Happy New YEAR Everyone!
May 2017 treat you well & may we all show one another kindness & empathy no matter the situation.
Thank you for your ongoing love and support!
Yours,
Lana & John
Christmas Through Decorations
DECEMBER 29th, 2016
By LANA CARBON
The Christmas season is always a busy time for everyone especially when it comes to visiting family. For us, with our families living 3+ hours away, it is always a little extra special when we get to spend that bit of prolonged time with them and not have to rush back to work. We just wanted to send out a huge thank you to Ma and Pa Lilies, Brother Carbon and Ma Carbon, and Sister Carbon for each hosting a family get together. We love you all dearly.
Since we have chosen to remain anonymous, we can’t really show our family Christmas photos but we do love our decorations and have taken a few pictures of those. So here is our 2016 Christmas through decoration.
Of course, we can’t forget one of our other traditons… the building of the gingerbread homes. This is only my second year in doing this but my excitement only pales in comparison to John’s. She is a one-woman gingerbread construction crew.
Our First Guest Blog
DECEMBER 26th, 2016
[John] This is a bit of a different post for us. Some time ago, we invited our friend, Kat Ward, to write an article for us about her 2016 Hallowe’en Haunted House experience. It has taken us a while to finalize everything and post it for all to enjoy (we’ve had a little bit on our plates as of late) but it is here now, so please join us and tour the haunted house with Kat. (and Kat… please forgive us for the serious delay in releasing your piece!)
A Haunting Adventure in Wainwright, Alberta
By Kat Ward
Who doesn’t enjoy being terrified at a haunted house during Hallowe’en?
The people in the town of Wainwright sure are no exception. Wainwright is located in the Canadian Prairies, in the Eastern Central part of Alberta. From October 27th to 31st, the people of this quaint town and its surrounding communities gather for the fright of a lifetime. For the past two Hallowe’en seasons, 2015 and 2016, the chosen location for this haunting experience has been the old Wainwright Hotel.
Wainwright Hotel, Wainwright, Alberta, Canada
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
For two months prior to this frightful adventure, volunteers help to set the scene for a blood-curdling time…for those visitors who are brave enough to enter. Mike Comeau is the creative genius behind this creepy funfest. After seeing his imagination come alive, I’m not sure how this man sleeps at night. One thing is certain however; Mr. Comeau is indeed brilliant at making people’s terrors become a reality.
Mike Comeau, Creative Genius
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
For five evenings, our volunteers put on their costumes and did their best to frighten one and all. I must admit, we didn’t really have to try very hard; most people were terrified before entering the Wainwright Haunted House. Up the road, you could hear the screams from people of all ages. For those who wanted to see the spooktacular building but were too frightened to do so at night, we opened the doors two hours early so they could walk through with all of the lights on. Not only did families with small children take advantage of the not-so-creepy early show, many adults did as well. As soon as it was time for the real show to start, all gloves came off and the true fun began.
We had many costumed volunteers dressed as clowns, jesters, and even a version of Beetlejuice was there to greet our guests.
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
Jeeves in the dining room, offering hors d'oeuvres.
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
Our Surgical Room was a very creepy place for a lot of people. Many hesitated to enter, for this room held many of their nightmares. The skull on the table was donated to us and was, apparently, a movie prop at one time. We are unsure of which movie it was from, but it was a welcome addition to this room.
The Surgical Room
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
As our guests entered, the surgeon approached them asking if anyone would be her assistant, or perhaps be willing to ‘donate’ a limb or two. No one was willing and in fact, they were quite anxious to leave. On their way out, they were met by the nurse who bid them farewell with a blood-curdling scream and watched as they anxiously exited the surgical room; moving onto the other terrors that we had in store for them.
The Surgical Room Nurse
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
As they continued on, our brave visitors found themselves in the Spider Room. This room was filled with webs, which made it extremely difficult to find the walking path (adding to the fear factor). Giant animatronic spiders each about the size of a small dog, with eyes glowing red, were found in this darkened room. These chittering spiders could be heard as they awaited someone to be caught in their traps for the next meal. People screamed as our arachnids lunged towards their prey.
The Spider Room being created
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
Next came our Torture Chamber, where an unlucky Santa found himself on the stretching rack. His painful wailing of “HO HO HO” could be heard throughout the hotel. I heard one person, in an attempt to alleviate her own fears, tell our Kris Kringle that this was payback for not giving her the toy she so cherished as a child. Nervous laughter followed.
