25 Days of Christmas 2010 - Day 2

Add a little holiday cheer to your day with the 25 Days of Christmas. Each day will feature a Bible verse, a special holiday Carol, the holiday TV schedule for the day, a musical gift idea, a movie of the day, a recipe to try, and something extra as well.

Can you make today about love? Can you remember, in the bustle of the day, that you may be the only representation of Jesus that someone will see today?

Bible Verse of the Day

1 Peter 3:8-9 (New King James Version)
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

Loving each other - that is what we are called to do, regardless of how someone may treat (or mistreat) us. Today, try to have a smile and a kind word for everyone that you meet. Be a blessing to others and Christ will, in turn, bless you.

Christmas Carol of the Day

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" - Steven Curtis Chapman - from the album The Music of Christmas. - Purchase/Download

Did You Know ...

... that Sanctus Real's bass player, Dan Gartley, loves Christmas? Now I don't mean the usual "Christmas is a great holiday" kind of thing, I mean this guy seriously loves celebrating the birth of his Savior with his family!
In this About.com exclusive, Dan shares his thoughts on Christmas....

"I love Christmas. Well everyone loves it, but I really do. I listen to Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas album all year round - I love it so much! I feel this way because it’s the one time in the year we all go home. Isn't it great? College students go back in their old upstairs bedrooms. Young married couples sort out diplomatic compromises to share time between both families. Coffee tables are moved to unfold pull-out couches. Air mattresses are purchased and blown up in laundry rooms. Evergreen trees ... Gingerbread ... Wassail recipes ... Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye on TV. It’s all so great."

Dan continues, "For my family, the Christmas season starts at Thanksgiving with my dad’s family on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. (A result of my own parents' diplomatic solution no doubt - Thanksgiving in Michigan, Christmas in Ohio). I cherish the tradition and so far, I’ve never missed a year."

"Then," he shares, "about halfway through December, it’s my birthday! I love having a birthday in December because the perks of Christmas come with it for free. Everyone’s jolly and warm despite the weather. Homes and shopping malls all across the country are decorated for me. (Thank you everyone by the way. You don’t have to go through the trouble. No. Honestly. You’re too kind.)"

"So what do you for Christmas eve and Christmas day?" I wondered aloud. Dan answered, "Christmas Eve is when my mom’s family gets together. If they can, they stay all the way through New Years Day for the traditional pork and sauerkraut dinner; the finale of the full Christmas season. Mom’s brother and sisters have always lived scattered from coast to coast. Places like San Francisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Boston. They’re a bunch of travelers, and I’m beginning to think my career choice was slightly hereditary. Despite however many miles separate them, Ohio has always been home base and Christmas Eve when they land. Since my family tree is so spread out for most of the year, we’ve become really good at making our time all together count. It’s like they say, 'Distance makes the heart grow fonder.' It's true and Christmas time is more important and special for us as a result. The family roots are enriched. The old photo albums are pulled out and reminiscing takes place until the wee hours of the night. I watch five baby boomer siblings joke and bicker with the same level of maturity as my younger brother and I. They transport to an older, wonderful world that I can only imagine. A world before computers. A world where fast-food is a new invention. A world where people write checks for groceries and pay cash for big purchases. It sounds really great. It’s memories like these that are my favorite part of Christmas."

Christmas TV - December 2, 2010

ABC
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town
ABC Family
- The Santa Clause
AMC
- Scrooged
Hallmark
- The Santa Suit
Lifetime
- The Christmas Shoes

Christian Music Gift Idea of the Day

Everything Is Different Now - Stellar Kart ()
The wide-open pop/punk sound that Stellar Kart rocked for their first three releases has been toned down to a more mature and easier pop/worship sound.

Family Movie of the Day

The Christmas Shoes(Compare Prices)
This tear-jerker, starring Rob Lowe and Kimberly Williams, is a beautiful story of love and lives being changed that is centered around Christmas.

How to Be Smart About Smart Phones

My youngest son has already announced that the only thing he wants for Christmas this year is a smart phone. While I love my own smart phone, I'm not sure that it would be the best choice for him since I already know that our usage will be as different as night and day. Luckily for me, Liane Cassavoy, our Guide to Cell Phones, has a list of the Best Smart Phones with their features and full reviews that will help me make a smart choice.

Recipe of the Day

The smell of cookies is one of the things that truly says "It's Christmas" around our home and there is no cookie more "Christmassy" than Lebkuchen! Tonight, the girls and I are going to make Almond Lebkuchen Cookies. Our Guide to German Food, Jennifer McGavin, has a recipe that is both easy and delicious!