Sunday, December 20, 2009

My Favorite Holiday Things


My blog sisters and I thought this would be a good time to discuss some of our holiday favorites. Here's my list:

1. My favorite TV program--An episode of The Red Skelton Show where "Freddy and the Yuletide Doll," where Freddy the Freeloader danced with a Raggedy Ann doll that came to life.
I have a video, and I can barely watch it because it's so poignant. Red Skelton grew up in Vincennes, Indiana, my hometown. I loved Red Skelton. He had such a gentle hand with humor. I saw him once live, and I was struck anew by how he could be funny without being hurtful or mean toward anyone.

2. My favorite holiday book--Um, this is pretty maudlin stuff, but as a kid I was totally entranced by A Birds' Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin. It's thoroughly Victorian, and a read three-hanky read. You can learn more about it here:
Or even read the whole book!


3. My favorite holiday song--"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is my favorite holiday song. I love the story behind the words. You see, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was thinking about his son who had been wounded while fighting in the Civil War.

The song is a plea for peace. The words are powerful, and the hope is universal.
4. My favorite holiday treat--Definitely, it's my brother-in-law Mike Hutts' Snickerdoodles.
The recipe is on my website.
5. My favorite thing to do over the holidays--Every year, I try to do something for someone else. This year I visited two schools, the Maret School in downtown DC, and the Henry Thoreau School in Vienna, VA, and talked to the students about being an author. I told the kids the absolute truth: I'm one of the luckiest people on earth because I get to do what I love best for a living!
6. My favorite gift--Of all the gifts I've ever gotten, I probably liked the goat best. My husband and son bought one in my name through Heifer International.

**

Slashing Through the Snow


One of my blog sisters wondered if any of us had ever written a holiday story or if we'd consider it for our characters. I wrote a Kiki Lowenstein short story called "Slashing Through the Snow." It's available free at http://www.youpublish.com/ Just put "Joanna Campbell Slan" in the blue SEARCH box, and you'll see my "library" of offerings. Please note that this story was written BEFORE the details of Tiger Woods' accident became public.

4 comments:

Camille Minichino said...

Thanks, Joanna. I hope Christmas in your new home is the best yet!

Betty Hechtman said...

Nice to see what you're favorites are and the reasons behind them.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Your favorites are excellent ones, Joanna. I'll have to look them up. I especially like the idea of the gift of the goat!

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Hugs and kisses to my blog sisters! I forgot to add that my FAVORITE blog is this one!