Moving on, you could find the Witches Den where our cackling hags mixed potions and cast spells for all to watch. Snakes slithered on the floor while candles and skulls could be found on tables. As they continued walking along, a cauldron full of bones was not what our guests wanted to see, perhaps fearing that they might be the next ones to become part of the magical soup.
Our next room was not as large as the others but was still one that many feared. People entered to find many bodies wrapped and hanging upside down from the ceiling. The lady of the house asked of those entering, “What are you doing in my Pantry?” Everyone stopped in their tracks, wondering what they had just stumbled upon. They were told that this was where the ‘meat’ was stored and a few guests uttered that they had made it out of the frying pan of the Witches Den, only to land in the fire of the Pantry. The lady quickly ushered them through to meet the family.
The Nursery was the next stop on our frightful tour. The guests were introduced to the children, who were anxious for a visitor to get closer to the cribs and perhaps have a snack before mealtime. When asked if anyone cared to stay for a while to play with the children, there were no takers and instead they all hastened their pace out the door.
The Nursery
Photos courtesy of Kat Ward
The Nursery being the last room on the second floor, our guests had the option of either continuing on to explore the third floor or going down to the main floor to seek out the exit. Many opted for the exit but most pushed on to take their chances upstairs. Some claimed this was the worst part of the haunted house; they didn’t know what to expect. Every other room they had experienced, had things jumping out at them and so they expected the same for the top floor. However, here they could hear stories of actual accidents that had happened in the old hotel starting in the early 1900’s. These stories made their imaginations run wild, wondering if they would encounter any spirits who may still reside here.
As our guests approached the end of our haunted house tour, they had to cross a creaky bridge surrounded by trees. This was done with very little light, of course, which helped create a lot of anxiety in our guests. Several did not wish to cross but in order to reach the exit, they had no choice in the matter; this was the only way out.
An undesirable exit
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
Werewolf
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
One of the things that added to people’s fears of our Haunted House was the knowledge that the old building itself, the Wainwright Hotel, is supposedly haunted. It was built in the early 1900’s but burned down in 1929 due to a fire that started from mosquito smudging at a livery barn. Smudging is a slow-burning, smoke-producing fire that was used to eliminate irritation and suffering in livestock caused by flying insects. That was a devastating fire for the town; not only was the hotel lost but most of the commercial district as well. The hotel was rebuilt in July of 1929 and this time, instead of a wooden frame, they used poured concrete. Concrete was rarely used due to transportation difficulties and cost; common materials at this time were generally wood or brick.
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
One tragic story happened before the great fire of 1929. In 1914, a young lady of only 18 years and employed by the hotel, was cleaning her skirt in one of the rooms. She was using gasoline, since it was effective during this time for removing grease. The liquid was in a small tub and the only light source was an oil lantern; the fumes were so great as to put out the lamp. The tragedy started as she lit a match to relight her lamp and she was quickly engulfed in flames. She was brought to one of the hotel rooms where doctors tried to save her but she succumbed to her injuries early the next morning. Some locals recently told me that they saw a white figure in a window of the top floor of the hotel. The building is currently not in use; it is awaiting renovation and so the building is empty. There are no walls, plumbing, or electrical wires inside. No one was in the building at the time. Could this have been the young lady who tragically lost her life so many years ago?
Others, over the last decade or so, have also reported hearing a man’s voice telling them to leave, while working in the laundry room located in the basement. No others were present in the moment, but for the ladies doing the laundry. They also claimed to feel as though they were not wanted and that this was not a place meant for them. I’m told even today that they will not go into the basement or to the top floor.
Another resident told me of the time of first arriving in Wainwright. They were living and working in the hotel; everyone was gone for the holidays, so it was only the two of them staying in their rooms. Suddenly, there was a loud banging coming from the entire hall; the sound traveled from one end of the hall to the other. To this day, they are uncertain of what that sound was but it was extremely loud and moved up the hall. Just as abruptly as it began, the terrifying sound was gone.
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
So you see, the Wainwright Hotel was the perfect place to host the Wainwright Haunted House. As a paranormal investigator, I hope to be able to properly investigate the building and perhaps gather evidence of spirits that still reside in the old hotel to this day. Perhaps I’ll find answers to some of the mysterious experiences people have had over the years.
Kat Ward outside of the Wainwright Hotel
Photo courtesy of Kat Ward
I would like to take this opportunity to thank John and Lana of Carbon Lilies, for asking me to be a guest of their blog. I am greatly honoured and am very happy to share a bit about our yearly Hallowe’en Haunted House. It is something Wainwright and surrounding communities look forward to every Hallowe’en.
