For the Drexler family of Delray Beach, Christmas is the most special and busiest time of the year. Whether it is decorating the house, shopping or going to one of their children's many sporting events, December is crammed with activity.


Front Row: Art, Rob, Debbie, and Koo
Back Row: Riley and Chloe

In addition to the holidays, December is also Art's birthday. This year he turned 15 and all he really wants for Christmas is his driver's permit. Although he's growing up, he still manages to get into the spirit. "I like the food at Christmas," he says.

Eleven-year old Chloe likes to shop and wrap gifts. "I like to make cookies and write a letter to Santa," she says. She loves the music and the lights and everything about the season.

Riley's favorite part of Christmas is buying gifts for his family. The 12-year old says, "I also like being out of school and watching football."

In what has become a tradition, every year Art builds a large manager he builds out of wood. It is lighted, filled with statues of the holy family and sits in the front yard.

Riley makes an advent wreath that remains on the kitchen table throughout the month. Every Sunday the family lights one of the four candles in the wreath.

Chloe arranges the manger inside the home. It is prominently displayed in their family room. Chloe says on Christmas Eve they place baby Jesus in his bed.

Another Drexler tradition is celebrating St. Nick's Day. This year it fell on Dec. 5th.
On St. Nick Eve the children leave their shoes outside the front door. When they wake up, their shoes are filled with candy and small gifts.

Debbie says because most of their family lives in the Midwest, it is usually just the five of them on Christmas.

They go to Mass on Christmas Eve and when they return home, the children are allowed to open one gift.

Once everyone is up on Christmas morning, they open their gifts. "The kids are always waiting for me to get out of bed," Rob says. Even Koo has a gift under the tree he says.

Later that morning the other neighborhood kids eventually wander over. Everyone has something new they're eager to show to the others.

Christmas afternoon the family often goes to the beach. In the evening they have a festive dinner.

The day after Christmas it's back to normal and Debbie says, "It makes me a little sad to see Christmas end. The air of expectation is over."

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

here are eight easy ways to practice random acts of kindness.

* Visit a nursing home and ask who seldom has visitors. Visit with him or her.

* Invite a stranger to step in front of you at the grocery store or a coffee shop.

* Call a friend or family member you haven't spoken with for a long time.

* See how many times you can say “thank you” and “you're welcome” in one day.

* Smile – at everyone.

* Give a genuine compliment to someone who has made you angry in the past.

* Pull up your neighbor's trash cans up to the house or deliver their newspaper to the
front door.

* When seated at a crowded restaurant, invite a stranger to sit at your table and strike up
a conversation.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

How much time do you spend decorating the front yard for the holidays?

Then ask yourself - how much time do you get to enjoy it ? Chances are not much.

This year try something a little different. Decorate the backyard too.

This trend is increasing for obvious reasons. Homeowners get to enjoy the fruits of their labor all month long.

Designers say when decking out the backyard to keep in mind that less is more.

Flashing lights, brilliant colors and dancing elves may look great to drive up to but looking at them all night long might become a distraction.

Start slow and light up a couple of trees or try a couple of lighted animals. If you have a pool, that's a great place to start. A colorful fountain is inexpensive and very festive.

Maybe this will become a new tradition for you. One everyone in the family can enjoy.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Happy Hanukkah

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights lasts for eight days. The Barry family of Delray Beach share how they celebrate this beloved holiday.

Front Row: Lisa, Kevin, Emerson and Dylan Barry
Back Row: Jeffrey and Lorraine Goldstein
and Nancy and John Cannella

For the next week every night as the sun goes down, the Barry's will be lighting the menorah and saying their prayers.

“We’re a non-traditional, traditional Jewish family,” Lisa says as a broad smile covers her face.

Traditional because they celebrate all of the Jewish holidays. Non-traditional because they do it with a “Barry twist.” Lisa is Jewish and Kevin is Protestant.

“I grew up in a neighborhood where half the kids were Jewish and the other half were Catholic. I was protestant,” Kevin says. So he always thought of the holidays rather than just Christmas or just Hanukkah.

On the first night of Hanukkah, Lisa’s parents, Jeffrey and Lorraine, and Kevin’s mother, Nancy, and his stepfather, John, gathered at the Barry’s.

One of the Barry’s family traditions is that all of the family always gets together for holidays. At Christmas Nancy says everyone will be at her house.

For dinner that first night, the family ate homemade pizza.

Lorraine says that’s because on Tuesday night when everyone - the aunts and uncles and cousins get together - the food will be traditional. Roast chicken, potato latkes and don’t forget the jelly doughnuts.

There will tons and tons of toys for the kids Lorraine says. “Hanukkah is for the children,” she says.

Four-year old Emerson clutching a bag of gold coins (made of chocolate) says they are one of his favorite things about Hanukkah.

Dylan, 7, wearing a mustache from his new spy kit says, “I like the toys.”

Lisa says later in the season they’ll put up a Christmas tree that will glow with traditional Christmas decorations. "And a few Hanukkah lights," she says.

“Seeing the boys say their prayers is my favorite part of Hanukkah,” she says.

Kevin says sharing the holidays has never been a problem for the two of them because, “We believe in each other,” he said.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share: