The Hallmark Moment

A “Hallmark Moment” is defined as a moment that would be perfect on a card ...

As a kid, I felt like I had more than my share of “Hallmark Moments.”  Holiday time was so magical.  However, as an adult I find myself trying to create these card themed moments.  Well, we all know that life isn’t a Hallmark Movie.  You definitely don’t know the plot within the first fifteen minutes of a life event and/or all the characters that will be involved. 

Let me give you an example of one of my creations this year ... I decided to have the Grands help me setup and decorate my Christmas tree.  So, we went to Sheetz after school and got hot chocolate and green iced sprinkle donuts.  They ate their treats first while we talked about Santa and all the decorations we would be putting on the tree.  However, upon getting the tree out of the box, there was no stand.  WHAT?  I always put the stand away with the tree.  Hence, for the next three days, the tree laid on the living room floor until the stand was found in the attic.  How in the @&”$:#% did it get to the attic instead of in the downstairs closet?  My Hallmark moment was ruined.  I just created a "Hallmark Card" that would read . . .

"Although it’s been said many times many ways, 

this tree will not exist without a stand!"

As I reflected on this experience a few days later, I was truly disappointed that my planned moment was spoiled.  However, the Grands never skipped a beat and moved on with there after school routines.  That is when it dawned on me that I have been trying to create "Hallmark Moments" instead of just allowing a memory to happen.  The Grands will remember the hot chocolate and donuts but the lost stand will be the memory.  After the tree was setup and decorated, each of them stated at different times, "I guess you found your tree stand Nana!"  . . .  that was my "Hallmark Moment," . . . they noticed!

So instead of planning so much in 2020, I'm going to relax a bit.  Life will continue to happen so why waste so much energy and emotion on getting the right script for that perfect card.  After all, the old saying of "Kelly Plans and God Laughs," really does hold true.

"Although it’s been said many times many ways, 

Merry Christmas to you!

Nana's Two Cents will return in 2020!  I welcome your comments and appreciate followers!

"Hallowthanksmas Lane"

Why is Thanksgiving so late this year?  

Little did you know it is downright historic!  Thanksgiving has been celebrated on the last Thursday of the month since the time of Abraham Lincoln.  However in 1939, the calendar had been unusual, as the month started on a Wednesday, so there were five Thursdays as opposed to four.  To restore some order, Roosevelt moved the national holiday to the fourth Thursday of the month (a change that many were unhappy with).  Instead of focusing on the negative, Roosevelt attempted to justify his decision with a pro-shopping response.  Merchants would now have a holiday further from Christmas to allow for more shopping.  In a way, this gave life to the consumer craze known as Black Friday nearly 80 years ago.  So the bottom line is that Roosevelt decided to shake up the tradition a bit in the name of capitalism.

As people pause on Thursday and reflect on the things they are thankful for, families and friends will gather together to eat turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, noodles (some will not have noodles, but this is my absolute favorite), pie and share memories.  But will they?  Or will they be focusing on the fact that there are only 27 days left until Christmas?  Will they jump into the other lane after lunch and browse the Black Friday flyers to see what time the doors open to the best deals of the Season?

We have become the age of "Hallowthanksmas."  We have lumped Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas into the most wonderful time of the year . . . October, November and December!  It is a great excuse to eat, drink and be merry for three months straight.

Well, I don't know about you, but it is tough to stay in the right lane.  It has become the time of great American commercialism and the distinction between these three major holidays is only becoming less clear.  Even though we celebrate each holiday in its respective month, the shelves change in the stores at a blink of an eye.

This leads me to tell you the story about my Thanksgiving.  First and foremost, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and it irritates me when these lanes cross over before I can fully enjoy the day.  I love to cook the food and have my family gathered around a nice table.  My napkins are an important part of the table decor.  My dinner plates are plain but a nice Thanksgiving napkin puts the finishing touches on my table.  Well, to make a long story short, I went to purchase my napkins and what did I find.  I found Halloween napkins on sale and the rest were Christmas.  By the middle of last week, Thanksgiving napkins were a thing of the past.  I need to admit that I found some at Hallmark, but for 18 napkins they wanted $19.99.  What the H? . . . and I needed two packs . . . and I really didn't even like the design!  I would be spending more on the napkins than a 25 pound turkey!

Bottomline is that I settled for plain orange napkins which I purchased in the party section (a change that I am not happy with).  Now I have red cups and orange napkins.  NO!  However, while I was proofing my blog, the thought entered my mind . . . WEGMANS!  I never checked at Wegmans.  I have to make this last ditch effort to find Thanksgiving napkins.

My future idea for holiday napkins is to design a "Hallowthanksmas" napkin.  Order them in bulk online and use the same napkins for three months straight.  It will be fun to design and also a conversation piece.  I could even become a family tradition that generations to come will be sure to continue.

My plan on Thursday is to stay in the Thanksgiving Lane.  Enjoying the day with my family.  I will take a quiet time during the day to be thankful for all my blessings.  However, I'm sure that before day's end I will pick up those flyers and find myself in the Christmas Lane first thing Friday morning!

I would like to wish all of you a safe and happy 2019 Thanksgiving!

The Henry's 2019 Thanksgiving Napkin

Wegmans - On Sale - $1.99 for a 24 Pack

Back in the Saddle Again

In the mid to late 60s, my dad "Ike" would sing Gene Autry's song, "Back in the Saddle Again" as we drove to our destination.  At that time, the lyrics had no meaning to me.  However, after my mom's battle with Alzheimers, it has been hard to get "back in the saddle again."

This quote, by an unknown author, explains present day . . .

           "I believe the hardest part of healing after you've lost someone you love,
           is to recover the "you" that went away with them."

However, the plan is to get "back in the saddle again!"  Blogging monthly to give "Nana's Two Cents" on current events using humor and irony.

Take the time now to "FOLLOW" "Nana's Two Cents Blog" . . . "back where a friend is a friend . . ."  We'll talk next week . . . and remember, your two cents is always welcome!

To that end,

          "In memory of all those who left us too soon . . . We remember you in the
          morning, in the night, when we look at the stars, a song, a place, a smell.
          You are always with us."

    https://youtu.be/3Fa5la9YR6o