Hi, Iâm Norma T. Rudolph. Iâm new to the Creative Prose group of authors, and so excited to introduce myself. When your last name is Rudolph, the holidays can be a lot of fun. On the ninth day of Christmas I give to you Nine Reindeer Prancing. Nine, you ask? Yes, nine. In Wikipedia we read that âIn traditional lore, Santa Claus's sleigh is led by eight reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder (variously spelled Donder and Donner), and Blixem (variously spelled Blitzen and Blixen), with Rudolph being a 20th-century inclusion. The names of Donder and Blitzen derive from Germanic words for thunder and lightning, respectively.â As you see, Rudolph makes nine, and he is the most famous reindeer of all . . . The original idea of reindeer pulling Santaâs sleigh is generally attributed to a poem written by Clement Clark Moore called ââTwas the Night Before Christmas.â That poem was written in 1923, but it wasn't until 1939 that Rudolph joined the team. His story was written by Robert L. May and published by Montgomery Ward as a giveaway booklet for their customers. The story didnât really take off however until Robert Mayâs songwriter brother in law, Johnny Marks, adapted the story into a song, which was then picked up by Gene Autry in 1949. That song was such a hit that the story went on to became movies, comic books, cartoon shorts, and all kinds of memorabilia that can be purchased at Christmas still. Our Rudolph family traditions have also developed over the years. We have had to develop a good sense of humor about the whole thing. For instance, if you call my brother in law over the holidays you may be asked to leave a message at the sound of the shiny red nose. It is interesting to note that the story almost didnât make it into publication because of the shiny red nose thing. Back then a shiny red nose was associated with being a drunk. I assure you that my particular family of Rudolphs does not drink, so any red noses are strictly a result of playing in the snow in bitter Wyoming weather. At our house for Christmas we decorate with lots of reindeer. We have a collection of stuffed reindeer that we have gathered over the years. We also have reindeer ornaments, reindeer tins, reindeer toys, Rudolph costumes. One year I even bought all the girls one piece brown pajamas with Rudolph slippers built into the feet. Yeah, that may have been a little over the top . . . they were not impressed. But hey, I couldnât resist. Even our car has a red nose and antlers this time of year. When carolers come to our house they always sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Luckily we donât get many sets of carolers or that could become a bit annoying. Even Halloween can be extra fun. My daughter who is on a mission needed a costume for a church party. Easy peasy; put on some antlers and a red nose and sheâs Hermana Rudolph, complete with name tag. I wonât bore you with the story of Rudolph, because it is generally well known, but if for some reason you are not familiar with it (say maybe youâre an alien who grew up in an invisible city in the badlands of Wyoming like some of the characters in my upcoming book) it is easily available online. I invite you to join the Rudolph fun by winning your very own set of antlers and a blinking red nose in a Rafflecopter giveaway (click the link). All you need to do is follow me on twitter and you will be entered to win. Iâll try to get them to you before Christmas but it may be tricky as it's getting pretty late. Follow my blog at http://normasnovels.blogspot.com/ for updates on my upcoming book and any other crazy Rudolph ramblings that pop into my mind. Thank you for stopping by, Creative Prose Publishing
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Eight of the most unbelievably popular holiday gifts. They may seem a bit ridiculous now, but at the time, it just wasn't Christmas without them. No judgement here. I wanted/had (possibly even *cough* have *cough*) all of these, myself. 8. Skip-It Because skipping is fun, but when the alternative is tripping yourself and face-planting on concrete, it becomes a matter of survival. I still have scars. 7. Moon Shoes Because a broken ankle is a small price to pay for the chance to bounce around like a kangaroo on crack. Your insurance company thanks you. 6. Treasure Trolls Because they're so ugly, they're cute. And if you're going to have something shedding all over your room, it might as well have neon colored hair. 5. Tomagotchi All the neediness of a real pet, without any of the cuddly rewards. Three kids later, I realize that feeding, entertaining, and potty training aren't nearly as much fun as they marketed them to be. 4. Furby Because who doesn't want the world's creepiest toy of all time, blabbering at them 24/7? I still have bags under my eyes from that lil furball. 3. Beanie Babies With the tags ON! Because, one day, they'll be worth a fortune! I'm still sitting on that goldmine. 2. Books Because . . . well, duh! And, the number one gift you can give on a holiday, or ANY day, is . . . Your Time. More than any gizmo or gadget-no matter how coveted or impossible to find it is, more than any toy they'll look back on and wonder why they ever wanted it in the first place, the thing your loved ones will remember the most is the time you spent together. So amidst all the shopping and wrapping this holiday season, don't forget to relax, have fun, make memories, and have a wonderful Christmas! