1200 POSTS BY CHRISTMAS 2009

[CandyKane]

Post # 900. WooHoo. Only 300 more to go!!

What is Toys for Tots?

In 1947 Diane Hendricks asked her husband, Bill, a major with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in Los Angeles to deliver a doll she had made to an agency that gave toys to needy children at Christmastime. He soon discovered that no such agency existed, so Diane encouraged him to start one. That Christmas, Bill and a group of Marine reservists delivered 5,000 toys.


The project was so successful that, in 1948, the Marine Corps adopted the Toys for Tots program and extended it across the nation. And so the legendary holiday charity was born. For the first national campaign, Walt Disney designed a poster for the program, as well as the Toys for Tots logo that is still used today. Through the years, celebrities have continued to lend their stature to the program.


In 1956, Nat "King" Cole, Peggy Lee, and Vic Damone recorded a Toys for Tots theme song written by Sammy Fain and Paul Webster. Bob Hope, John Wayne, Tim Allen, and Billy Ray Cyrus are among those who have volunteered their time and talents.

Since 1947, more than 335 million toys have been delivered to nearly 160 million children in approximately 500 communities across the United States and Puerto Rico. Without a doubt, the U.S. Marines play a major role in bringing joy to America's needy children at Christmastime.

Toys for Tots continues to be a popular charity with celebrities. In 2003, the New Jersey Nets Dance Team pitched in to support the Marines in their toy drive.

[Stephanie]

The Christmas tree is up! I had a lot of fun decorating, but I must say that I had a lump in my throat the whole while b/c I miss my mom. I'm still looking forward to the season though. She'd want me to enjoy it.

[Noel+]

The Christmas tree is up! I had a lot of fun decorating, but I must say that I had a lump in my throat the whole while b/c I miss my mom. I'm still looking forward to the season though. She'd want me to enjoy it.

Our tree is up..........but not decorated.........after 16 hrs work today. I caught myself getting misty eyed remembering Dad.......the tree was his favorite decoration. Still, not as painful as last Christmas and I know he'd want me to have my usually Christmas glow!

[CandyKane]

Just heading out to church. After our Thanksgiving lesson and craft we are going to work on the calendars the kids are making for Christmas gifts.

[CandyKane]

I collected the Operation Christmas Child boxes from church today. Since we don't have a drop-off location close by I'll be mailing them. While I'm at the post office I need to pick up my Christmas stamps for my cards.

Our pre-school class picked a name from the Angel Tree and we'll be buying gifts for our child, a little 2 year old boy. Even though the kids are very young, I expained the reasons why we were doing it and I think in their own little ways they understand.

[mistletoe misfit]

Our family enjoyed watching the Toronto Santa Claus parade late this afternoon.
I would love to take the kids to see it live one year. I went to see it years ago with friends but that was before we had children.
Christmas is quickly approaching now, in two weeks it's the annual night time parade in the town closest to where we live.

[CandyKane]

The Toronto Santa Claus Parade sounds wonderful. I'll have to see if I can find some youtube clips of it. I don't know when our town is having their Christmas parade. We'll go to it and I'm going to try to go to a larger parade this year too. The first of December we'll be going to see a live nativity. It's suppossed to be one of the best ones around here.

[CandyKane]

I'm having a new set of tires put on my vehicle this morning. Hubby told me new tires just might be my Christmas present this year. I told him that was ok with me.

[ksrjreed]

Went to church yesterday morning, the first time in about six months, it's amazing how we let the human side of us take over when we should be letting our love for God be front and center, I hadn't been to church for six months due to some of the attitudes in the church, but I finally decided yesterday that I am not going to let a few bad apples spoil the bunch, and I have really missed going. Anyway did some more shopping today with the wife, and have started getting the inside and outside of the house ready for Thanksgiving seeing we just found out we are having our famil dinner here instead of the in-laws, you have to love this time of year.

[CandyKane]

Yesterday the temp was 75 degrees F with tons of sunshine. Today we've had a high tmep of 45 degrees with a COLD misty rain falling all day. And tonight we have a chance for snow flurries!! The colder weather always puts me in a Christmas mood!

[CandyKane]

"Wassail" comes from the Old Norse "ves heill"--to be of good health. This evolved into the tradition of visiting neighbors on Christmas Eve and drinking to their health.

[CandyKane]

Child singer Jimmy Boyd was 12 years and 11 months old when he sang the Christmas favorite, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." The song hit the top of the pop charts.

[Jodie]

I just want to share how very much I love this site Mrs C - it is a credit to you and your commitment to Christmas, thank you so much for keeping it going for us to enjoy all year round.

The Christmas spirit is finally in our house - I have presents and decorations all over the place but none in the places they should be yet - just gearing up to start decorating.
I am having a weekend at home alone (apart from Ollie dog and he loves the tinsel) to decorate this weekend - yes I know it is a little early but I want that wonderful feeling that I get when the whole house is filled with decorations, candles and spirit to start right now.

Merry Cheer to everyone, we are so close now

[Mrs.Claus]

Our annual Santa Claus parade after party was a success! It's great to just have everyone come back to the house for a visit. I got a new crock pot for my birthday - a much bigger one, so I used my old crock pot for the hot apple cider and the new one made over 20 bowls of chilli. We just had a little left over.

I've started work on the kid's Christmas Party invites. I want to get them done by Wednesday and delivered on Thursday. I'm still looking for a good ornament craft having to do with bells. It has to be a little more detailed this year as the kids are getting a little older (now the age range is from 8 to 11). I just love this time of year!!!

[Mrs.Claus]

I just want to share how very much I love this site Mrs C - it is a credit to you and your commitment to Christmas, thank you so much for keeping it going for us to enjoy all year round.

Thanks so much Jodie But it wouldn't be much of a site without you and everyone else. I like to think of CAY as a true Christmas Community. Everyone has a say and shares in the Christmas spirit!

[CandyKane]

Another very cold day here with a high of 42 and sprinkles of rain off and on all day. I got a lot of my Christmas gifts wrapped and even had time to help my Mom wrap some of hers. She's starting to get her Christmas Village pieces out. I can't wait to see her village all put together.

[CandyKane]

We just watched Merry Madagascar. It's a cute little Christmas show.

[CandyKane]

Silent Night was written in 1818, by an Austrian priest Joseph Mohr. He was told the day before Christmas that the church organ was broken and would not be prepared in time for Christmas Eve. He was saddened by this and could not think of Christmas without music, so he wanted to write a carol that could be sung by choir to guitar music. He sat down and wrote three stanzas. Later that night the people in the little Austrian Church sang "Stille Nacht" for the first time.

[CandyKane]

The Christmas tree was first decorated with lights in the 16th century. It is believed that Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, was the first to add lighted candles to the tree. He was so taken with the Christmas night sky that he wished to bring "the lights of the stars" into the home of his family. From this, decorating the tree with ornaments, messages and notes, and small gifts emerged in later centuries leading to our customs today.

[mistletoe misfit]

We just watched Merry Madagascar. It's a cute little Christmas show.

The kids and I would so love to see it. Hopefully they will show it a few dozen more times before Christmas. That way we might get a chance to watch it on a non hockey night.