Christmas Lattice Star

Saturday I wrote about my confusion as the recipient of some (probably) well-intentioned but ultimately misplaced charity. As this is the season for giving, I’d like to ask you to put serious thought into what you give, how you give, and to whom it will be given. People who work among the homeless warn against handing money to beggars. No matter what their cardboard signs say, the cash invariably goes to support the habit that put them on the street in the first place. If they ask for food, you might buy them a bag of takeaway at a nearby eatery. But when people prepare food at home (or who knows where) and drive downtown to hand it out on street corners, it almost always ends up on the curb, where it can cause a public health problem. Your impulse to help is praiseworthy; don’t suppress it. But do give to organizations that can put your donation to good use.

Northern Star

“Whenever I feel inadequate as a parent, I remind myself of something Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once said: ‘The same God that placed that star in a precise orbit millennia before it appeared over Bethlehem in celebration of the birth of the Babe has given at least equal attention to placement of each of us in precise human orbits so that we may, if we will, illuminate the landscape of our individual lives, so that our light may not only lead others but warm them as well.’ This statement uplifts me when I am discouraged. It gives my wife and me courage in our abilities as parents, knowing that our children have been placed within our ‘orbit’ for a reason and that Heavenly Father trusts us. May He bless your family as you learn the gospel together, help your children become responsible, and take advantage of those precious teaching moments.” – Darren E. Schmidt

Christmas Wheel

It was Christmas week thirty+ years ago and I was getting four kids ready for bed. The doorbell rang, but no one was there – just a large cardboard box on the step. We brought it in and opened it up. Inside was food: a box of stuffing mix, a can of sweet potatoes, cranberry jelly, and turkey gravy mix. There was also a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing, an old blanket, some well-used girls’ clothing, and several stuffed animals that had seen better days. The food we used; the rest was too shabby even for Good Will. For years I’ve wondered about that box. Who left it at our door? Was it a family night lesson about giving, or a way to get rid of stuff they didn’t want anymore? Were we chosen at random, or did they think we had no food in the pantry or presents under the tree? I don’t suppose I’ll ever know.

Spinning Wheel

Years ago a friend made this cake for me and included the recipe with her gift. It’s a variation on the “teach a man to fish” theme. Give someone a cake, and they can eat cake today. Teach her to make the cake, and she can have cake tomorrow and the next day and the next.

Cranberry Pop Cake

3 tablespoons softened butter

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup evaporated milk

2 cups fresh cranberries

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, mixing well after each addition. Gently fold in cranberries. Spoon into greased 8x8” pan. Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake tests done. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Nine Virginia Reels

I’ve been saving scraps of Moda French General fabric for nearly a decade; first in an envelope, then in a zippered bag. When they outgrew the bag they moved to a craft box and finally to an Ikea bin. I never knew exactly what I was saving them for. I only knew I loved the delightful muted hues and clever vintage prints too much to toss even the tiniest scraps. Well, now I know what all that hoarding was about, and it’s gonna be huge. I began drawing up plans in the first few days of November, and I’ve been working feverishly on it ever since. If I can keep up this pace through the holiday season (that’s extremely unlikely) there’s a chance the top will be done early in the new year. I can hardly wait to show you. I can scarcely wait to see it myself.

Star Power

At first glance they look like the kinds of signs you see everywhere; signs that say things like, “Beware of dog,” “Danger, high voltage” or “Do not back up! Severe tire damage.” It’s only when you stop to actually read that you realize these signs are, well, different. These say things like, “Attention! You are wonderful and deserve every happiness,” or “Notice: I never stopped loving you. Hope you are well.” These handmade signs are the work of artist April Soetarman, who began quietly installing them around Seattle in 2016. “I define delight as that intersection of positive and unexpected,” she says, “I think this is something delightful people would want to stumble across in their city.” For a Kickstarter donation of $35 to $50, you might own a sign that says, “You can do anything, but not everything,” or “Choose your own reality,” or “Stay creative so robots can’t take your job.”

Four Santa Stars

Today is Santa’s List Day. Maybe that means today’s the day you should mail your wish list to the north pole in time for the fat man to give you what you really want for Christmas, or maybe it’s the day Santa decides if your name belongs on the Nice or the Naughty List. If it’s the former, get your act together. Put pen to paper and mail it off today. It might take the big guy a few weeks to get your Hogwarts Lego set or Dance and Play Mickey or Teddy Ruxpin doll. If it’s the latter, there’s no time like the present to up your game. Make a point of being extra nice for the next three weeks. Make your bed. Take out the trash. Do the dishes without being asked. Be nice to your sister. Sure, the past 338 days might put you on the Naughty List today. But he always checks the list twice.