Author / Kelly Mattei

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Posts by Kelly Mattei

I grew up in Alabama but have lived in Charlotte, NC, for more than 25 years...longer than I've ever lived any other one place. Growing up, we moved a few times, so when people ask where I’m from, I just say Alabama, even though I have lived in three other states. I have been married for 25 years, and we have one daughter, who has one year of college left. We love being parents, but we also love empty-nesting. We enjoy traveling, star-gazing, walking, and sunshine. I worked in the travel business for 11 years, and I’m always looking for the next place to visit, but interestingly, I don’t like going where everyone else is going. If everyone else is going to Italy or Greece, no thanks. I’d rather go to Latin America or somewhere in the US I haven’t seen before. I’ve never liked doing what everyone else is doing! I have visited 40 states and would love to visit all 50. I also consider myself a “connector.” I like helping people know other people. No, not for money…for fun.
by Kelly Mattei

I’m Glad I Went to College in the 1980s

I’m glad I went to college in the 1980s.

Most people my age probably agree with me on this. I have always thought college was great in the 1980s for lots of reasons, and here are a few:

  • No smartphones. Sure, there are advantages to smartphones. You can call for roadside assistance if you need it. However, you can also take videos and photos with smartphones…not always the best thing for college students. I have to always remind my daughter there are cameras everywhere. I’m just thankful that was not the case in the 1980s when I was a student. We all tell stories about what we did, but we don’t need photographic evidence.
  • Our parents were clueless. I know what my daughters major is, but I don’t know what classes she is taking or what classes she needs to take to complete her degree…that makes me more like an 80s parent. Based on the Facebook parents’ pages for her university, parents are making their kids schedules these days, telling them what to take, and monitoring their progress toward graduation! They’re even checking their grades online! Nope. I don’t have access to my daughter’s grades, and I don’t even know what classes she is taking. OK, so I know she is taking a math and an English class this semester (because she mentioned them in passing), but I don’t know her other classes or anything else. I just expect her to handle it. I do, however, see her grades at the end of each semester, because she shows them to me.
  • Information was in an easy-to-read catalogue. We got hardcopy catalogues about majors and graduation requirements. It made it easy to look up what classes we had to take to graduate. It’s just as easy to look online, but apparently, students don’t do that! Well, I think lots of them do, but apparently, some don’t, and as the graduation date nears, they realize they have more classes to take! How does that happen? If they had a hardcopy catalogue on their nightstands, would this happen?
  • A night out was cheap. Seriously, I think I could buy a bottle of beer at my favorite watering hole for $1.50 or $1.75…then leave a dollar tip. I could take $15 and enjoy a night!
  • Transfer portals didn’t exist. Sure, athletes could transfer, but they often had to sit out a year after doing so. Athletes made their decisions and usually stuck to them. There was loyalty. Now the thinking is more like a 1986 Janet Jackson song, “What have you done for me lately?” There are athletes who transfer two and three times during their college careers! It’s insanity! Not only are they not loyal to their teams, they are ruining their own college experience! That’s just my opinion. People can do what they want, but I wouldn’t want mine doing that. Honestly, I think this generation expects immediate gratification in everything. Maybe we learned something from having to send off film from our 110 cameras and wait a week to see the photos! Now they see the photos as soon as they take them…even faster than a Polaroid! And speaking of Janet Jackson…
  • We had the real MTV! Yes, it’s a thing. We had the real MTV that actually showed music videos and featured music-related content. Plus, there was Remote Control, the MTV gameshow! Good times! How many of us can remember rushing home to see the world premier of the videos for Thriller and The Reflex? For me, that was high school, but even in college, we watched a lot of MTV…I can still dance along with Bobby Brown! (If you’d like to purchase an MTV sweatshirt to help you remember the good old days, click here.)
  • We could make prank phone calls. It’s a fact. We loved making prank calls in college. My junior and senior years , we made one prank call Monday nights…sending a college boy on a wild goose chase, and it worked every time. It was so funny that I often laughed until…well, you get the idea. With “caller ID” automatic now, students can’t make those prank calls now. Well, I guess they can, but it’s not the same.

