Monday Movie Blog-Christmas Movies That Make You Believe

Welcome to the Monday Movie Blog on Chief 187™Chatter. This is the final Christmas-themed movie blog of the 2011 Christmas Season so I have mixed emotions; excitement that Christmas is nearly here, and saddened that this festive time of year is nearly over. As I like to stay in the positive and not dwell in the negative, I will concentrate on the festive atmosphere, upcoming family visits, and open nights during the holiday week to watch a plethora of movies!

This week’s focus is Christmas movies that make you believe. Some Christmas movies have a magical element that leaves you, at the most, believing in Santa Claus, and, at the very least, believing in the goodness of Man. List the movies that fall under this category in your opinion. Please remember to include a list of the actors as well as a brief synopsis of the film or a short review.

To access archived Monday Movie Blogs simply type "Monday Movie Blog" into the search feature in the upper left hand corner of this page. This feature is nearly a year old and has fifty topics from which to choose movies. If you are compelled to add a title or several to a past topic, please feel free to do so. This is an ever-growing resource for all readers of Chief 187™Chatter.

Please join me tomorrow for Simple Joys, the most popular post of any week on Chief 187™Chatter.

"One Week to Go" Gift Guide 2011

Eight days until Christmas so the crunch is on to finish (START?!) the shopping. Even if you start with a plan, sometimes it is difficult to execute and there are still those on the list who are just plain enigmas when it comes to gifting. I offer these suggestions to continue to help in your quest to find great gifts for the ones you love and exchange. In addition to the previous gift guides available on Chief 187™Chatter, this one, when printed out, can be a valuable resource for the holidays and for any gift-giving occasion. As always, I wish you luck, enjoyment, and ease with your shopping!

Gift Guide


Food

The gift of food is usually appreciated as long as dietary limitations are taken into consideration. People need to eat, usually enjoy eating, and like the gift of food because they do not need to find more than a temporary spot in which to store the gift! To get creative, gift a recipe and include a few ingredients and a pot/pan/cookie sheet or whatever would facilitate the recipe coming to fruition. If you are giving funnel cake mix, include a new Teflon pan and a plastic spatula; great gifts and a fun end result! If your giftee is not a cook by any means, simply get them prepared food or a gift card to a restaurant!


Stocking Stuffer ideas: Gourmet mustards and/or mayos, fancy pickles or olives, canned nuts, homemade candies especially chocolates, Jerky (any variety), salsa, jellies/jams, mints, honey, dried herbs/spices, canned fish like sardines, caviar, wasabi, sprinkles, box of animal crackers, specialty crackers or cookies, dried soup mix, oyster crackers, cheese, Kosher salt, pepper

Kitchen Finds

Along the lines of food, since people need to eat and most cannot afford to eat out every meal, having a kitchen with amenities is a goal for many. Some ideas are waffle irons, electric fry pans or grills, Panini maker, stock pot, Dutch oven, serving platters, flatware completer sets, salad tongs, barware, glassware, air-tight canisters, blender, mixer, toaster oven


Stocking Stuffer ideas: Seafood crackers & picks, chopsticks, wasabi bowls, spoon rest, whisk, egg timer, grater, micro-plane, pasta spoon, salt & pepper grinders



Garage Items

Tools are a necessity in any home to fix items needing minor repairs. In the garage, if one tinkers on cars, then a larger tool kit (war wagon) is needed as well as a creeper. From wrenches to ratchets, screwdrivers to drills, hammers to pliers there is always some tool that needs purchasing, either as a welcome recruit to the tool shed, a replacement, or a spare! With tools, you get what you pay for so find a trusted name and buy the best you can afford.


Stocking stuffer ideas: Nuts, bolts, nails, screws, electrical tape, duct tape (all colors), Leatherman tool, flashlight, headlamp, Lava Soap, paper towels, wheel cleaner, leather cleaner, gift certificate/gift card to the person’s favorite fix-it store, protective eyewear

NASCAR Gifts

Gifting to someone who adores this sport or to someone you WANT to adore this sport? These suggestions will help enhance or convert your chosen giftee. An article of clothing officially licensed by NASCAR like a t-shirt, baseball cap, or team jacket helps set the scene; try to match personalities for the fan you are trying to create – wild and punky, suggest Kyle Bush, nice guy family person, Jeff Gordon is the one, eternal single person, set their sights on Dale Jr. Movies, documentaries, docudramas, and fusion videos are all great forays into the sport as well as terrific entertainment during the off-season. Check Amazon for titles (and order through my link here). Finally, consider some fantastic reading material, also available on Amazon (order through my link here). Names like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Darrell Waltrip are great places to start your search and the recipient’s education.