Also, thank you to Mike Comeau. Without his creepy, twisted, creative genius, we would not be able to have such a successful Hallowe’en every year.
I’d also like to thank Nichole Leitheiser, Executive Director of Buffalo Park Foundation, for letting us have the Wainwright Haunted House at the Wainwright Hotel for the past couple of years. Should anyone like to help restore this magnificent building back to her original glory, please contact Nichole at info@buffaloadventure.ca or feel free to go to the foundation’s website (Unfortunately, the website is no longer available).
If ever you find yourself in Alberta, Canada around Hallowe’en time, come visit us in Wainwright. We, at the Wainwright Haunted House, will welcome you and would love to give you the scare of a lifetime.
Love and light to you all.
Kat Ward
Paranormal Heart
Twas the Night Before Christmas - The Brother Carbon Remix
DECEMBER 24th, 2016
By LANA CARBON, JOHN LILIES & BROTHER CARBON
[John] Last year, we wrote our own version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” and this year, we wanted to do the same for “Twas the Night Before Christmas”. However, instead of writing it ourselves, we reached out to Lana’s dear brother for some help creating a new version.
Brother Carbon is fantastic with his imaginative skills and even went a step further by penning his remix entirely from the perspective of Lana. So while reading, though it may sound like Lana wrote it, rest assured it was in fact written by his beloved brother.
Lana and I are both sure that you will enjoy this Carbon Original.
Twas the Night Before Christmas
by Brother Carbon (2016)
Twas the night before Christmas, December twenty-four.
We were all nice and warm behind the insulated door.
We sat around the fire bringing in the Christmas cheer,
John and I with our Bailey’s, my brother with his beer.
We decided to call it a goodnight,
With visions of tomorrow being such a delight.
I normally do sleep in the nude,But at my brother’s,
I thought it might be rude.
There was a slight problem with the bed not my own,
There I was still awake, my body lying prone.
John was there snoring and I thought I should not awake,
So out of bed I got, and a snack I thought I’d make.
Passing the window, it looked kind of bright.
It couldn’t have come from a single streetlight.
The light it was a shade of red,
And it seemed to be coming from overhead.
A plane couldn’t be causing this reddish glow.
I had to investigate, so outside I must go.
I had to hurry before the light fades,
But I had to look cool…I needed my shades.
The light seemed to be getting redder.
The glasses might have been a mistake; I did a header.
Laying on my back there in the snow,
Up on the roof, I saw what caused the glow.
I was unable to move, for a few seconds I froze.
And there it was, a reindeer with a shiny red nose.
It was the lead reindeer pulling the sled,
And holding the reins was a man dressed in red.
Behind him sat this big red sack.
He hefted up and threw it over his back.
His coat had some stripes that looked like white fur.
He was out of the sled and down the chimney in a blur.
Lying there on the ground, it seemed kind of weird,
Watching this old guy with a long white beard.
Back to my feet and into the house,
I had to protect our possessions from this louse.
I went into my Hulk Hogan pose,
As I intended to punch him right in the nose.
But I could barely make it up the stairs.
I should have done my exercises, ate my vitamins, and said my prayers.
I thought John would be so proud of me.
There was the guy, over by the Christmas tree!
I really intended to deal with him because I was upset,
But standing so close, he didn’t seem like much of a threat.
As I watched, he took a present out of his bag.
I couldn’t believe the name on the tag.
“Lana” was wrote there for all to see.
I couldn’t believe this was a present for me.
It was obvious he had done this before,
As he went about his giving chore.
What happened next, I couldn’t believe my eyes,
As up the fireplace he began to rise.
By the time I managed to get back to the door,
The sled and the reindeer were on the roof no more.
He yelled to me, “Lana, I hate to say this to your face,
But next year Krampus will be coming in my place!”
Standing there, I just wanted to scream.
I hoped this night was just a dream.
My future Christmas might not be the best,
But I hope it is a merry one for all of the rest.
[Lana] Brother Carbon claims this will be the last Christmas we spend together because he doesn’t want Krampus anywhere near his place… little does he know I’m printing out the Google map directions!
[John] It was incredibly entertaining being witness to the creative process of this remix being born. I always love watching and listening to Brother Carbon and Lana goofing around and coming up with their rhymes. This was no different, as Lana reacted to each line that Brother Carbon thought up. I wish I’d been able to videotape the entire endeavour. (Yep… I aged myself there and I’m okay with it.)