I’m sure there are lots more reasons I love college in the 80s! My own daughter has said many times that she wishes she had been in high school/college in the 80s, and I tell her, “It was a good time to be alive!”

If you have other reasons it was great to be in college in the 1980s, please share!

by Kelly Mattei

College Student Struggled?

College student struggled?

The grades have come in for first semester, so by now, parents everywhere know if their college student did well, struggled, or failed. I have a friend whose daughter’s first semester was a disappointment, and I told her what I’m going to tell you: One semester does not a failure make.

It happens every year. Kids who were successful in high school get to college and struggle. Often, it’s students who skated through high school, so they never really learned to study. Other students went to college thinking they were the smartest people in the room, so they decided to start with difficult classes, and they weren’t really prepared. They should have started out with a lighter schedule.

My daughter is a sophomore in college, so I know lots of college students. For students who go to college where football is big and Greek life starts in the fall, I always tell those students, “Take it easy on yourself academically first semester. You’re going to be adjusting to college. You’re rushing a sorority/fraternity. Football season is a lot of fun, and there will be lots of distractions. Don’t make the first semester more difficult than it has to be.” My daughter listened and did very well her first semester. Some of her friends even listened! Others…not so much…and they struggled or even failed first semester. They came home and said, “I should have listened.”

But what I want to tell you is that your student can recover! One of my very best friends made a 1.0 her first semester in college! Her dad sold her car and sent her back to college without it, telling her she had one more semester to get her act together. When she went home for spring break, she asked her dad where her car was, and he replied, “You mean my car? The one I paid for? I sold it!” And you know what? At the end of that second semester, her grades were much better. He got her a new car. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think the car had anything to do with it. I think my friend simply buckled down, because she knew her dad would make her leave school and go home if she didn’t do well her second semester.

Another friend had dreams of going to law school. After two semesters of playing too much, her grades were in the toilet, and her parents did not send her back to the university. Interestingly, after working for a couple of years, her parents sent her back to the university. She did well. She graduated and went to law school! Yet another friend made a 1.6 his first semester of college and eventually went on to a prestigious medical school.

Sometimes, kids just need a little kick in the pants…not literally, of course. I mean they need a little wake-up call. Many of them have never experienced failure, so seeing bad grades at the end of the semester is a shock to their system! Some are motivated by it. Others, not so much. And some just need a little more time to mature. What I’m trying to tell you is, “Don’t give up on your kid!” It’s OK to punish your student. It’s OK to sell the car or use whatever “currency” is important to them, but I have seen many first semester failures turn into successes.

Hang in there, Mom and Dad. Encourage your student to work hard and get the help he/she needs…tutors, study sessions, office hours with professors, time management, etc. Check in regularly. Be your student’s cheerleader.

One semester does not a failure make.

by Kelly Mattei

Halfway Through Sophomore Year

Halfway through sophomore year…

Our daughter just returned to college after being home for a few weeks for the holiday break. We loved having her, and I think she enjoyed being here, for the most part, but she was more than ready to get back to school. I could tell she was getting fidgety about being here too long.

And you know what? As much as I miss her, I am thrilled she wanted to get back to school.

We were fortunate to have a fun night last night. Somehow, the three of us ending up sitting in the keeping room off the kitchen with all three of our dogs, laughing and talking about anything that came to mind. I don’t know how long we laughed and talked, but it was a great way to end the break…on a very positive note. That’s not to say we didn’t get on each other’s nerves here and there while she was home. Of course, we got on each other’s nerves a few times. My mother used to say, “No house is big enough for two women.” My mother was a wise woman, but since our daughter is still our baby, our house is still big enough for all of us. While we annoyed each other a few times, the holiday break was full of positives for our little family. Ending it with an impromptu family. night was perfect.