Stocking stuffer ideas: “Parking for {Your Favorite Driver Here} Fans Only” sign, cooler, clear backpack, tickets to a race, flag of driver, the product that sponsors the driver they love (i.e. a ton of M&Ms for Kyle Busch fans), a tailgate chair, pit pass holder on a lanyard, cool sun glasses like the driver wears, anything and everything with the driver’s number, sponsor, and driver’s likeness


Hopefully these Gift Guides have helped to inform, entertain, and delight you. As a group the Gift Guides from 2011 and 2010 here on Chief 187™Chatter can continue to serve you for this holiday season and beyond. Feel free to utilize them for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, and any gift-giving occasion. And, never fear, when the ideas come, I will continue to post more Gift Guides.

Friday Music Blog-Romantic Christmas Songs

Welcome to the Friday Music Blog on Chief 187™Chatter. There are nine days left before Christmas so my mind is still firmly entrenched in the forthcoming holiday. And, as I

often state, music colors my mood, enhances my day, and livens up my home. During the Christmas Season it is music that is the thread that ties my holiday together. Every year I add new music to my collection, switch between my personal collection and listening to the radio for a broader selection, and bask in the sweet sounds. For those of you who are “over it”, I give you fair warning; this week and next are and will be Christmas-themed Friday Music Blogs.

This week’s focus is Christmas songs that are romantic. What songs would you consider romantic in nature and sets a mood of warmth, sensuality, and love? Be sure to include the artist.

Once again there is news about Chief 187™Chatter. Another follower drove the list up to 84 so that was exciting. For another week the numbers climbed at the site and 39,000 pageviews

was not only realized but surpassed on its way to 40,000! At the one year anniversary on September 13th this year I was celebrating 25,000 pageviews! I honestly never dreamed 40.000 would be in view as we closed 2011. My dear friend Atila told me 2012 was to be our year for our

respective careers. I’m beginning to believe him! I hope you continue to join me, read, comment, share, and enjoy all I have to write for the remainder of this year and beyond!

Please check back to this blog throughout the day and weekend to read the comments and selections. Weekends are an excellent time to catch up on all things Chief 187™. I will be posting yet another Gift Guide over the weekend so gather the lists up and hit the stores

both brick and mortar and online to get your Christmas/Holiday shopping out of the way. There are tons of great suggestions for all budgets and tastes. Finally I invite you back to this site on Monday as we begin another week of entirely new and original entries.

P.S. Shopping via Amazon? Please enter the site through my link located on the right hand sideboard. This costs you NOTHING extra yet nets me a tiny bit. Also, if you’d like to gift or

treat yourself to some Chief 187™ products, please check out my store at http://cafepress.com/Chief187. Not only are there over 60 items from which to choose, but there are coupon codes to save money. You may enter that site on the right hand sideboard as well. Thank you, as always, for your continued and much appreciated support.

Tantalizing Thursday-Christmas Candies & Fudge

Welcome to Tantalizing Thursday on Chief 187™Chatter. Christmas is ten days away! For many who want to have a homemade sweet treat to offer guests and loved ones but are not confident in their abilities in the kitchen, I have assembled some popular and easy recipes for tried and true favorites. Cookies are a mainstay at Christmas, but candies and fudge cannot be overlooked. Today’s spotlight is on these tasty confections that add dimension to a cookie tray and are a fantastic dessert or gift in and of themselves. I hope you enjoy whipping up these tidbits and sharing them with those you love.

Saltine Toffee
Recipe taken from http://allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces saltine crackers
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
2. Line cookie sheet with saltine crackers in single layer.
3. In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread t cover crackers completely.
4. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts. Cool completely and break into pieces.