Well, now that we’ve shared with you the Carbon Remix, perhaps we should have a review of the original story so that you can be left with those words dancing through your head tonight.
Twas the Night Before Christmas
by Clement Clarke Moore (1822)
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”
[John] Well folks, that’s it for us today. We hope that you have a splendid time, regardless of the holiday you may or may not be celebrating. We know the holidays can be a difficult time for many and so we truly hope you are able to make your days great ones and create memories to cherish.
We deeply appreciate the support and encouragement you provide us on an ongoing basis. Thank you for being a part of the Carbon Lilies world! You make it a special place for us. Merry Christmas to all!
The 2nd Annual 12 Movies and 12 Songs for the 12 Days of Christmas
DECEMBER 23rd, 2016
By LANA CARBON & JOHN LILIES
1. Christmas Angel - 2009
A woman goes to work as an assistant for her philanthropist neighbour but there is a catch, she can’t tell anyone he is involved…even the guy she is falling for.
[Lana] I actually enjoyed this movie as it showed the warmth of the true meaning of the holidays without being overly cheesy. The good acting goes a long way to how a story comes across (as we would soon find out).
[John] This was a nice heart-warming piece to start us off well. In fact, deciding to watch this was actually what led us to make all of our 12 movies this year, only made-for-TV movies.
2. Snow - 2004
Nick Snowden’s reindeer was poached and sold to the zoo. Can he get it back and teach it to fly in time to save Christmas?
[Lana] This movie was cheesy in all the best ways. Tom Cavanagh is such a wonderful actor we could watch him in nearly anything and this was just fun.
[John] I’m a big Tom Cavanagh fan, so when Lana mentioned this as an option, I did not hesitate for a moment. It was the perfect amount of cheese with some genuine smiles and great laughs.
3. Snow 2: Brain Freeze - 2008
Nick gets amnesia when he suffers a head injury. Can Sandy make him remember that he is Santa before Christmas is ruined?
[Lana] The first Snow was so enjoyable we decided to watch the sequel as well and while not quite as good at the first one it was still a lot of fun.
[John] The sequel is rarely as good as the original and this one was certainly no different. However, it was still a cute movie and Tom Cavanagh always makes my heart feel the warm fuzzies.
4. Always Remember I Love You - 1990
(SUGGESTED BY PATRICK KELLER)
A teenaged boy discovers he was adopted and sets out to find his biological parents from whom he was stolen as a young child.
[Lana] This was a very emotional story that touched both of our hearts. Thank you, Patrick for introducing this movie to us.
[John] When I saw that Patty Duke was in this movie, I needed no further reason and was more than happy to watch this one. I was most definitely happy with the decision, even if there were some tears throughout the duration of the movie.
5. Small Town Santa - 2014
A small town sheriff has lost his Christmas spirit when his ex won’t allow his daughter to spend the holidays with him. To top it off, his house is broken into by a guy claiming to be Santa Claus.
[Lana] There are good movies and there are bad movies and then there are movies that are so bad that they become good. This falls in that latter category. I must say that Dean Cain is definitely not in Superman form in this movie.
[John] Oh my stars. This really was so bad it was fantastic. This was the ultimate combination of bad acting and cheesy line delivery, so who could ask for more? This was absolutely what I was looking for when we decided on made-for-TV movies.
6. The Santa Con - 2014
Feeling guilty for promising to get a child’s parents back together while working as a mall Santa, a conman tries to make good on his word.
[Lana] This is a who’s who of 90’s TV. Starring Matt Camden from 7th Heaven, he was over-shadowed on the advertising by Sabrina and Urkel even though they had much smaller roles.
The story itself was cheesy and fun.
[John] This was horrible and so good. It was predictable and hokey with the right amount of Christmas fuzzies. A great choice for our list… absolutely enjoyable.
7. Pete’s Christmas - 2013
(SUGGESTED BY DEAR FRIEND ALLY DIAS)
Pete is feeling left out as the middle child but will living the same Christmas Day over and over help show him the importance of family?
[Lana] I actually found this quite pleasing. A Christmas version of Groundhog Day that reminds the viewer that it isn’t gifts but seeing others you love finding happiness, that truly matters.
[John] This one brought the tears. Our dear friend suggested we watch this and warned us it would give us the fuzzies; she was not mistaken. I really enjoyed this movie.
8. A Dog Walker’s Christmas Tale - 2015
(SUGGESTED BY MA CARBON)
A spoiled rich girl is forced to take a job walking a dog to earn some money. The park where she goes happens to be the development site of a future spa but how will this impact the people who have ties to the area?