Today, she drove the 450 miles back to school, and a friend rode with her. I will admit that I checked on them several times, and they even called me to ask some questions about the route. Each time my phone rang, I answered with, “Is everything OK?!?” I got questions like, “What’s a safe place to stop for a bathroom break?” I told them to pay attention to the signs and don’t take the exit if the signage isn’t good. Some generally safe places to stop are Chick-fil-a and even Starbucks, but if they don’t feel safe, don’t stop. Another question? “Should I go straight through Atlanta or get on the bypass?” I told her to just go straight through, and it worked out perfectly. She was on the other side of town in no time. Fortunately, her car gets pretty good gas mileage, so they were able to drive the whole 450 miles without filling up. That’s a big relief, because I don’t need to worry about her standing outside the car, filling it up with gas…and being a sitting duck.

We probably won’t see her for about two months, when we visit for Parents’ Weekend, and that’s OK. If she needs us, we can get there pretty quickly, but we just want her to be happy. She is already making plans to attend some basketball games and gymnastics meets this week, so good times are ahead for her! They’re ahead for me too, as I have a trip with a friend coming up this weekend!

If you have a freshman who is returning to college right now, one thing I can tell you is that, for me, it did get easier to send her back this year. She is established at her school and has friends. She is happy with her living arrangement. She is doing well in school, and she is making lots of fun plans. Did I get a little emotional yesterday? Yes. I was in a mood, but then I realized I was simply dreading her departure, and once I gave into it, I felt better. A few tears later, I felt better.

Before I know it, her sophomore year will be over, and she will be halfway through her bachelor’s degree requirements! Time flies, and I’m just happy she’s having fun!

by Kelly Mattei

Keep Passing the Open Windows

Keep passing the open windows.

Words to live by, if you understand the meaning behind them. In 1990, my mother gave me a hardback copy of The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving. I probably wouldn’t have picked it up if I had seen it in a bookstore, but since she gave it to me, I read it. And I loved it. Yes, it’s a weird novel…a little absurd…but it’s good. It’s memorable. If you’ve ever read John Irving, you know he has some pretty crazy ideas in Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Own Meany and The World According to Garp, and The Hotel New Hampshire is no exception. It was also made into a film starring Rob Lowe, Jodie Foster, Beau Bridges, and more, but the film did not do well. In fact, when I met Rob Lowe a few years ago, I mentioned it, and he said, “YOU are the one person who saw it!”

In the novel, the Berry family often uses the catchphrase “keep passing the open windows” to encourage each other to persevere, keep moving forward. It comes from a story the parents tell of a street performer who killed himself by jumping out a window. “Keep passing the open windows” is a phrase they use to tell their kids, when things get bad, keep moving forward. The windows are there, but refrain from jumping through them.

It’s a metaphor. Don’t think I’m saying “keep passing the open windows” to someone considering suicide. That’s a lot more complicated. But smaller issues or problems? “Keep passing the open windows” might be exactly what a friend or family member needs to hear. Persevere. Keep moving forward.

Personally, I have thought of this phrase many times in my life, and I have said it and explained it many times over the years. In fact, I have likely used it several times in the last month! If my daughter calls and tells me she didn’t do well on a test in college, it’s what I say, “Keep passing the open windows.”

Last night, my college football team lost a big game in the playoffs. And you know what I thought? “Keep passing the open windows.” No, I was not contemplating suicide. The loss was simply a blip on the radar of life…nothing big, for sure. Life and death…that’s important. College football games = not important. However, I still needed to manage the disappointment, and for me, the key to managing disappointment (or passing the open windows) is having something else to look forward to all the time. Right now, I have a trip planned with a friend in 10 days, so after my team lost and I knew they wouldn’t be in the National Championship, I turned my attention to the trip I have coming up. I pivoted my attention to that trip! Is it always easy? No, but it’s pretty easy after the minor problem of a football loss, and it’s always a lot easier if I already have something fun planned, so disappointment won’t hit me so hard. It works for me! I’m not one bit sad today about that loss, because I know there’s some fun ahead!

Find your way of passing the open windows when you’re disappointed. It sure makes it easier to keep moving forward.

Keep passing the open windows.