Fudge is as much a part of Christmas as cookies, carols, and gifts. For those unfamiliar, fudge seems extraordinarily difficult to make. In truth it is wickedly simple and yields wonderful reactions of love, appreciation, and gratitude. Whip up a batch and watch it disappear. I recommend getting enough ingredients to make 2-3 batches at least!

Easy Chocolate Fudge

Recipe retrieved from http://verybestbaking.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 can (14 oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

LINE 8- or 9-inch square baking pan with foil.

COMBINE morsels and sweetened condensed milk in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Warm over lowest possible heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla extract.

SPREAD evenly into prepared baking pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into 48 pieces.


Easy peasy and yet you look like a ROCK STAR! Don’t tell them your secret that it is so easy, simply smile and take the compliments when they come rolling in from those you made it to devour!

For those of you who adore peanut butter fudge, here is a scrumptious recipe.

Peanut Butter Fudge
Recipe from http://foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pound powdered sugar

Directions:

Combine the butter and peanut butter in a 4-quart microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. (Use caution when removing this mixture from the microwave, it will be very hot.) Add the vanilla and powdered sugar to the peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. The mixture will become hard to stir and lose its sheen. Spread into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Fold the excess parchment paper so it covers the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

If you are like my husband, then you like your chocolate fudge mixed with peanut butter fudge. Here is that tasty variation!

Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Fudge

Recipe retrieved from http://seriouseats.com

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Line an 8" x 8" baking dish with wax or parchment paper. Lightly grease with butter.
Combine the butter and peanut butter in a large glass, ceramic, or otherwise microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 2 minutes on high. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. Return to microwave and cook on high for 2 additional minutes. Remove from microwave.

Add the vanilla and powdered sugar to the peanut butter mixture and quickly stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Don't over beat the fudge. Just as the mixture starts to lose its sheen and becomes hard to stir, add half of the chocolate chips and as soon as they begin to marble the fudge, begin spreading the candy into the prepared pan, disturbing it as little as possible.
Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top of the fudge and cover the top with a sheet of wax or parchment paper, lightly pressing down on the top of the fudge.
Refrigerate until completely cool, about 2 hours. Cut into bite size pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.


Hopefully these recipes will take little effort, simple ingredients that are easy to find, short amount of time, and yield humongous results! Let me know what candies and fudge you tried and how they went over with your crowd!

This Tantalizing Thursday is dedicated to Stacy Hyatt who specifically asked for these recipes. I hope it was worth the wait, Stacy! If you have any requests, feel free to contact me here or via Twitter where you can tweet me @Chief187s.

Please join me tomorrow for the Friday Music Blog on Chief 187™Chatter.

All Jewelry Gift Guide

By far my favorite gift to receive of all time is jewelry. I used to apologize for this as it is

a total luxury, I have a bunch of it, and not everyone sees its intrinsic and sentimental value as I do. But I am through apologizing for loving, recommending, and buying gifts of jewelry. Jewelry is tiny works of art to me. The beauty I can see in the individual pieces I own and/or gift gives me much joy and satisfaction. My senses are turned on by the renderings and I am an avid collector!

Earlier this season I promised to post an all jewelry gift guide. I am delivering on that promise. Men and women, boys and girls, grandmas and grandpas can all appreciate and revel in a new piece of jewelry. Fortunately there are pieces to fit most price ranges. Here is my list of ideas for those who want to give gifts of jewelry this year.

Jewelry Gift Guide

Children

Birthstone jewelry – Real or synthetic, getting a child’s birthstone in a piece of jewelry is a great way to personalize a special piece. Even costume pieces are appreciated, but a fine piece is something a child, if careful, can have for a lifetime. Pendants, earrings, or rings are popular gemstone pieces containing birthstones.

Disney or pop culture character jewelry – From Hello Kitty to Minnie Mouse, there are myriad choices to connect with a child’s interest. There are even places that carry superhero themes like Batman or Superman.

Rubber bracelets – Messages, colors, styles, and reasonable options.












Teens

Initial jewelry – Charms, signet rings, or monogrammed jewelry are personalized and special as well as timeless, growing with the young adult as he or she continues to mature.

Gold jewelry – A good piece of gold in the form of a neck chain or bracelet, ring or hoop earring will be a piece he or she will have for a lifetime and is also timeless.

Silver jewelry – Typically far more reasonable than gold jewelry, silver jewelry lends itself to more popular, trendy styles. Teens love the fresh, young, and bright shine that sterling silver offers. Any piece will do, but the chunkier and hefty the better.


Young Adults

Class ring – High school or college, these rings are a rite of passage, become an heirloom, and hold prompts for tremendous memories. Men typically wear these over a lifetime where women tend to trade them in for engagement and wedding rings.


Women

All kinds of jewelry work as long as you know the recipient’s taste.

Diamonds - Many women love diamond jewelry in all forms. Diamond earrings, rings, necklaces, or bracelets all make excellent choices. They are wonderful options in all price ranges, but diamonds are inherently expensive, so there are alternatives if you want to buy a woman fine jewelry and don’t want to spend for diamonds. When purchasing diamond jewelry be share to pick a reputable place you trust to determine you are buying what you think you are.

Gemstone jewelry – Get her a piece of jewelry with the stone that corresponds with the month you were married. Buy her a piece of jewelry with her birthstone. Get her a mother’s jewel with the birthstones of every child she has.

Watch – Elegant, sporty, silver-toned or gold-toned, there are as many choices as there are whims she has.

Flowers – Have a piece made with the flower she carried when she got married.

Charm bracelet – start with a bracelet with 1-3 charms depending on your budget. A great piece for every time she travels, has a birthday or any gift-getting holiday, there is a gift to bestow her!

Christmas jewelry – Fun, sweet, cute, funny, or elegant, there is nothing like a new piece of Christmas jewelry to add to one’s collection or to start a collection!

Engagement ring – You love her? Then what are you waiting for?! A very romantic time of year to get engaged and the family is all gathered anyway…


Men

Why not adorn him? He’s worth it! I’ve never met a man who didn’t like some piece of jewelry.

Neck chain – Hefty to wear alone or thinner to accept a masculine pendant, a man can pull off a neck chain beautifully.

Pendant – A religious medallion, significant symbol, or other meaningful subject is a great idea for a man comfortable wearing something around his neck.

Watch – Usually the one piece of jewelry men are most comfortable sporting. Like for women, there are endless varieties from which to choose.

Cufflinks – Under the tree wrap a few gorgeous dress shirts with French cuffs and put a handsome pair of cufflinks in his stocking! Truly elegant, sophisticated, and rich!

I.D. bracelet – Chunky, masculine, and personalized, the identification bracelet is a classic choice.

Ring – New wedding band, right hand ring, or “engagement” or promise ring for him is appropriate!


Grandma

Grandmother jewelry – Same as “Mom” jewelry only it includes the stones of all of her grands!
Earrings – This type of jewelry can be changed easily daily! Never too many!


Grandpa

Pocket Watch – Place a great vest under the tree for Grandpa and a gorgeous pocket watch (as little as $5 at Wal-Mart but still terrific) in his stocking!

For ANYONE (young or old, male or female) – Jewelry ordered from Custom Jewelry by Tammy. Her information appears on the sideboard on the right hand side of this page. I have ordered several pieces, some of which were custom jobs and others that were bought directly from her inventory on the site. Tammy’s designs are darling, the quality superb, the customer service excellent, and her range vast. Her reasonable rates make giving jewelry as a gift “doable”, and there is usually a little something left for you to treat yourself!

Don’t forget the lovely gesture of passing down a piece of jewelry to a loved one. This “regifting” is usually much appreciated and vastly emotional. Jewelry has intrinsic and monetary value, but it is the sentimental value that gives it such high status on my list.

If you are clever, have time, and enjoy the activity, you can certainly make jewelry to give as gifts!

My wish list contains one item currently, even though I know it won’t be in the near future, one day I’d like to own the following:

A necklace made of a sketch of two flowers my great-grandmother made while on the phone getting the news that I had been born and I was a baby girl. My cousin who is doing the family genealogy came across the doodle when doing some research in our great grandmother’s personal effects. She shared the drawing recently and I fell in love with the design. It represents to me the way she felt about me upon initially hearing of my birth and my given name. I had only heard stories of her in terms of other family members, never from her relation to me. This made me realize she was not only conscious of me, but already enamored with me. Having a piece of jewelry that replicates the doodle would be a priceless and sentimental piece I would value for a lifetime and beyond. One day…


I hope you got some good ideas and, even if jewelry is not on your gift list this Christmas, this list might help you throughout the years when you want to gift jewelry to a loved one.