[Lana] Ma Carbon told us that we had to include a Christmas tale that involved dogs, in honour of our four-legged family members. This seemed as good a choice as any. Well…at least the dogs weren’t barking Jingle Bells.
[John] Ha! Yes… this was a bit of stinky cheese but it had the right elements for a family Christmas movie. The pups were cute and we had the obligatory happy TV-movie ending, so it was a good choice. The only thing I would have liked more, is if we could have watched while sitting on a big enough chesterfield for all of our beloved furry family members to cuddle up with us.
9. It’s Christmas, Carol - 2012
(SUGGESTED BY ALLY DIAS)
This is a modern version of A Christmas Carol where a successful publisher is in need of learning the meaning of Christmas.
[Lana] They try throwing some comedy in between some really sappy scenes with disastrous results. They should have left the telling to Dickens in my opinion.
[John] Oh, this was bad. The stinkiest cheese we could have imagined. For that reason, it was a great TV movie but it truly was oh, so bad. Ally Dias suggested it to us… possibly jokingly. I believe Ally loves us enough to only teasingly want to torture us this way. Simultaneously, cheesy TV movies do give me the warm fuzzies, even at their worst.
10. Help for the Holidays - 2012
An elf, who wonders if there is more to life than making toys, leaves the North Pole to help a busy mom and her family regain the Christmas spirit.
[Lana] So sweet, this will give you cavities but again in that wonderfully cheesy way that you may not mind at all.
[John] This was great! I really loved this one. Perfectly tender and innocent, it gave me all the fuzzy feels.
11. Dear Secret Santa - 2013
A woman begins getting romantic Christmas cards from a secret admirer who she believes to be an old neighbour that has been dead for 3 years.
[Lana] This movie is basically The Lake House if it was filmed at Christmas time.
[John] There were aspects of this movie that were endearing and then there were moments when I actually exclaimed, “Did they take that directly from The Lake House?!?” Some warm moments mixed with some ridiculous cheese… still a cute one to watch.
12. Christmas Oranges - 2012
This is the story of a young orphan girl who inspires hope to all those around her.
[Lana] This was by far my favourite movie of all the films we watched during our 12 movies. I am a big fan of period pieces in the first place and love anything Edward Herrmann is in.
[John] This was, without hesitation, my favourite too. I cried so much – happy tears and sad tears. It was a beautiful showing of love, kindness, and empathy. We have been repeatedly singing “Lavender Blue Dilly Dilly…” ever since it ended.
Bonus
John skipped out on a few that we decided to make our bonus selections, so only Lana had this pleasure…
1. Let It Snow - 2013
A big company wants to commercialize a family lodge but when the new owner’s daughter starts to feel the Christmas spirit, she has second thoughts.
[Lana] This was the classic story of how holiday spirit seems to always conquer the overwhelming powerhouse that is commercialism and big business. If only that were the case…
2. Journey Back to Christmas - 2016
(SUGGESTED BY PHIL CHILDERS)
A nurse from World War 2 is transported to 2016 and shares some of the Christmas traditions from her time.
[Lana] Sometimes, by looking into the past we can slow down and see a different, and sometimes better, way.
3. Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas - 2013
A rock star tries to fix his image by granting a fan’s wish by playing a concert in their small town. While there he sees the true value of family and holiday spirit.
[Lana] A rock star goes to a small town, stays with a reverend and his family, learns morals, gets sober and falls in love. That is a Christmas miracle…and so is making it all the way through this movie.
[John] To be fair… I did start watching this one but was so truly bored that I slept through most of it (I was desperate for sleep but I likely wouldn’t have made it through the movie even if I hadn’t been completely exhausted).
Songs
1. Little Drummer Boy by Boney M
[John] Our first movie of the 12, mentioned that the “Little Drummer Boy” inaccurately portrays the sound of drums as “pa-rum-pa-pum-pum”. So, naturally, we needed to use this song for our first choice.
2. Little Saint Nick by The Beach Boys
[John] This seemed entirely appropriate, given the role that Tom Cavanagh plays in our second movie choice.
3. I Believe in Santa Claus by The Mills Brothers
[John] This was fitting, given the challenge that Tom Cavanagh’s character faces in Snow 2.
4. Hey Guys! It’s Christmas Time by Sufjan Stevens
[John] The adventure that our lead character takes and the emotions that rip through Patty Duke’s character throughout this movie, for whatever reason screamed “Sufjan Stevens” to me.
