Mark’s Christmas “Must-Do-Watch” List
With over 50 years of Christmas experience, I’ve come to develop a few habits that always get me in the Christmas spirit. Here are some of the things that are staples for me, coupled with some observations on the season.
- I still cry every time Frosty the Snowman melts in the rail car. Oh, sorry, I should have spoiler alerted that.
- Bob and Doug McKenzie’s version of The Twelve Days of Christmas is the gospel as a Canadian. “A beer in a tree.”
- Watch the 80’s movie A Christmas Story. A cult classic.
- Charlie Brown’s Christmas remains one of the most incredible things about being a child. If you know anyone named Charles, start calling them “Chuck” immediately!
- The Flintstones‘ Christmas episode is also an underrated classic
- Harry Potter movies are great to watch over the holidays.
- I never wrap gifts except during the holidays. I love hiding in the basement at 2 a.m. with scissors, tape, and wrapping paper.
- My most cherished Christmas gift was receiving five books from the Robert Arthur-written Three Investigators series. Hint: the joy of receiving a book is timeless for a child.
- If you have not wasted a day assembling anything for your kids during the holidays, you have not lived and don’t understand sacrifice.
- Being awoken at 6 a.m to open presents. Coffee tastes best on Christmas morning.
- Donating to charity. We should be giving all season but, it takes on new meaning during the holidays.
- Watching New Years’ Eve broadcasts and realizing how far musical standards have fallen.
- New Years’ Eve bingo with family. We finally got the grandparents to fork out $1 per card. Yippee, I got BINGO and $3.25!
Laugh and enjoy this holiday season. As Andy said in The Office finale, “if only someone could tell you this is the best time of your life.”
Mark
Background Story
The Boys Who Danced With The Moon (this cover shown was my initial choice) was my first novel and came out about four years ago. Truthfully, it was in the making since I was about 21. I studied management at McGill and had to take a business writing course. The professor asked us to keep a journal during the course, and it evolved into a form of diary/therapy. And in the process of the semester, I discovered my love of writing and wanting to be an author. Back then, the path to becoming a writer was overwhelmingly daunting. Life and a career got in the way but, I never stopped writing. For years, I filled whatever paper with random musings and mainly, poetry.
A few years ago, I finally wrote the first chapter of what became my debut novel. It developed into the outpouring of my long-dormant teenage soul. The novel is about growing up in the 80s and captures the meaning of friendships and the loss of innocence. At it is heart, it is about that first love and the profound effect it can have. In the novel, the main character is just surviving as a thirty-something businessman. He receives a reminder of his past (a tragic event), causing him to rediscover who he once was and what he dreamed of.
I believe the novel has resonated with readers because we all lose part of ourselves as we become adults, and the beauty of life is discovering it was always there waiting for us to return to it.
Enjoy, and thanks!
Mark
P.S: A little trivia. The character, known as “Moony” actually was named after Keith Moon, the drummer for my favorite band, The Who.