Friday Five: December Survival Edition

Kathrynzj over at Revgalblogpals offers us this Friday Five:

Whether a RevGal or a Pal most of us in this cyber community have enhanced responsibilities during this time of year. We also have traditions - religious and secular - that mark the season for us in a more personal way.


For this Friday Five please let us know five of the things that mark the season for you.


And the bonus? Tell us one thing that does absolutely nothing for you.

Five things that mark the season for me:

1.  Music.  Especially good choral music.  True, they play the Christmas songs a little too early, and a lot of the renditions you hear are especially schmaltzy elevator arrangements, but I live for hearing some good choral music in Advent.  It does get me through the season.  And though I love "O Come O Come Emmanuel," there are sooo many good Advent songs that I wish were well-known:  "Fling Wide the Door," "Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers," "Savior of the Nations, Come," "Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus", "Hark the Glad Sound."  Well, you get the idea.

2.  Getting Christmas Cards.  I'd say sending them, too, but I haven't sent them in a long time.  I do miss sending them, but I love getting Christmas cards, still.  I used to like to write letters, and I miss the absence of any form of personal mail.  Except at Christmas. 

3.   The annual Christmas program -- given by the children.

4    Decorating the Christmas tree.  with all of the different ornaments accumulated over the years and in many different places.  (putting it up is a big hassle, but decorating -- calms my heart.)  I don't need to have lights up on the house, but I do like to have a lighted tree in the window.

5.   Snow.  My relationship with snow is complicated, and it doesn't make my life easier, but truthfully, it would not be Christmastime, at least around here, without it.

6.   Having family around.  I feel especially peaceful if I know my husband's stepsons are going to be with us, and I enjoy finding one small, but unique gift for each of them.

And I can live without....

.... most of the baking.  Unless it's a team effort.  Then, we'll talk.