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! And just to help you start building your retirement fund, I'm giving away this mint condition, adorable Penguin Beanie Baby . . . Jamie Canosa is the author of several YA books including Dissidence. Discover more about Jamie and her writing at her blog and on Amazon. Thank you for stopping by, Creative Prose Publishing The seven things Iâm most grateful for! I chose this topic because I feel gratitude is one of the most important things in this life. As we show gratitude, for some reason, our eyes are opened even more, and we realize just how blessed we really are. The same can be said for ingratitude. The more sour and ungrateful our attitude, the more blind we seem to become. Christmas, at least for me, brings those things I am most grateful for to the forefront of my mind. So for my 12 days Iâll share with you my top seven. (There are more, of course, but who wants to read a 145 page post, know what I mean? ;) 7. My business partner, Cindy C Bennett. I have never met someone so talented in all things that have to do with writing. She amazes me every day. She truly has the gift of words. Many can write stories, only a few have the talent to craft it so well. She is an inspiration to me. 6. The Wigz. This is my writing group, which consists of Cindy C Bennett, Camelia Miron Skiba, Juli Caldwell, and Jeffery Moore. They have helped me improve on my writing skills leaps and bounds. Their insights, their talents, which they share freely with me, have changed me as a writer. While Iâve met all of them in person with the exception of Jeffery, I only have a photo of three of us together, though I hope to remedy that soon. 5. Donât laugh⦠Donny Osmond! Like most young girls, I fell madly in love with the toothy young boy when I heard his crooningâs of Puppy Love. But what impressed me the most was the way he lived his life. His example changed me forever as I embraced his beliefs and made them my own. He literally saved my life by his example, and for that I will forever be grateful.
4. My readers! Man, I love you guys. Your support means more to me than youâll ever know. I stress with each book I write, not wanting to put junk out there just to make money. If I donât feel it is good enough, I delete it and start over. You have stood by me as I wrote, and rewrote, and rewrote, Cole's story because I wanted it to be right. So thank you from the bottom of my heart! 3. My grandbabies! They are so much fun! I love them with all my heart and they bring me such joy! I love their cherub faces and infectious laughter. I love their wonder as they examine and learn about the world around them. I love when they bring me a book and ask me to read to them. I just plain love them.
2. My family. Never in my life did I know such a love existed until I had a child. Never did I know it was possible to love like that. Never. It stunned me, it changed me. Becoming a mother is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. Truly there is No Greater Joy. If I accomplish nothing else in this life than that of being a good mom, then I have succeeded. No other success can compensate for failure in the home. (David O McKay) Truer words were never spoken. I am truly the luckiest, most blessed woman ever. Add to that a wonderful strong, cutie pie of a husband who has stood by me, supported me, and loved me through the years. My life is complete!
1. My Savior. In a day and age when religion is no longer in vogue, I am proud to proclaim my love for my Savior. He has paid a price for me that I myself could never pay, and yet He doesnât ask that I do. Some say only the weak lean on religion, but I say only the strong have enough courage to do so. âIf you have not chosen the Kingdom of God, it will make in the end no difference what you have chosen insteadâ, CS Lewis. I believe this with all my heart. I feel His love most keenly at this time of year as we give gifts to others to show our love for them. I am by no means perfect, and I judge no one who does not share my beliefs, but I wonât shy away from proclaiming that He lives, and that He loves us all. And for this gift I am the most grateful for.
To express my gratitude in a physical way, I am giving away a copy of my favorite DVD A Christmas Carol, with Alastair Sim, my all time favorite version!! I watch this every Christmas Eve as I wrap gifts for those I love. I debated on whether to give a copy of Itâs a Wonderful Life, another great Christmas movie that focuses on gratitude, but Scrooge won out, mostly because I love the changes in Scrooge as he becomes grateful for all that he has been blessed with! He goes from a selfish, bitter man, to a generous, giving man full of joy.
Merry Christmas and donât forget to count your blessings! My books: Unlovable * Unbelievable * Unbearable * Loving Marigold * Pete & Tink * Not so Easy * The Experiment * A Fantasy Christmas * Itâs a Love Thing Creative Prose Publishing |
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