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Luxembears.We just had a 3 inch snow fall last night and everything is brightly covered in sparkling white. It is sooo beautiful. It has really started me thinking about Christmas.
I LOVE the Johnny Mathis Christmas Cd's . I have three of them and they are all great. He has such a rich creamy voice and I love to play them while baking and decorating Angle Christmas cookies.
Buring candles that smell like pine trees, gingerbread cookies, and mulberry. Yum!
Who wants to make snow angels!!???
So what puts you in a Chrstmas Mood? 
Posts: 3,540Ooooh, snow all ready!!!! We only got the slushy/ice pellets mixed with rain yesterday... but it makes the cedar outside my bear room window smell oh so good
I love to put on cds like "John Denver and the Muppets" or play Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer. I also pop Christmas videos in and sew whilst having them playing in the background. The Santa Clause one and two have been big hits for me as of late. As Sam the talking Snowman says from Rudolph..."Ahhhh, I just love this Christmassy time of year!"
Judi, how do your cows cope with the snow? Do they get to go outside in it, or do they have a covered 'play area' during the day??
LuxembearsDeb, I love the smell of cedar. It's one the best smells!
Our cows sleep indoors during the cold weather. It needs to be above freezing for them to sleep outside. We lst them outside to "play" after milking so they can get some excercise. I love to see cows frolick...yes, they do frolick and skip. Cows are pretty tough and have a core temperature of 104 degrees. They actaully do better in cool rather than hot weather.
How about your horses?
Posts: 3,540LOL....I can just picture cows playing in the snow 
I didn't know they ran temps of 104*. Ponies and horses have a core temp of 101* so much like the cows they do better in cold weather. Blossom has access to her field shelter if she wants, otherwise she's out in all sorts playing and eating. I try to spread her food about so she has to wander about the pasture. Otherwise she just stands in one spot eating for most of the day.
I've never rugged a horse before, but I think I'll be getting a rug for Blossom this year. Lady Bear kept her from her food (plus I think she's been growing) and she's going into winter a lot skinnier than I like. With the rug on, she should be having her food going towards her growth, rather than having to use it all to stay warm.
Here's a pic of her last month, enjoying a snooze in the sun...
LuxembearsDeb, your little horsey looks as if she is made of velvet. So soft and pretty.
We sometimes put calf coats on our calves if it gets really cold and my hubby will sometimes use a ligth bulb. It is amazing how much that can help keep a calf warm.
What bothers me is when the barn cats huddle up by our door waiting for food....which I always give them. I feel so sorry for them but we just cannot let them all in the house. If they feel the warmth they won;t be able to tolerate the cold. I often heat food in the microwave so they have a hot meal. I even put a box outside the door with blankets but they don't use it. Hubby says they are warm enough in the hay storage building which is stacked to the roof with big bales of hay. I just hate to see any animal cold and hungry.
At Thanksgiving the barn cats really get a treat! We put the whole turkey carcas outside for a feline feast!
Posts: 3,540I know the feeling with the cats. Mister keeps wanting to come in, but with Eldon having cat allergies, we simply cannot have him in the house. I fuss and fret over him, but as you say, if they get used to the heat, then they are soooo much more cold when they have to go back out. My parents told me it 'ruins' an animal to bring them in like that during winter.
Do you have any pictures of the calves in their little coats? That has to be soooo cute!
Posts: 1,836I love to see cows frolick...yes, they do frolick and skip.
I've seen little calves and cows frolick and skip...it was just about the cutest thing I ever saw. It was last spring and 2 little ones were playing with each other and their mommas....honestly I stopped eating beef after that. They just looked way too much like my doggies playing..it was too cute.
Turkey chili is fine by me :crackup:
Now about Christmas....as soon as I can smell that crisp "snow" air I'm there. We had that about a week or 2 ago and now we're back into a warm spell. BUT I'm still in the Christmas mode.....I watched Elf in the studio, you can't help but "go Christmas" after watching Elf. 
:hug:
~Chrissi
Chaska, MinnesotaDeb: what a cute horse. I too love all animals.
Judi: I too love Christmas music. Last year I brought this wonderful CD by Il Divo. Their Ave Maria song is to die for. Celine Dion has a wonderful Christmas CD (Ave Maria is also fabulous).
I am itching to pull out my ostrich feather christmas tree. Unfortunately, with three sneaky cats, it is on the floor and ornaments everywhere within minutes....So I have my little tree at work.
Hope all your animals are warm....
Michelle
Dolls N DreamsI've seen little calves and cows frolick and skip...it was just about the cutest thing I ever saw. It was last spring and 2 little ones were playing with each other and their mommas....honestly I stopped eating beef after that. They just looked way too much like my doggies playing..it was too cute.