***If you’d like to read some John Irving novels (I highly recommend them!), you can purchase them at Amazon. My personal favorites are A Prayer for Owen Meany (click here), The Hotel New Hampshire (click here), and Cider House Rules (click here).

by Kelly Mattei

Mommy, Mom, Mama, Mother…

Mommy, Mom, Mama, Mother…

All of my adult life, I called my mother “Mother,” except when I was upset. As a little girl, I called her “Mama,” but if I called her that as an adult, it had special meaning. If I called her and started the conversation with “Mama,” I’m sure she knew there was some emotion attached to it. Calling her “Mama” meant lots of different things. It might have meant my daughter wasn’t feeling well. It could mean I was sick, or my husband was sick. It could mean I was upset about something or worried about something. But it could also mean I was excited about something…as in, “Mama, you’re not going to believe this!”

Yesterday was the sixth anniversary of my mother’s passing. Six years without my Mama. I miss her every day, but I especially miss her when emotions run high. Often, I wish I could call her so she could be excited with me, help me with something, or calm me down in a volatile situation. I wish I could ask her for advice when I need it. She was a natural nurturer. She gave good advice, but most of the time, she got me to use my own judgment by nudging me in the right direction. She was a firm believer that it was always a good idea to do the right thing. She also believed we needed to do what was right for ourselves. Many times, when I was younger, she would ask, “Are you doing that because it’s the right thing for you, or because you’re being pressured into it?” She was the voice of reason.

While she has been gone for six years, I still hear her voice in my head on a regular basis. She is still with me. Could I still use her here to talk me down when I’m upset? Yes, definitely. But how many times do I say to friends and family, “Mother would have loved this.” Or maybe, “My mother would have said….” She is still with me, without a doubt. I miss so much about her. I miss the way she listened to me and everyone else she knew. I miss her sense of humor…and it was really good. I miss her strength…her calm. I miss her perspective…how she knew most things we worry about don’t really matter…life, faith, health, death…those were the things that mattered. A bad grade on a test in college? She didn’t care…learn from the experience. She believed life was one big series of lessons, and she was correct.

Last night, I had a social event to attend. Mother would have loved it…a fun party. She loved spending time with young people and she especially loved seeing young people having fun. She loved having energy around her. There were lots of young people having a lot of fun at this particular event. I got home late, and my husband and I did the “post game wrap up” of the event while I enjoyed Bailey’s on the rocks in honor of Mother. That woman loved coffee her whole adult life, and she especially loved Bailey’s in her coffee. While it was too late for me to have Bailey’s and coffee, it wasn’t too late for a little Bailey’s on the rocks. In fact, I was a little hoarse from talking so much at the party, but the Bailey’s was soothing…a good way to wind down before bed…just like talking to Mother used to be.

In a couple of weeks, I’m traveling to Mexico City with a friend for a few days. It was one of Mother’s favorite places. She traveled there with me right before I got married. I had been a couple of times before, and I could hardly wait to share it with her. She loved everything about it…the food, the people, the culture, the architecture, the cathedral at the Zocalo…but afterward, she especially loved the memories we had made. We laughed and laughed, after the fact, about my forcing her to walk up the hill to Chapultepec Castle in the first few hours we were there. The elevation is real. Mexico City is about 7,400 feet above sea level, but I didn’t think about that when I said, “Let’s walk up the hill!” After walking uphill for a while, she told me I was crazy and hopped on the tram. We laughed and laughed. I can hardly wait to share the city with my friend, and while we are there, I will remember my mother too. I’m sure I will share stories about Mother with my friend.

Six years have passed in the blink of an eye. She didn’t see my nephew graduate from college and start his path as an adult, using his artistic talents as a tattoo artist…exactly what he wants to do. She didn’t know his twin brother works for the city and still does the announcing at sporting events…exactly what he wants to do. She didn’t see our daughter graduate from high school, and didn’t get to see her as a college student. Sometimes, it seems like forever since I have seen her, and sometimes, it seems like yesterday. Life is funny that way.

I miss you, Mama.

by Kelly Mattei

Come On Over!