Please join me tomorrow for Tantalizing Thursday on Chief 187™Chatter.

Simple Joys

Welcome to Simple Joys on Chief 187™Chatter. I am so very thankful for this series I write weekly. By having this on my to-do list I am able to stay focused on the positive in my life. Over the weekend my husband and I faced a very trying day. It seemed fraught with endless stresses and it challenged us enormously. What at one time would have nearly destroyed us, we got through. Though not unscathed, we still were able to rally by day’s end and salvaged a fun-filled night for our family. In that time period we experienced many Simple Joys. Life is filled with hard times, stresses, and difficulties. We are put in terrible situations at times. How we handle them, work through them, and come out on the other side displays the character that we are made. Having Simple Joys to seek and then write about allows me a wholly wonderful perspective on life that has changed me for the better. Now, without further ado, is this week’s Simple Joys.

Floor Time. I am often busy, too busy to really spend quality time with my little ones. Between household chores, fixing dinner, helping the oldest with homework, and my chosen vocation as writer and on-air radio personality, there is little free time available anymore. Last week, while the cookies I had baked for Christmas were cooling, I took a rare opportunity to join my little ones on the floor. They were coloring in Christmas coloring books St. Nicholas had left in their shoes the night of December 5th. I adore coloring so I wedged my way in between them and started to do the same. The children were beaming with pleasure, a sight that did not go unnoticed by me. I made a mental pact with myself to be more available for Simple Joys of this type and stayed on the floor for a very long time. We colored, giggled, tickled, and my daughter, obviously needing to be near me, sat on my back or simply made sure some part of her (a leg or an arm) was touching me at all times. There is busy and there is missing out on life’s grandest pleasures. My babies won’t be babies much longer. While they still want me to, I’m going to be making time to enjoy these Simple Joys with them far more frequently.

Hugs. My two-year-old daughter is very explorative. She rarely sits down, rarely stops to ascertain her whereabouts, the possibility of danger, or her next move. The child is in a constant state of manic kinetic energy and gets frustrated when I try to slow her down to do anything. This past week, however, she has come to a screeching halt in front of me several times throughout the days and insisted on hugs. She demands, “Hug Mommy!” and throws her little arms up in the air until I swoop down to her level at which point she squeezes me tightly. My heart melts every dang time. She kisses me quickly and then scurries off again to her next adventure. Whatever has gotten into her, I’ll take it and hope she never quite loses it! As a mom watching her youngest child grow up at lightning fast pace it is the most awesome of Simple Joys to continue to form a bond in this demonstrative way with her.

Ornament-making. Currently my life revolves around the schedule of the Cub Scout Pack in our town. We certainly do not take part in every activity, but we do try to make most events. On Friday night the Pack held its annual Ornament-making night with each den coming up with an ornament for each boy to make two or more to give to two separate places: one for a nursing home resident and one for a needy family the Pack donates a tree, meals, and Christmas gifts. I love the fun activity with the message being one of giving and charity. This year I took the two younger children to be with me so I had my hands full, but my heart as well. My five-year-old, an incredible and meticulous artist in his own right, set to work immediately on making an ornament. My daughter, when not flitting about in her Christmas outfit, sat down to color some pages my co-den leader brought. The Scouts did an amazing job with the adorable ornaments my co-den leader thought up and they made several versions to send to the nursing home as well as the local family in need of some Christmas Cheer. It did my heart well to see such positivity associated with Christmas and the younger generation giving instead of asking for more. This is a Simple Joy that will keep me fueled when I meet adversity this time of year.