5. There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays by The Carpenters
[John] The theme of the Dean Cain movie spoke to the importance of family and being ‘home’. Every time I thought about the movie, this song played through my head. So, I decided it should be our selection for our 5th TV movie.
6. Zat you, Santa Claus? By Louis Armstrong
[John] I really can’t provide much reasoning for the majority of my song selections and so for the most part, you see me writing that it felt “appropriate” more often than not. When choosing this one, however, it was also a toss-up between Louis and Dr. Teeth & Electric Mayhem. Louis won out, but it wasn’t an easy choice.
7. The Secret of Christmas by Ella Fitzgerald
[John] After watching Pete’s Christmas, I was left with wanting a song that spoke to the meaning of the holiday and the spirit of the season. Ella makes me happy, and “The Secret of Christmas” seemed to do the trick for this one.
8. Walking in a Winter Wonderland by The Eurythmics
[John] I struggled trying to find the right song for A Dog Walker’s Christmas, so I finally handed over the responsibility to Lana. It didn’t seem to take him long to decide on The Eurythmics and I couldn’t agree more with his choice.
9. When Darkness is Falling by Boney M
[John] I may have been rushing with this one and honestly didn’t remember that we had already posted a Boney M song in our list. However, if you remember from last year, I said that Christmas is not Christmas for me without Boney M. As such, it’s actually fitting that we added them twice to our experience this year.
10. Where are you Christmas? By Sam Lin
[John] Indeed, where are you Christmas? In the life that our sweet elf chooses to experience and influence, the Christmas spirit is a challenge to find. Thankfully, it all works out for the best and the world is set back on its correct axis.
11. Oh Holy Night by Aaron Neville
[John] This was a song that was sung in our eleventh movie (think Lake House meets 80’s family values television) and I wanted to use the same song, but a completely different version that we don’t often hear.
12. Oh Holy Night by Apocalyptica
[John] You would think we would have realized that we had just posted this song for our previous movie, but we were so caught up in all the feels and wanting to find a suitable selection for this movie, that we completely lost sight of our previous choice. So, you get Oh Holy Night for a second time. However, this is an instrumental version that is in stark contrast to the Aaron Neville style, so it feels like a different song. Also… if I can post Apocalyptica for something, I will. We wanted to remain with a traditional feeling for the song for Christmas Oranges and Apocalyptica stayed true to this mood in their rendition.
[John] Thank you everyone, for playing along with us on this Christmas journey. I thoroughly enjoyed the TV movie experience and though it has been strange not watching all of my traditional films for the season, I am quite happy with the warm fuzzies I received from all of the cheese… mild and stinky alike.
Thank you, Lana, for another sentimental experience and the quality time we spent together during these movies. Though we did multi-task through some, doing up our Christmas cards and some crafty items, this time together really made my heart smile and I couldn’t ask for more than that. I love these adventures of ours.
Merry Christmas to all of you, our dear friends and readers. Your support has helped us navigate another year in this often-crazy life, and we value you all so much. We wish you all much love and happiness in the New Year. May it be filled with warm fuzzies and great health.
Beware! He's Coming...
DECEMBER 6th, 2016
By LANA CARBON
It was such a shock to me when December 1st came and went so quickly this year; it made me wonder where all the time had gone. It felt like only yesterday we were writing about our Hallowe’en movie experiences. It has been an extremely busy year for me and John. We had so many plans for what we had wanted to do with the blog this year but a multitude of things have happened to keep us otherwise occupied, such that we never really had the opportunity to put those plans into motion. With the holiday season now here, time is an even rarer commodity but I wasn’t going to let December 5th go by without doing something special… of course, I had no idea what it would be.
For those who may not know, December 5th is Krampusnacht (Krampus Night). This is the night where Saint Nicolas and Krampus visit the children (especially in Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, etc.) together. If the child was good, St. Nicolas would leave candy in their shoes but if they had misbehaved, Krampus would punish them by beating the kids with birch branches or even taking them away in his sack or basket, to never be seen again.
Unfortunately, John and I are not going to have time to attend one of these runs (although there is a Krampus Ball on December 10th for anyone in the Toronto area who may be interested), so to commemorate the day I sat down and drew the following picture of Krampus. John helped by electronically adding the lettering and border once my drawing was complete. It felt great to work on something creative again
Hopefully it won’t be long until you see a few more posts from us. We have a few interesting articles we have been working on, as well as our upcoming 2nd Annual 12 Movies and 12 Songs for the 12 Days of Christmas, that will be starting shortly.
Until next time, behave yourselves! He is coming after all!!!
