Margaret DeAngelis

Markings: Days of Her Life by Margaret DeAngelis (10)

Garth : Today is Express a Regret Day. I started it in 2008 as an antidote to the negativity of Festivus, a bogus, manufactured “tradition” that is itself an antidote to earnest good-willing. Although I enjoy expressing a grievance, I think I should mitigate that self-indulgent outburst with an examination of conscience and an effort to acknowledge that I am not always ... (posted Dec 27, 9:49am)

Markings: Days of Her Life by Margaret DeAngelis (10)

Same As It Ever Was : This is the fifth annual posting of my essay about how the True Meaning is revealed through the 1953 Christmas Eve episode of Dragnet. (posted Dec 24, 1:51pm)

Markings: Days of Her Life by Margaret DeAngelis (10)

It Ain't Joy and Cranberries : Today, though, I saw a statement from a writer whose work I generally think first-rate that, in its facile logic and its poor choice of words, had me scrunching up the newspaper and firing off a personal note directly to him. And now I’ll air the grievance here. (posted Dec 22, 8:52pm)

Markings: Days of Her Life by Margaret DeAngelis (10)

O Tannebaum! : Along about the second week in November . . . I began thinking that putting on a full-frills, all-trimmings Christmas this year was going to tax me both emotionally and physically (posted Dec 21, 7:20pm)

Markings: Days of Her Life by Margaret DeAngelis (10)

I Swear It's Not Too Late : Best of Holidailies Five years ago I saw myself as standing at the door of an annus mirabilis. This time, I think, it will be a lustrum mirabilis. (posted Dec 19, 3:41pm)

Markings: Days of Her Life by Margaret DeAngelis (10)

Virgin Wool : Back in fourth grade, Mrs. Smith had called the flowers we etched in Red No. 2 C Glass Wax “pwan-setts.” I was always suspicious of her because she was a “lady teacher,” not a nun, so how could she possibly know what she was talking about? In Sister Rita’s song you had to say “poin-set-tia” to make it fit the ... (posted Dec 14, 5:26am)

Markings: Days of Her Life by Margaret DeAngelis (10)

No Butter Creams This Time : “Never use your charge account to buy food or nylon stockings,” Mother said. “You eat the food and the nylons get runs. Both things will be gone before the bill comes.” I live by that advice to this very day. (posted Dec 13, 7:53pm)

Markings: Days of Her Life by Margaret DeAngelis (10)

I Dream Myself Home : From A Child's Christmas in Harrisburg: The snow was deeper then, and it came earlier, or so it seems now. Fifth Street was lined with trees, and we spent the whole of December walking to school under a canopy of frosted branches. It was colder them, too, so we wore boots and snowpants, scarves, gloves, and hats with ear flaps. (posted Dec 12, 9:27am)

Markings: Days of Her Life by Margaret DeAngelis (10)

One More Time with the Poinsettias : Tomorrow is Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday in Advent. It was the traditional date for my Holiday Open House Extravaganza, the first of which was held in 1990, only a few weeks after I picked up a Pillsbury Quick and Easy Party Plan book at about a quarter to five one evening in the checkout line at the supermarket, flipped ... (posted Dec 10, 11:51pm)

Markings: Days of Her Life by Margaret DeAngelis (10)

Playlist : I [started] a Christmas playlist . . .. . So far, only “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock” have been acquired. I will definitely be adding “Gaudete,” “Veni, Veni Emmanuel,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” (I told you my tastes were eclectic.) (posted Dec 9, 10:55pm)