Where in the world is Carmen SanDiego?

I have been out of pocket for a few days. Can you guess where I have been?
I am so proud of our staff at The Christmas Store, as far as we know, things went off without a hitch while the bosses were taking some time off. Thank-you Christmas Store girls.
Just so you know, some merchandise at The Christmas Store has been discounted and will remain that way at least through January 3rd. If there is something special you have been pining for call us at 800-944-1882 and see if we can fill the bill or check with us online
There is one more big weekend left in 2009 and we would love to see y'all here in the 'burg.
As always, thanks for dropping in and catching up with us. ;-)

Peace on Earth

What would our lives be like if we could experience peace on earth and show goodwill towards others? Imagine our soldiers, marines, airmen, guardsmen and sailors home with their families this Christmas. Imagine a world with no car bombs, suicide bombers or terrorists. As long as we are dreaming how about an end t0 hunger, homelessness and discrimination?

The thing is we must never give up and think our acts of kindness towards other is too small to make a difference. It was Mother Teresa that said, "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." Our small acts of kindness add to peace on earth and goodwill toward men. Change begins with the one person you can actually change, which is you. Thanks for visiting and have a Merry Christmas. ;-)

The Angel Tree

I just happened to wander into the bank lobby today instead of doing my usual drive thru. In the lobby of the bank stood a beautifully decorated Christmas Tree with packages beneath. As I approached the tree I noticed there were still Angel ornaments on the tree. These brightly colored ornaments listed four items each "Angel" wanted for Christmas. As I studied the ornaments in order to pick one I noticed the nature of the gifts, they were humbling. Listed were items such as detergent, stamps, stationary and lotion. There weren't any extravagances, just plain needs. This got me to thinking about how little it really takes to make someones day.

In the end I took four ornaments off the Angel Tree. My friend, Lynn, was kind enough to take two of them and I kept two. This is a tough economy and people don't have much to give. The fact of the matter is these "Angels" aren't really asking for much. Just the necessities, that's all they want. Make someones Christmas merry. Sometimes a smile, kind word, or a small donation is all it takes. Thanks for visiting. ;-)

Frohliche Weinhachten

The fun never ends in Fredericksburg. Tonight is the Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater party hosted by our favorite local dentist.

Switching gears, when my youngest son was in second grade his school performed the following well loved hymn in Spanish, German and English. Please enjoy this version of Silent Night, my favorite Christmas carol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUb8ySdERKs

What a blessing it is to be from Fredericksburg and to be exposed to different cultures. We are truly blessed. Thanks for visiting. :-)

The Cardinal

I remember my favorite Christmas Tree. Several years ago I travelled to South Texas with my family. On a cold December morning I was sitting in a deer blind waiting for the sun to come up. As the day began to come alive I glanced out to a nearby mesquite tree. It was decorated by nature with a family or two of cardinals and some mistletoe . As I let that moment sink in it occured to me that this was the prettiest Christmas tree I had ever seen. A gnarly, leafless mesquite shimmering with frost and covered in red birds chirping and welcoming the early morning. Mother Nature greeted me with a beautiful sight that morning.

Ever since that trip I have been particularly fond of red birds. For me they evoke a beautiful memory of Mother Nature showing me her splendor.

I know the Patience Brewster "Cardinal" pictured here is not exactly realistic but nevertheless, I am continuously amazed by Patience's vivid imagination that continues to delight me and help me see the world differently. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for visiting. See you in the 'burg. ;-)

The Countdown

Fifteen, count 'em 15, shopping days until Christmas! That means 15 days to finish decorating, shopping, cooking, cleaning, wrapping, sending cards, partying etc., etc.

Or... you can do what I'm doing and jump on a plane and head to warmer climes to spend the holidays with family and friends. I am stoked to be headed to Disney World to meet up with my oldest son Charlie, my daughter-in-law Carrie and my granddaughter Ada for the holidays.

Fortunately, I have two wonderful partners, Don and John, that will have my back while I'm away. Thanks guys. And....we have a staff that is trustworthy and will work hard to keep everything spinning while the bosses play. Thanks girls y'all are the best.

Kids at Christmas

I'm really starting to get in the holiday spirit. Yesterday I attended a Toys for Tots toy drive http://www.toysfortots.org/ hosted by Sisters Morales at Casbeers at the Church in San Antonio. What a great place!

Unbelievable musicians including Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Mains, The Krayolas, Mitch West and the Swindlers, Davin James, and Sisters Morales. All these great bands and the price of admission was a toy! What a deal. This was a great event raising money for a great cause.

If you haven't stepped outside your box yet this Christmas Season and stirred up a little love then I urge you to go for it. I can imagine the face of a child on Christmas morning hugging a big stuffed reindeer. I was up late last night, but coffee and the good feelings from giving will get me through this day. Spread it around y'all! See you in the 'burg and thanks for visiting. ;-)

St. Nikolaus Markt

The best event of the year, the Fredericksburg Christmas Parade is right around the corner. The parade will kick off Friday at 6:30 p.m. with 75 to 80 entries including floats, marching bands, vehicles, fire engines and even St. Nikolaus.

Also this weekend a German style market will be held a Marktplatz. There will be 35 booths for shopping, plenty of German food and drink and of course lots of entertainment.

Visitors will be able to observe the newly installed 26 foot Christmas themed German pyramid. The rotating pyramid, built in Erzgebirge, Germany is decorated with lighted candles. It is really a sight to behold.

Fredericksburg is decorated beautifully. Store fronts, city buildings, parks, homes and streets are decked out in all their holiday finery. We have gone all out to showcase a bit of our German heritage and we would love to share it with you. This is the best weekend of the year to be in the 'burg. See you at The Christmas Store

Jareth

It is a cold and rainy day in Central Texas. I have spent the day dealing with administrative duties like paying bills.

Between tasks I have been practicing on my new set of bongos I received as a Christmas gift. Yes, I KNOW, it's not Christmas yet, but back to the story....as I tap on my drums I notice a relaxing trance like state overtakes me. I don't know what you want to call it; prayer, meditation, clearing your mind or whatever but, I believe that the repetitive rah pah pum pum is good for the soul. If it is good for the soul then it must be good for the heart and mind too. This day I give you the gift of music to stir your soul, renew your mind and lighten your heart. Enjoy and thanks for visiting. ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XYeWG3bvL0