christmas

CHRISTMAS DAY – The Ashlee Craft Show – Episode 027 – Poetry

Ashlee

It’s Episode 027! I update you on some cool news – two new poetry books have been released in the past two weeks! One is called “A Ship Onto a Sea of Hope” & the other is called “The Walls Were Gray”. Links to both can be found below. On December 31, the next book in the Wonderful Wildlife series is coming out – it’s about Blobfish! Also, I’m launching three new shows in the next two weeks – “Animals with Ashlee” (a pet vlog series), “Explorations” (videos of cool travel & other experiences I have & places I go), & “The Feel-Good Life with Ashlee Craft” (videos about minimalism, health, happiness, self-sufficiency, etc).

Then, I read a poem titled “Christmas Day” from my Christmas poetry book!

CHRISTMAS POEMS

THE WALLS WERE GRAY

A SHIP ONTO A SEA OF HOPE

—

CHRISTMAS DAY

waking up earlier than we normally get up. It’s Christmas!

Christmas Day! the thrill of Christmas gifts fills our eyes

& we’re rushing from our rooms & heading towards the tree

brightly wrapped packages in cheerful colors with bows & ribbons around the tree

we shout with excitement

thrilled, exalted, joyous

we rush around & scarf down breakfast

we don’t want to wait another minute!

when we’re done we rush out towards the tree again

first we remove our stockings from the mantlepiece & dump them onto the floor

beautiful things spill out of them

we shout & smile thrilled by these gifts

then we move on to what’s under the tree, tearing the paper from the gifts

& being thrilled by what we see in front of us

so many dreams, so many wishes, so many hopes

coming true

Christmas Day is one of the best days of the year

the air is filled completely with happiness

& our souls are smiling
–
later on everyone’s in the kitchen cooking

making all the delicious things we’ll eat tonight

kind of like Thanksgiving all over again!

the delicious smell of eggnog

& main dishes & side dishes & rosemary & oregano & cinnamon

& cheesecake & everything else delicious & wonderful

filling the house;

we can’t wait to eat it all later!
–
then it’s Christmas Day dinner

& we all sit down at the table

the house in happy chaos

& us smiling with every cell in our bodies

we eat together

once more thankful for all that we’ve been blessed with

after dinner we talk & laugh some more
–
& when we go to bed that night

tired, smiling, aglow

we are so happy

for Christmas has come once more

“Silent Night” – The Ashlee Craft Show – Episode 026 – Poetry

Ashlee

Episode 026 is THE SIX MONTH ANNIVERSARY EPISODE of The Ashlee Craft Show, so thank you SO MUCH for all your support for it! It’s been so much fun making it & will be even more fun as it continues. For this episode, I read a poem from my Winter poetry book titled “Silent Night”.

WINTER (FOUR SEASONS #2)

Silent Night

silent night / holy night

you sit there looking into the down-turned eyes of lonely strangers / lost on a cold, unforgiving ocean to which there seems no chance of rescue & the boat seems on its last leg / it’s Christmas eve & you huddle in the canvas tents while the boom boom boom explosions nearby shake the ground / fear flows as fresh as the blood in their veins as the cramped isolation begins to take its toll & you suddenly feel as though you’re falling thru an empty world yet the overcrowded illusion & warmth stifles you / the cool night air outside seems as cold as the desperation – frantic grasping rapid fire falling falling falling into an abyss to which there is no return hope is gone from your soul & all you want to do is go home / the isolated desolation & illusion of paper-thin canvas walled tent huddled, silent, seems as fragile as the beating of your heart which could stop any moment & you feel the liquid cool of night air sifting thru your palms / mind goes back to ten years ago when you were a kid

you feel cold despite the heat in the tent & the putrid smell of sweat fills your nostrils & you feel empty – cold – alone – your heart beats madly against the wall of your ribcage, beating so strongly yet seeming so weak like a baby bird just hatched attempting to flap it’s wings & fly / you see the fear felt in your heart mirrored twenty times in the faces around you / what do they think of, what do they feel / the same as you, each in their own way / you avert your eyes to the dirt floor & suppress the urge to tear the nightmare illusions around you down, tear down the canvas backdrop & the projections of people & the illusions of fear / but you can’t / it’s not an illusion & it’s the only reality that there is