Come on over!

A friend just posted on Facebook that she is happy to be back in her home after living in a hotel for 333 days. Yes,…333 days! A pipe burst on an upper floor in their home on Christmas Day 2022, and they lost most of what they had. In her post, she seemed truly grateful to be spending time in her home again…so grateful, in fact, that they had Thanksgiving on a folding card table using dishes from Dollar Tree. She was determined to have Thanksgiving in her own home, and she did. She also added a reminder to invite people over…telling friends to do it now. Don’t wait until everything is perfect in your home, because it will never be perfect. Have friends and family over now.

I’m sure she has no idea how much I appreciated her words of wisdom. Often, I get lazy or simply forget to invite friends, neighbors, and family over, but I’m going to change that. What am I waiting for? My friend’s “entertain now” theory goes right along with “wear the shiny shoes now,” which I do. Or “use the silver now,” which I also do more often after dining at a friend’s house; she told me she uses hers all the time. Really…what is the point in having something if we don’t use it? If we keep waiting for the perfect time, we will never use it!

Because of my friend’s post, I am planning to invite my friends over more often in 2024. I will invite them for cocktails or lunch or dinner or brunch. I will invite them for coffee or football games or even baseball or basketball games. Can I guarantee I will always serve the best food? No. We might have charcuterie, or we might have steaks. Maybe we will have whatever is in the refrigerator/pantry! Can I guarantee we will have the best wine? No. I can’t even guarantee it will be fun, but it’s likely to be fun, and we are likely to have good conversation. Just know in advance, though, that I might be wearing my shiny shoes and using the real silver…or I might be wearing sweats and using Christmas plates in July…one never knows with me!

If I invite you over in 2024, just know you don’t have to be dressed up. Just come hang out with us. Come laugh with us. And if I don’t invite you? Well, send me a text and invite yourself! We don’t even need to have an occasion. In college, we had a party called “No Occasion Tuesday,” just because. At 56, I look back and think “no occasion” is the perfect reason to get together with friends.

I hope to see lots of friends at our house in 2024!

by Kelly Mattei

Moms After Christmas Day (again!)

Moms after Christmas Day (again!).

Two years ago, I wrote a piece the day after Christmas titled Moms After Christmas Day. You can see it here. It’s recognition of all the extra work moms do during the holidays…the list-making, the shopping, the wrapping, the cooking, the baking, the scheduling…and that’s in addition to our regular roles! Lots of moms even take on extra part-time jobs just to make Christmas happen for their families. And no matter how old our children get, moms still want the holidays to feel special.

My husband and I have one daughter. She’s 20 now and a sophomore in college, so Christmas at our house looks a lot different than it did 15 years ago. It’s still fun, but it’s fun in a different way. And you know what? There’s still a lot of preparation that goes into it. As the mom of the house, I still do all the preparation. I’m fortunate to have a sweet husband who will help me upon request, but truthfully, the ultimate responsibility of the holiday is mine. I orchestrate everything. I purchase everything. I wrap everything. I cook everything. I even play bartender! Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy every minute of it. I really do. I finally feel like I have everything planned out in advance now, so I don’t end up dropping the ball on anything. I wrap the gifts as I purchase them, and I love wrapping and making bows…it gets me into the spirit of the holiday. And the meal prep? Well, I even got that right this year! In fact, this year, the timing of the meal even worked out perfectly! We weren’t waiting for biscuits to finish baking. We weren’t waiting for any particular dish to be ready. Somehow, I managed to make it happen on time! And after the meal? I directed the cleanup efforts…and the whole family participated! One cleared the table. One loaded the dishwasher. One put away everything else.

And today? The day after Christmas? I have rested. It’s raining, so I have the perfect excuse to stay in my pajamas. In fact, right now, it’s 3:40pm, and I am still in my pajamas. Am I embarrassed about that? Not one bit. In fact, I’m a little bit proud that I have been lazy after being so busy for the holidays. In fact, it’s my gift to myself. I have watched a little television. I have talked on the phone. Well, I have done two loads of laundry, but that’s all the work I have done…and frankly, because I enjoy doing laundry, it’s not really work at all. There aren’t many household chores I enjoy, but I do enjoy doing laundry…including ironing or steaming. Just don’t ask me to vacuum.

