Living a Happy, Healthy Retirement

The Best of Christmas Activities 2023

Mike

Introduction to “The Best of Christmas Activities”

I hope you enjoy this “Best Of” Christmas Activities post. These lists do not come from me, but from authoritative sources from the internet. I provide them just as a quick resource for you as you begin (if you haven’t already) to get in the holiday spirit.

One thing that does come from me and my heart is this story titled, “The Man and the Birds”. This was a family favorite and I grew up listening to this story with my parents every year on the radio. I felt it appropriate to begin this “Best Of” post with this little story:

The Man and the Birds – Author Unknown

As told by Paul Harvey

The man I’m going to tell you about was not a scrooge, he was a kind decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family and upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn’t believe in all of that incarnation stuff that the churches proclaim at Christmas time. It just didn’t make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn’t swallow the Jesus story, about God coming to Earth as a man.

He told his wife I’m truly sorry to distress you, but I’m not going with you to church this Christmas Eve. He said he would feel like a hypocrite and that he would much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. So, he stayed and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then he went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper.

Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. Then another … and then another. At first, he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against the living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled outside miserably in the snow. They’d been caught in the storm and in a desperate search for shelter they had tried to fly through his large landscape window. That is what had been making the sound.

Well, he couldn’t let the poor creatures just lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter. All he would have to do is to direct the birds into the shelter.

Quickly, he put on a coat and galoshes and he tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light so the birds would know the way in. But the birds did not come in.

So, he figured that food would entice them. He hurried back to the house and fetched some bread crumbs. He sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail of bread crumbs to the yellow-lighted wide-open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs.

The birds continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them but could not. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around and waving his arms. Instead, they scattered in every direction … every direction except into the warm lighted barn.

And that’s when he realized they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me. That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Any move he made tended to frighten them and confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

He thought to himself, if only I could be a bird and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to the safe warm … to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see … and hear … and understand.

At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind.

He stood there listening to the bells, Adeste Fidelis, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas.

And he sank to his knees in the snow …

…………

Merry Christmas

Best Christmas Festivals

Best Holiday Festivals in the U.S. You Don’t Know About…Yet – Twist Travel Magazine

Here it is not even Thanksgiving and we are seeing stores with Christmas decorations, displays and products on their shelves. The local Christian radio station is even playing Christmas songs 24/7. I love this time of year, but am not sure if I want to listen to White Christmas twice a day for a month.

It has gotten to be that this “early” holiday season has become the norm. If that appears the case to you and a change of pace or something out of the ordinary is of interest, look no further. Why not think about taking a trip that can put you in a genuine holiday spirit? Check out these holiday and Christmas festivals and start making those travel plans.

Colonial Williamsburg Grand Illumination

Admittedly, it has been over 30 years since I visited Colonial Williamsburg during the Christmas holiday season. It was a trip to remember, and though I imagine it has become more crowded and commercialized since then, it is still said to be a treat. There is so much to do there that I chose to share this website post as a place to start.

Best Christmas Festivals Around the World, According to Traveler Reviews

For those of you fortunate to be able to enjoy world-wide travel, this article will be of interest. For me, I can’t think of a more exotic trip than to spend Christmas in a foreign country…something I have yet to experience.

Christmas in the Holy Land

As a devout Christian, I can think of nothing more exciting than spending Christmas in the Holy Land. The excitement would not be so much in anticipation of the celebrations, as Christians are a distinct minority there…so much so that Christmas is a normal workday in Israel. However, the historical significance of spending the holiday in the land of the Christmas story would be without comparison. All of this said, given the current conflict, this may not be the year for one to pursue this trip.

Best Christmas Towns

10 U.S. Towns with Incredible Christmas Celebrations – Fodors Travel

Fodor’s list is varied and has a couple surprises. One is number 10, a Mississippi Riverboat Cruise, and the other is that Williamsburg, Virginia is not listed. I will search for another best of list that includes one of my all-time favorites.

These selected U.S. towns take the holidays to extreme heights, with spectacular displays, decorations, and unique celebrations.

Just like your favorite Christmas Village, many American towns go all out for the holidays. From all parts of the country, large and small, these communities go to great lengths to make the season merry and bright by decorating their streets with Christmas lights, window decorations, holiday markets and enormous Christmas trees. All of their efforts make for a festive holiday season that your family would be sure to enjoy.