~Chrissi
I know what you are talking about Chrissi, after being around some young calves last year I don't eat red meat any longer just could not do it. 
LuxembearsI've seen little calves and cows frolick and skip...it was just about the cutest thing I ever saw. It was last spring and 2 little ones were playing with each other and their mommas....honestly I stopped eating beef after that. They just looked way too much like my doggies playing..it was too cute.
~Chrissi
I know what you are talking about Chrissi, after being around some young calves last year I don't eat red meat any longer just could not do it. :)
I know what you gals mean. I cannot eat one of our own cows so my hubby will not have any of our cattle "processed" anymore. I mean...these beautiful animals all have names. You just cannot eat an animal that has a name....it too creepy.
LuxembearsJudi: I too love Christmas music. Last year I brought this wonderful CD by Il Divo. Their Ave Maria song is to die for. Celine Dion has a wonderful Christmas CD (Ave Maria is also fabulous).
Michelle
I'll have to go and get that....or look for it on ebay. I just love Christmas music. Thanks for posting that.
Also Michelle, please post a photo of your ostrich feature tree. It sounds really neat!
LuxembearsDebbie, When it gets colder and our calves are wearing coats, I'll take a photo. They are so darn cute.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.......... as long as I don't have to drive in it!
Pumpkin & Pickle BearsFor me it's doing my Christmas shopping with the wonderful Christmas music playing out in the shops. I also get a lovely warm Christmas feeling when my 2 sons visit Santa's Grotto and have their picture taken.
I just LOVE Christmas music and have it playing while putting up decorations.
Here's another question for you all - When do you all put your decorations up? I put mine up within the first few days of December....my son James get's SO excited (and so do I!!) and is always exhausted by bedtime! I hope my youngest son William (who's now 17 months) will get excited about it all this year too!
Bears by Jodi
I used to love Christmas but 
.......I work retail , so that time of year is really stressful and I am tired all the time 
...but I love to put my tree up and turn on the lights in the evening and just stare at the tree in piece and quiet. And I look forward to my kids and I being together , even if its just for a few hours. I just got my schedule for the day after Thanksgiving...it is the highest sales day of the year...I have to be there at 3:30 AM !!!!!! 
I SAID 3:30 AM!!!!! But I will go home at 12:00 soooooooooooo maybe its not to bad 
But my best girl friend Sue and I like to ride around when it gets dark and look at the Christmas lights with Christmas music playing , so that helps me keep going I hope she will be well enough this year to do it with me again, she is the one with breast cancer that I shared about earlier.
No snow here yet so the Holiday bug hasn't bit me yet
Hearts Ease Bearswhen Terry and i were dating that first year,,there was a popular song called " all i want for Christmas is you" by vince vaugh and the valiants? very 30's sound to it! and while i love traditional christmas music ( all the old stuff..bing..dean..nat) there is also one from a canadian group that i am bonkers over..BoneyM. and its called marys boy child..i LOVE this song..i just wanna dance!! and amy grant.. dont get me started on Christmas movies!!!! i watch them all thru thr season! but i HATE that awful cinnamon smell all the stores use..yuk! it burns my sinuses! real smells or nothin!! i love Christmas!!! deb ps we've had snow 2inches..wet and gone quick! and thank you deb for saying you could smell the snow in the air..my husbamd says im nuts to say i can smell snow coming!!
Swan Valley Bearslove to put on cds like "John Denver and the Muppets"
When my oldest daughter was little, that was our favorite Christmas album (on vinyl even). I just a couple days ago ordered the CD on amazon and had it shipped to her in TN. I told her today to expect a package. I can't wait for her to get it. She'll love it, I know.
I like to put up my Christmas decorations as soon as I take down my Thanksgiving decorations. I have a lot of them since I have a big crowd every year for Thanksgiving dinner. My tree usually goes up in the first week of December. I figure it takes so much effort to get everything out that I might as well enjoy it for as long as I can.
Posts: 3,540 She'll probably be singing loud and clear to it!!! I just love the Muppets :dance:
Awwwhhh, I can't wait to see the little calves in their ickle coats
I normally send out my Christmas cards the first week of December and Christmas decorations up right after Thanksgiving. I think I'll start earlier this year simply because the last two years we've ignored the Christmas season. Not even enough for a bah humbug! So I've some catching up to do. 
Chaska, MinnesotaJudi wrote: Also Michelle, please post a photo of your ostrich feature tree. It sounds really neat!
Judi: I plan on putting it up on Thanksgiving. I have to work that day so, I'll be setting it up. I'll be sure to post a picture. It is really a cute tree.
