27 December 25

Today (27 December) we are celebrating our Kleppinger/Wheeler/Wollenweber family Christmas! One annual tradition for us is a ten-way gift exchange (among the adults), and it's always fun to discover how DrawNames.com has matched us up this time. And of course we have presents for our eight grandchildren. My tie shows fancy ball ornaments -- of the 150 (?) on our tree, about five are like that!

12 December 24

I'm taking advantage of a special event to wear a Christmas tie! Tonight, Berea Home Village has a holiday dinner for its staff, members and volunteers. It's a nonprofit organization that's dedicated to providing services to older Bereans, helping them to stay in their own homes rather than move to assisted living or nursing homes. I am involved with managing the organization's software (DonorPerfect) that tracks donations and volunteer hours and all sorts of mailings!

10 December 23

 Second Sunday in Advent 2023: wearing my Christmas ornaments tie on a very blue shirt!

18 December 22

Happy Fourth Sunday in Advent 2022! The theme in many Christian churches today is LOVE. My tie is covered with ball ornaments -- we are finally getting our own indoor trees decorated!

12 December 21

 Christmas ornaments are very suitable for the third Sunday in Advent! In many churches, the third candle in the Advent wreath is pink, to celebrate the "joy" that the Christ Child brings to life.

13 December 20

 The third Sunday in Advent celebrates "JOY." My tie celebrates joyful ornaments!

24 December 19

On Christmas Eve we attended both the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. services at First United Methodist Church of Richmond, Kentucky. Of course I wore two different ties!

19 December 18

Last work day of 2018! Decorations at home continue today . . .

3 January 18

It's the Tenth Day of Christmas! So I'm doing some lordly leaping while wearing these ornaments on my tie. Happy Birthday to writer J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973), Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller (1935-2009), and brother-in-law-extraordinaire Mark Wollenweber (1963).

11 December 16

Feeling quite joyful on this third Sunday in Advent! Beth is leading the children's pageant this evening at Somerset First Presbyterian Church, and I am working on the sound for the children's singing. I also have a speaking part (one line!) as Caesar Augustus. Over the last few evenings we've created costumes for shepherds, angels and Magi! My tie for the day has plenty of ornaments.

7 January 16

Happy "Old Christmas"! Families in Orthodox Christian churches worldwide celebrate Christmas on 7 January, because that date is "25 December" on the Julian calendar. Most importantly, it gives me another day to wear a Christmas tie.

14 December 14

Feeling very joyful on the Third Sunday in Advent!

15 December 13

Third Sunday in Advent 2013 -- associated in many churches with JOY! Orange can be very joyous, especially when complemented with ornaments in many different colors.

12 December 10

Third Sunday in Advent, often associated with "JOY." At church today I will be de-tied and "robed" to portray the prophet Micah, reading the passage from Matthew about the "little town of Bethlehem."

06 January 10

Russian Christmas, my mother's birthday, Epiphany

30 November 09

Christmas ornaments and our Moravian star for the second day of Advent!

01 December 08

So it's the first day of December and we've started decorating the house for Advent/Christmas/Epiphany. I can wear ornaments too.