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It’s never too early to start planning for Christmas
W hile to in think this it might almost about seem Christmas unbear¬ crazy
able heat, I can assure you it is
better to think and plan for it
now than after Thanksgiving.
What in the world am I talking
about, you ask? Pause for a
minute and consider how you
feel when the Christmas season
approaches.
Are you relaxed and excited
about the holiday season, or
would “harried” be a better
word to describe you?
For many people, the holi¬
day season causes stress, as we
face crowded malls, lines in the
stores, increased traffic and out
of town company — not to
mention the cost involved. Some
of my friends say they basically
just tty to survive like the holidays.
Would you to actually
relax and enjoy the Christmas
season? Have all your shopping
finished early, so you can bake
Sometimes a story is best when heard out loud
W hen given as children I was to daydreaming a often child are, and I
dreamed of what I would be
when I grew up. I wanted to be
strong, courageous, glamorous
and well-traveled. And more
than anything, I wanted to tell
stories.
As children, we often prac¬
tice what we want to do when
we’re adults so I was often
telling stories. Now, I did not
lie, for dishonesty was the No.
1 sin in my daddy’s house so I
always told the truth when
questioned about some bit of
mischief. But, at other times, I
told grand, elaborate stories
that I imagined. And now the
childish practice for once I was
spanked, I get paid to do.
Isn’t it grand how life can
work out?
From the cradle on, I loved
stories and the power of images
created by words woven
together into grand tales. I have
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9m mm
home
matters
by Adlen
w.
Robinson
for the
Forsyth " i
County
News
cookies with your children or
grandchildren and do only fun
things? Well then, listen up.
August and September are
the perfect months to start think¬
ing about and planning for the
Christmas season. The fall is
generally a crazy season for
most families, and when you are
just starting to focus on . eating
all that Halloween candy, the
stores are already decorating for
D IbKI ixie
by
Ronda Rich
for the
Forsyth
County
News
many memories of sitting
around the kitchen table with
my parents and their friends as
they shared coffee, cake and an
abundance of stories. I would
fall asleep at night, listening to
my parents as they exchanged
stories and recollections.
When I was 11 and saved
my mama’s life when a vicious
German Shepherd attacked her
and was ripping her into a
Christmas. By doing a little
planning now, you can save
yourself stress and truly enjoy
this holiday season.
First of all, purchase a small
notebook that you can keep in
your purse, or in your car. This
little notebook promises to be a
lifesaver. Begin by writing down
all the people you buy
Christmas presents for.
Next, brainstorm about what
gifts you know for sure each
person would love. Even if you
are not sure if you will buy it,
write it down. Record relative’s
names and any gift ideas you
might have for them. If your list
is small, one mom told me she
had absolutely no idea what any
of her kids want for Christmas,
it is time to enlist support from
the troops.
Most children are thrilled to
talk about what they want for
Christmas. By doing this now,
most will forget what they asked
bloody mess, I was writing the
story in my head as it hap
pened. The dog was twice as
big as me but he fortunately
had on a collar and I was able
to grab him by it and pull him
away. As I fought with my
entire strength to hold him at
bay as he twirled Mama and
me around, her skirt torn to
bloody shreds, shakily got up
from the grass, I screamed,
“Get in the house! Now!” For
once, Mama listened to me.
During this entire episode
of fear and courage combined, I
was writing the story in my
mind: The little girl dressed in a
navy scooter skirt and red top
was barefooted as she held on
for dear life to the raging dog
that wanted to kill,
I loved stories so much that
I fell asleep every night listen
ing to them. Yes, stories are
powerful when written well but
it is hard to beat a story that is
told well verbally. I had a stack
ft
For many people, the holiday season
causes stress, as we face crowded malls,
lines in the stores, increased traffic, •
and out of town company - not to men¬
tion the cost involved.
99
for by the time December rolls
around. Write down all of their
suggestions.
The more you have to
choose from, the easier shop¬
ping is. If their list is really long,
make them put their list in order
of what they want the most.
Next, decide on a budget. If
you are like us, you usually end
up going over budget, but it’s a
good idea to have one anyway.
Now that you have a list and a
budget, head out to the stores or
log on to the Internet. Since you
••
Yes, stories are powerful
when written well
but it is hard to beat a story
that is told well verbally.
99
of albums that were filled with
narrative children’s stories.
These stories were parables
and always had morals to them,
Usually, the children were
faced with making a decision
between right and wrong,
I would put the record on
my little phonograph and let it
play an entire side — usually
seven or eight stories — when
the needle had played across
the record, it would automati
cally turn itself off.
I would set the record, crawl
into bed and turn the light off.
ffiM.YIH.CQUNiy.NtW8 - 8untf»v. August 10.2006
will have the notebook with you
at all times, when you think of
an idea for someone on your
list,justjotitdown.
Also, use the notebook to
keep track of what gift you have
purchased for whom, and where
you hid it. Of course if you are
really organized, you could go
ahead and wrap the gifts too.
Just make sure you clearly label
them.
I use my ^hristmas note¬
book for all sorts of information.
Dinner parties and menu ideas,
Every night, I fell asleep listen¬
ing to these powerful stories so
well told by the actors. This
was years before anyone
thought of the term “audio
books."
A while back, l was perus¬
ing the enormous selection of
books at Square Books, the
famed bookstore in Oxford,
Miss. I stumbled across one of
the greatest prizes I have ever
discovered.
It was a recording of Eudora
Welty, the Pulitzer Prize win¬
ning Southern author, as she
PAGE
craft ideas, homemade gifts I
want to make, decorations I
want to buy, among other things.
Once you start this, you will
wonder how you ever operated
during the season without this
system.
Just by doing a little
advance planning, you can head
into this holiday season feeling
much more in control. When
you are stressfree and organized,
your will have a real reason to
be jolly.
Adlen Robinson's "Home
Matters" column is published in
every Sunday’s Lifestyles sec¬
tion of the newspaper. You can
also read her food column in
Friday's newspaper. Adlen wel¬
comes reader tips, comments
and suggestions! Please e-mail
her at contact@adlenrobinson
.com or write to her at the news¬
paper. Visit Adlen's Web site at
www.adlenrobinson.com for
more columns and recipes.
read three of her most popular
stories: Why I Live At The
P.O.; Powerhouse; The
Petrified Man.
This CD has become one of
my prized possessions. I am
entranced by the late Miss
Welty telling her stories in her
soft, Southern voice and calling
out, “Stella Rondo! Stella
Rondo!”
To truly know an author’s
work is to hear her own inflec¬
tion and delivery of a story she
has written. I play this CD
often and it brings me quiet joy
and, in a way I guess, it takes
me back to those old phono¬
graph records of my childhood.
I guess I’ll never grow too
old to appreciate hearing a
story well told.
Ronda Rich is the best-sell¬
ing author of "What Southern
Women Know (That Every
Woman Should)." Sign up for
her newsletter at www.ron
darich.com.