Michelle
Lauhon Originals
Here in Southern California it takes a little longer to get into the Christmas spirit. Monday it was so hot that my 10 year old had to have recess inside! By today we were back to bundling up at the 3 o'clock soccer game. All the stores have had stuff up for awhile now, but I don't think it really says it's Christmas time for us until the day after Thanksgiving when the trees go on sale everywhere you look. Our city doesn't allow us to put up outside decorations until then either. My bear making mode is already into the spirit. I hope the collectors are as well!
mini hugs,
Susan
Baird'sBears What a sweet little starry bear, Susan!
We've had one miserable little flurry here in the Great White North--it only lasted for a few minutes, but I was THERE. Now, every time I go shopping, I look around for Christmas presents.
Otherwise it's been rain, rain, and more rain, but I love the crispy, slightly moldy autumn weather too. The oak and maple leaves in the park are ankle-deep, which reminds me that I ought to collect some oak leaves and pine needles for my evergreen bed.
It's usually the snow, or the post-Thanksgiving time that brings on Christmas for me, whichever comes first. I love the old and new Christmas movies and music. I'm setting up my own TV and DVD in my basement workshop, so I can watch and listen non-stop. My computer doesn't play DVDs--got snookered there.
Rufnut Teddy'sSounds Awesome Judi, would love to experience a cold Christmas, instead we have a hot christmas, never seems quite right to me. Or not how its suppose to be, and I have lived in this country my whole life
Anyway they are forecasting some snow tonight, thats how wild the weather is.
I still cannot believe how fast the year has gone and its nearly christmas. :dance: :hug:
BruinwerksI used to love Christmas but
Oh I hear you Jodi! For several years,I was the display designer for a chain of gift stores. The entire month of October was 12 hr. days of putting together Christmas trees, putting the lights on (at least 2000 per tree) and decorating with 100's of whatever was the theme that year. Of course everybody needed everything yesterday! I started to really hate Christmas. 
At home I only had a 2 ft. tree with about 10 lights and 6 decorations...all white!
When I left that job, I started volunteering at my church, doing the gift baskets for the seniors and for families that needed a hand. Eventually what Christmas was supposed to be about came back to me. I hope you continue to find ways to make Christmas special for you!
And hey everybody..give a salesclerk a break this time of year...its hard work! :hug: :hug:
Judi said she got in the Christmas spirit because it snowed. Since I'm in South Florida, I get in the spirit when the temperature gets under 80 degrees. :crackup: Some things that get me in the spirit are putting up the trees (I have a main tree and a teddy bear tree) and decorations and listening to CDs like the Nutcracker and Carpenters Christmas one (my 2 favorite Christmas ones).
I don't eat red meat either because I think cows are so cute, especially your cows, Judi.
Teddy Bear and FriendsOn the day after Thanksgiving, we always go to my in-laws' house for a breakfast of leftover turkey and fixings. The kids help my MIL get holiday decorations out of the attic, and my SIL and I usually go out to a crafts barn and pick out a few handmade gifts and decorations. Then we go home and get our own decorations out of the attic (we're up to 8 or 10 boxes -- I'm a little bit of a Christmas junky) and crank up Christmas music while we start decorating the house. That's the start of Christmas for me. (Even if I do some list-making or shopping before Thanksgiving, it doesn't really start 'til then.)
The following week we all get together again to go tree hunting. We always go to a farm where we ride to the tree lots in horse-drawn wagons and cut our own tree. (I like a tall, fat tree.) Sometimes we stop at the chocolate factory on the way home. Then we decorate the tree. Usually we all start it together, but my husband and son always run out of patience before it's done (junky=LOTS of ornaments), so I finish it, then call them to admire it. I love the smell of pine and the glow of the lights.
The week after that, I bake and cook. I only make candy (english toffee) at Christmas. I also like to make my friend Kim's gingerbread cookies. They're really light, crisp, and spicy and go well with tea.
And sometime in there, I watch "Holiday Inn" and/or "White Christmas" and write Christmas cards. (I love Christmas cards.)
I do not like wrapping gifts and generally do it quickly and poorly. I'm also not a champion shopper -- I like to order from catalogs or Web sites so I don't have to face the mall in the cold with the coat and the purse and the bags and the people and the parking space approximately 2 miles from the door. I need to create some sort of tradition for wrapping and shopping to make them more enjoyable. :)
Mindy
LuxembearsI do not like wrapping gifts and generally do it quickly and poorly. I'm also not a champion shopper -- I like to order from catalogs or Web sites so I don't have to face the mall in the cold with the coat and the purse and the bags and the people and the parking space approximately 2 miles from the door. I
Mindy
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
The day after Thanksgiving really feels like Christmas for me. I love to watch the Macy's Parade on TV. That is when we decorate...then I think they need to ALL come down right after New Years. My hubby thinks the decorations should stay up longer but I feel it is a NEW year so it's time to move past Christmas. Some peopel keep them up into Spring