Singing at Merry Heart. The Scouts met at the local nursing home the day after ornament-making to sing for the residents, spent some quality time with them while the seniors played Bingo, and delivered some Christmas cards and the aforementioned handmade Christmas ornaments. The boys, ranging in age from six to eleven years old, sang classic Christmas carols while their parents and den leaders chimed in for support. We were terrible at best but we sang with heart, smiled the entire time, and spread Christmas Cheer throughout the room. Our boys then scattered around to find a senior to assist in the Bingo portion of the afternoon. The children were eager to play and comfortable with their partners though they had never met. At one point a man in a wheel chair who had listened intently and smiled throughout the boys’ performance, spoke up to relay that he, too, had been a Scout many many years ago. He told the children that Scouting was among his most favorite memories in his life. He told them that not only would these memories stay with them for a lifetime, but that Scouting would help them in all parts of their lives. It was a powerful message. Before leaving the Scouts thanked their senior friend, wished all a Merry Christmas again, and left with a warm feeling in their hearts. Those Simple Joys are the kind that truly will color them for a lifetime; they did me!

Making a new friend. A tweet showed up in my timeline a few weeks ago written by a man. He was elated for his wife who won a $600 handbag. I commented on his tweet and, he tweeted back. Our conversation grew at 140 character segments. Finally I asked to become Facebook friends to which he accepted. We find we keep similar schedules and have made daily conversations a part of our routine. Philosophically we think similarly, we both value family, and we just gelled. I constantly find the world shrinking with social networking. I am tickled to add Ted as one of my newest friends and a complete Simple Joy in my life.

Time with my Husband. As I mentioned, Saturday was a particularly trying day for my husband and me. Being tested is never easy and although what my husband was going through had nothing directly to do with me at all, I hurt on his behalf. His struggles are mine simply because we are the ultimate team. We are one. When issues resolved themselves I was relieved. We salvaged the evening with our children and enjoyed a truly fun-filled evening. Once the little ones were all tucked into bed we watched two movies. What they were doesn’t matter, what does is that we spent time together, talked, laughed, bonded, and reaffirmed that we are the most important people to one another. Surviving adversity and growing from challenges make the Simple Joys we share all the more special and for that I am most grateful.

I am acutely aware how important Simple Joys is in my life. Writing this series has been the conduit to finding more peace and happiness in my life. I have learned that even in the worst of scenarios there is a window to peak out and find Simple Joys float by and thus change my circumstances. I am appreciating the here and now more and am reveling in my personal relationships deeply. In short, by allowing me to share Simple Joys in this personal yet public way, I am forging a life that I am most proud to live and most grateful to share with my children. My sincere hope is that my weekly sharing encourages you to look inwardly at the Simple Joys you experience. No matter what you are going through there are opportunities for Simple Joys to be found. Eventually the openness to Simple Joys leads to more Simple Joys and at some point you begin to create the Simple Joys yourself. Whether you write them down or merely think of them, Simple Joys could do much to add balance and happiness to your life.

Monday Movie Blog-Favorite Annual Television Christmas Specials

Welcome to the Monday Movie Blog on Chief 187™Chatter. Somehow , no matter how much Christmas is about home, family, charity, Christ, food, music and gifts, I cannot divorce myself from taking cues about the holiday from television. From my earliest days Christmas stayed emblazoned in my memory from the annual specials I used to watch. I learned about Santa Claus’ life, the true meaning of Christmas, and how Santa made it through horrendous weather conditions. My Christmas education was solidified on my television; I was loyal to the schedule when the specials aired and never missed them as there were no videos/DVDs/BluRays to pop in if the airdate was missed. As a child of pop culture, a student of Christmas, and a lover of Rankin/Bass, there is no question why I am a Christmas fanatic!

This week’s undeniable focus is annual Christmas television specials. These are the programs that aired once a year throughout the Christmas Season. Most, albeit not all, were created by the team of Rankin/Bass. There were many that populated the airwaves; some are nearly forgotten while others are superstars in the genre. Please list any and all that made an impression on you including a brief description of the special and why you loved it so.

To access former Monday Movie Blogs simply type “Monday Movie Blog” into the search feature located in the upper left hand corner of this page. Find a topic or topics that fit your mood to select a movie. If you come across a category you’d like to add a title, please feel free to do so! This resource is for the entire Chief 187™Chatter readership; the more information the better!

Please join me tomorrow for what is consistently the most popular post on Chief 187™Chatter, Simple Joys!