Ring out ye crystal spheres!
Once bless our human ears,
If ye have power to touch our read more

Ring out ye crystal spheres!
Once bless our human ears,
If ye have power to touch our senses so;
And let your silver chime
Move in melodious time,
And let the bass of Heaven's deep organ blow;
And with your ninefold harmony
Make up full consort to the angelic symphony.

Christmas is for children. But it is for grown-ups too. Even if
it is a headache, a chore, and read more

Christmas is for children. But it is for grown-ups too. Even if
it is a headache, a chore, and a nightmare, it is a period of
necessary defrosting of chilled hidebound hearts.

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Did you ever notice that life seems to follow certain patterns? Like I noticed that every year around this time, read more

Did you ever notice that life seems to follow certain patterns? Like I noticed that every year around this time, I hear Christmas music.

A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world!

A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world!

My Christmas present to myself each year is to see how much air travel can open up the world and read more

My Christmas present to myself each year is to see how much air travel can open up the world and take me to places as far from sheltered California and Japan as possible.

For little children everywhere
A joyous season still we make;
We bring our precious gifts to them,
read more

For little children everywhere
A joyous season still we make;
We bring our precious gifts to them,
Even for the dear child Jesus' sake.

You can't get too much winter in the winter.

You can't get too much winter in the winter.

The mistletoe hung in the castle hall,
The holly branch shone on the old oak wall.

The mistletoe hung in the castle hall,
The holly branch shone on the old oak wall.