27 Best Christmas Towns to Put on Your Holiday Bucket List

This list, from Town & Country magazine, is more extensive and also omits Williamsburg, Virginia! Given that the list is 27 towns long, I will not list them below. However, suffice it to say, they have something for everyone, including North Pole, Alaska!!

Best Christmas Train Rides

Trains & Christmas? What’s the connection? – Happenings Magazine

You knew I would work trains into this post. Historically, trains have been a major part of the holiday season for generations. From the Lionel train underneath the Christmas tree to the real-life holiday train trip in the early 1900’s taking you home for the holidays. This short article from a northern Pennsylvania magazine, shares those rail memories and lists a few local rides.

15 Festive Train Rides You Can Take for the Holidays – Travel & Leisure

Trains have been linked to the holiday season since the 1800’s. As a primary source of transportation prior to World War II, it was common to take a train home for the holidays. Whether you have a small toy train chugging around the Christmas tree or you’re boarding today’s Amtrak Cardinal route to get home for the holidays, a locomotive can place you in the holiday spirit. All over the world, railways offer special themed holiday journeys and festively decorated train cars for the holidays.

From excursions inspired by “The Polar Express” to multi-day trips to explore charming European Christmas markets, this article shares 15 holiday train rides that will take you on a magical holiday journey you will never forget.

10 Best Christmas Trains Across the Country – Travel Channel

Though there are a few repeats on this list from the Travel Channel, there are several unique train rides that were missing from the first article. This is actually a slide show more than an article, but it gives you a quick highlight of each excursion to wet your appetite.

Best Christmas Shows or Performances (Live Performances)

2023 Holiday Show Tickets

This ticket seller, “Ticket City”, has an extensive list of Christmas shows across the country, many of them classics such as the Nutcracker Suite and some more new age or modern.

Family-Friendly Holiday Shows to See in 2023

This site is from “Ticket Smarter”, a booking company for all sorts of performances. Their Christmas show list isn’t full of what I would call classics, but does share a lot of great Christmas concerts by popular artists of multiple genres. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Christmas show list without the Nutcracker Suite.

Best Christmas Movies and Shows (TV or Streaming)

The Best (50) Classic Christmas Movies of All Time – Town & Country

As the byline to this article states, “If you go through the holidays without watching at least one of these films, you might just be the Grinch…” This list has a good mix of “oldies”, animated bests, newer classics (Home Alone, Santa Clause, etc.) and other genre (suspense, etc.) with a Christmastime theme.

The 45 Best Christmas Movies of All Time – Variety

This older than dirt traditionalist would say this list is missing some classics, like a Christmas Carol, but it is a list from a credible source, Variety magazine.

The Top 100 Christmas Movies of All-time

For those of you who wanted to see an even more exhaustive list, I have provided this one from IMdb. This list is rank ordered, with ranked scores and a short summary. It is missing some of my favorites, like Holiday Inn, but to each their own.

Christmas and Holiday Program Guide 2023: Movies and Shows to Watch

From “Digital Trends”, this article provides a day-to-day schedule of holiday programming for all ages.

Best Christmas Music

The 100 Best Christmas Songs of All Time: Staff List – Billboard

Here are Billboard‘s staff picks for the 100 greatest Christmas songs of all time — songs that, try as folks might, no amount of commercial overplay or corporate co-opting can seem to ruin.

76 Best Christmas Songs of All Time – Good Housekeeping

I chose this list from a more traditional source, Good Housekeeping. It has many of the same songs as Billboard’s list, with a few notable exceptions. To my liking, this list leans a bit more to the old time or traditional.

Crafting the ideal Christmas playlist stands as one of those cherished traditions, akin to baking cookies for Santa. Should you find yourself in need of a little assistance this year in revitalizing your list, Good Housekeeping has you covered. Beyond the well-known jingles and carols, including classics like “The 12 Days of Christmas,” there are country renditions of favorites and pop-culture hits that will inject a dose of fun into any gathering.

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Top Christmas Songs Playlist – Youtube

I’m old school and have dozens of Christmas CD’s I pull out each year. For those of you fully digital, here is a 5-hour Christmas playlist as well as numerous others to choose from.

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