you doing Christmas Eve and Christmas day? Any special traditions, parties or family times?

God Bless,
Miss Laurie :)

"It's Christmas Eve Eve!"

On of my family's all time favorite Christmas films is the adorable Eloise at Christmastime! This film is sort of a follow-up of the original film Eloise at The Plaza, but can be watched and enjoyed on it's own.



Eloise is a rawther preciousness six-year-old girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.

"I'm Eloise, I'm six! I live at the Plaza Hotel." Is how the film, based on the stories by Kay Thompson, begins.



Eloise (Sofia Vassilieva) and her British governess, Nanny (Julie Andrews), rent a big suit at the Plaza where Eloise always seems to be in the center of any mischief that's going on. She's a big hearted girl whose spunk and opinionated ways are so much fun to watch. She boggles the minds of most of the hotel's staff and guests while still being ever so cute and adorable!



Christmas is Eloise's favorite time of year and the film follows her as she makes her plans. Everything from checking her mile long wish list, to marathon shopping at marvelous stores in NYC, to singing Christmas carols and eating too much chocolate with Nanny, to sneaking into the package room to see if any surprise gifts have come from her mother in France.

Eloise is also a romantic my nature and her attempts to bring her two friends together is very sweet. Maybe there will be a Christmas Eve wedding at the Plaza after all!

My family's favorite quote from the film is when Eloise wakes up in the morning on the day before Christmas Eve and proclaims to the world: "It's Christmas Eve Eve!" This is why we always have to watch Eloise at Christmastime on the 23rd of December.



So if you haven't seen this film it's a must see! I love the charm of the 1940's-1950's era hotel and clothes that's mixed with a bit more modern stores and transportation. This film is a delight and I'm going to hop off now so I can enjoy the fun of Eloise with my family!



Merry Christmas Eve Eve to all!

Very Truly Your's

The Sussex Carol

This lovely Sussex Carol, which Crystal posted on her blog, and I remembered how delightfully old-fashioned this carol is! My favorite line is from the second verse: "Then why should men on earth be so sad, Since our Redeemer made us glad?"

We celebrate Christmas as the day of our Savior's birth, recognizing that Christ came to earth to go to the cross.

"...the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world." - I John 4:14

Here are the words and a video of the excellent Choir of King's College, Cambridge, singing this marvelous old carol in 1994!

The Sussex Carol

On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King's birth.

Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad?
Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad,
When from our sin he set us free,
All for to gain our liberty?

When sin departs before His grace,
Then life and health come in its place.
When sin departs before His grace,
Then life and health come in its place.
Angels and men with joy may sing
All for to see the new-born King.

All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night.
All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night:
"Glory to God and peace to men,
Now and for evermore, Amen!"

Written: circa 17th-century

Only three more days till Christmas! I pray that you are enjoying your Christmastime!
We're getting a lovely light snow storm today, expecting two of my dear friends later tonight for some gift sharing!


Wishing you a lovely day,

Fairy Tales

"Every man's life is a fairy tale written by God's Fingers." - Hans Christian Anderson

I found this quote on Michaela's blog and was thinking how true it is!

How are our lives like fairy tales? You may be saying: "Wait a minute! My life isn't anything like a fairy tale! You don't know what kind of hard situations I've had to face!"

You're right, I don't know your situation, but God does! And fairy tales aren't all wonderful all the time either. Think about some of those stories. There are some bad things that happen to seemingly good people. But fairy tales all have happy endings.

The point is that there is a light, a hope in our lives, a "happy ending" for those who have put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus! For those of us who are following God He is the great Author of our story and He already has a happy ending planned out for His children!

God's Word says:

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." - Romans 8:28

I found this little reminder encouraging and hope you do too! May you be blessed as you seek to serve your King!

Very Truly Your's

In The Bleak Midwinter

This beautiful Christmas carol with it's haunting melody has always been a favorite of mine. I have memorized most of the words to other carols so I'm not quite why the words to this haven't been memorized yet. I particularly like the last verse which asks a personal question and gives the answer that the best thing we could give the Lord Jesus is our heart.

Here are the words:

In the bleak midwinter, frost wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

Words: Christina G. Rossetti, 1830-1894
Music: Gustav Holst, 1874-1934

Here are two videos with versions of the song:

First Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Michael George and the Choirs of Coventry and Lichfield Cathedrals sing the whole carol, all five verses which is rather rare I've found!

Second, an instrumental version of the song which is on Lorena McKennitt's Christmas CD:

I hope you're having a lovely week as we get near to Christmas! What are your plans for this week? Got all your shopping done?

God Bless,