your heart aches for your family & friends & the thought crosses your mind constantly that you may never return to them / you wonder why you signed up for this but there’s no turning back & you feel alone in the world

first Christmas away from home / your heart reaches the most desperate lonely despondency distraught with fear & misery

silence is broken / a voice so warm & kind, trembling slightly beneath the weight of the war & world & fear, overcomes the situation & rises to do what they know they must do / they feel the same fear as you & their young face gleams in the pale lighting, a reflection of your own

the song raises thru the air & wafts onto the roof of the tent & it remains there / as more of the song is revealed, the air becomes heavy with the hope & fills the whole tent / other voices join in & you suddenly find yourself singing / your spirit soars & suddenly somehow you know you’re gonna be okay

you’re gonna be okay

the Christmas voices & spirits soaring flying alive for this one moment enter into each heart & hope is restored

in the midst of loneliness & pain came the soft words bringing hope / the midst of war & hate, for just a moment, there was love & peace

silent night / holy night / all is calm / all is bright / round young virgin mother & child / holy infant so tender & mild / sleep in heavenly peace / sleep in heavenly peace

Larry the Owl Saves Christmas – NEW KIDS’ BOOK

Ashlee

Larry the Owl Saves Christmas by Ashlee CraftLarry the owl was excited. It was almost Christmas, his favorite holiday. He loved Christmas because of the pretty evergreen tree he decorated with his family, the cozy feeling of being around the owls he loved, & making Christmas cookies. He loved making Christmas pictures & gifts for his family, & playing in the snow with his friends. But what excited him most of all was the idea of Santa Owl visiting him & all the other owls. When the bully owls at school tell Larry that Santa isn’t real, Larry comes up with a kind-hearted plan to save Christmas & make sure everyowl has a nice holiday no matter what.

Publish Date :: November 24, 2017
Paperback 48 Pages
Genre :: Juvenile Fiction

Paperback

Kindle eBook

The Real Meaning of Santa Claus

Ashlee

The real meaning of Santa Claus

I was 14 & I still believed in Santa Claus.

My parents still hadn’t told me the truth yet. About how they’d been lovingly acting as Santa all those years. They hadn’t told me, mostly for the sake of my younger sister. My parents didn’t want her to stop believing in the magic of Christmas as young as she was. I had my doubts, & they’d grown a little year after year. But I still believed.

Who was Santa Claus? What was the gift-giving associated with Santa really about? I wrote the following definition after reading an article in an old issue of Guideposts magazine. Then I emailed it to everyone in my family. They loved it.

Here it is, with a few minor edits.

“Who is Santa Claus? Now, to most people, Santa is a charming man with a plump belly, white beard, sleigh full of toys, and reindeer. A man who brings presents at Christmas. But Santa is much more then that. He is a figure that withstands all time and boundaries. He is a figure of hope to those who need it most.

So, why can’t ANYONE be a Santa? Not THE Santa, but A Santa. Who says there can’t be more then one Santa? Image if all of the gifts given in the whole world were only given by Santa? Santa’s mission is to make dreams come true. So, make some dreams come true.

Whether you believe in Santa or not, that feeling of giving will still reach you. So, give. Give what you can. Just think of the drummer boy. I mean, he only had his drum’s music as the only thing he could give to Jesus. But he still gave gifts at Christmas.

So, do the same, no matter what you have or don’t have. No matter how much money you have or how little. Give a song. A poem. A story. A “Merry Christmas.” Even a simple smile. Anything. Just give what you can to who you can. Make some dreams come true.

And who says that Santa is only for Christmas? Do this all year round, but especially at Christmas. Give the world your best. Give everyone your best. Be a Santa.”

It was 2008 & this was the year that I finally started realizing that the world was a bit more challenging then I’d previously thought. But it was still good. And despite the uncertainties, there still was magic that existed in a realm of equal uncertainty, but still could be felt.