Naughty or Nice

Christmas is almost here. I love Christmas, it's one of my favorite Holidays. The Christmas music, special winter time hot beverages a la Dunkin Donuts, and yes even the snow. Now normally I hate the snow, but this is the one time of year I actually like it.

What kind of Christmas music would one find in my Pandora or iTunes?... Well that would be the Classics artists such as: The Rat Pack, Gene Autry, Nat King Cole, The Ronettes,  1940's Christmas, a Very Special Christmas (all of them), you get my drift. I can sit and listen to Christmas music for hours.

One thing I'm just not really all about is shopping. I mean I like shopping as much as the next person, but I think Christmas has become far too commercialized over the years. It seems to get worse with each passing year. I was a-gasp when I learned that one of my favorite places to shop Kohl's was going to stay open 24hrs a day until Christmas. I'm all for capitalism but that is just silly. I mean how much shopping does one have to do for crying out loud? Not to mention how it affects the employees who have to work the overnight shifts.

For me Christmas is about the birth of my Lord and Savior Jesus. I do buy a few small gifts for my immediate family, husband, and furkids, literally a handful of people. Gifts are great but I love going after Christmas and scoring some great finds, so buying gifts for me is super easy... can anyone say gift card?

So since the big day is almost upon us, why not take a break from the hustle and bustle for a little laugh? Check out this episode of "Ava The Diva" and see what happens to Greek Girls who are mean to Santa. Make that mean to Santa or Mr. Bricks her manager, one may never know.

Maybe a big ol lump of coal in the stocking... Here's my little disclaimer: "Ava The Diva" is my alter ego to the sarcastic tenth power. Wishing you and yours a great big smile, time spent with friends family and loved ones, and a beautiful blessed Christmas!

Blessings,
Ava xo
www.avaaston.com

Christmas In July

What's wrong with celebrating Christmas In July?

Every summer when I was a little Greek girl I would battle my sisters for supremacy of the blanket forts that we made around the house. The winner would get the other sister's allowances and then be able to go on a special shopping trip with mom. The losers had to stay home and only wished they could have been named the BFQ - Blanket Fort Queen.

It was one of those stupid made up games that we all played as children that meant the world to us as we were playing them. I do remember going back and forth each time on the rules... like any Greek girl's hair style, they were also always changing.

We played the game a few times each summer. The game rules were supposed to be simple. You had to make a fort using only the blankets from your own bed. You were allowed to use other props to accessorize, like dining room chairs, coat rack, garbage cans, pots and pans or anything else that wasn't nailed down in the house - Except Mom's Tupperware - Holy Hannah, I made that mistake one year and made a mental note in my still developing noggin - If you wanna live to be able to grow up to be a rock star, then never ever touch Mom's Tupperware again!! Lesson learned.

Good thing Child Protective Services never stopped by for a surprise visit during a game of Blanket Fort, by the Aston girls. Otherwise, CPS might have thought that our parents made us live in make shift structures all over the house.  But luckily that never happened.

Eventually we all quit playing the game because, not to brag or anything, but I would always win. (Woot Woot)  There was no way I was rigging the game because our Mom was always the judge. Each time, as if she had been trained by Martha Stewart personally, Mom would go from fort to fort and give a tour of each. Talking about the highlights of each fort.

Maybe it was to foreshadow things to come, but I remember I always had a little hand-made sign on the outside of my fort that said, "Mom, please remove your sneakers before entering!"  and then once inside I had a plate of cookies waiting for her. Mom must have liked the little brown-nosing, because as I said - I was crowned BFQ  game after game.

But something would happen when Mom and I would go on our special shopping trip. I would feel horrible. I felt really bad that I had taken my sister's allowance and was going to spend it on myself. So I never did. I always would tell my Mom that I had an idea. I said I wanted to use my money and buy my sisters something.  Mom would always say, "Oh Ava, that is such a great idea!" She had that same response every time, as if it was something new popping in my noggin.

I mostly bought candy for my sisters. But having multiple allowances worth of money in my jean pockets, I was able to buy lots of it. When I went home I would gather the losers, I mean
my sisters in my winning fort and distribute the candy.  My sister Marie once said, it was like Christmas in July.  Indeed it was. Even as a youngster I always knew it felt much better to give than to receive. What I didn't know then was that Mom always picked my fort as the winning fort because she knew that I would always share the the winnings with my sisters.

So as we wind down the month of July I just want to shout out to everyone, Merry Christmas (in July)! Now go do something nice for someone else.

Blessings,

Ava

xox