Our daughter is out and about this afternoon. That’s a lot different than just a few years ago when the new toys were still exciting. I do regret that she didn’t get any toys this year. In fact, she told me a college friend’s mom insists that everyone in the family should get at least one toy every year. I love that! The friend got a pogo stick this year, and I immediately wished I had gotten one for our daughter! She was quite good at pogo back in the day, so it would be fun to see her do it again. So my daughter and I have made a pact that all of us will get at least one toy next year. We will see what we come up with!

Today has been a lazy day, but tomorrow, I will hit the ground running. There are more things to prepare for before the New Year’s celebration, including a big party on the 30th, so there won’t be any laziness tomorrow! Until then, I’ll be searching for the next movie to stream. Or maybe I can watch a few episodes of some favorite old shows? First, though, I’m taking a shower and putting on some real clothes. It’s time.

by Kelly Mattei

Fun Holiday Cocktails for New Year’s Eve

Fun holiday cocktails for New Year’s Eve.

I’m 56 years old. The last thing I want to do for New Year’s Eve is go to a big party with lots of people. Like many people my age, I want to visit with good friends, enjoy a good dinner, and drink a few cocktails before returning home to watch New Year’s Rocking Eve on TV from the safety of my own bedroom. This year, we have a big party to go to on the 30th, so I will be all “partied out” after that. Just give me comfy clothes, good friends, and fun cocktails. I will be happy.

In the past few days, I have looked up recipes for some good, easy cocktails, and I’m sharing them with you now.

  • Sugar Cookie Martini. This is a personal favorite! It tastes like a traditional sugar cookie, but not quite as sweet, and that a good thing, in my opinion. If vanilla vodka is difficult to find, I recommend Pinnacle Whipped Vodka or Pinnacle Cake Vodka…both good substitutes. See the recipe here.
Sugar Cookie Martini photo from Wholefully.com

  • Mistletoe Margarita. I had one of these recently at a friend’s house, and I highly recommend! A little tart like a regular margarita, but with a merrier taste! See the recipe here.
Mistletoe Margarita photo from Delish.com

  • Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail. This is a personal favorite…for the ease, and because I love champagne cocktails. However, I usually substitute Prosecco for the Champagne, simply because of personal preference. For a non-alcoholic version, you can always substitute white sparkling grape juice. See the recipe here.
Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail from thespruceeats.com
  • More cocktails. The ones listed above are my personal faves, but there are lots more out there. I also love Bailey’s on the rocks…super simple, and even soothing! But to see more holiday cocktail ideas, click here. You can get great ideas for cocktails to prepare ahead in a pitcher.

I hope you all plan to enjoy the remainder of the holiday season as much as I do! On Christmas Day, we had some friends over and tried a few of these different cocktails…all were a big hit! And if you want to do something different, maybe try Drunken Cherries! We made batches of them! You’ll need to start them at least 24 hours in advance, but they are super easy, super good…and boozy, so don’t let children have them under any circumstances! See the recipe here. (We used Pinnacle Whipped Vodka and Pinnacle Cake Vodka. We also used melted Andes Mints on some of them for a twist on the flavor!)

Happy Holidays!

Remember, be safe…don’t drink and drive.

by Kelly Mattei

Wrapping Gifts

Wrapping gifts.

I love wrapping Christmas gifts. I am the person who, usually, wraps them as I get them. That way, I’m not all in a kerfuffle on Christmas Eve trying to balance my glass of Prosecco and wrap gifts at the same time. I learned several years ago that wrapping in advance was the way to go, because I fell ice skating on Christmas Eve and broke my wrist but still had gifts to wrap! Try wrapping gifts with a broken wrist! So yes, I try to do it as soon as I walk in the house with the gift.

Throughout life, I haven’t been known for my gift-wrapping skills. My mother made me start wrapping birthday gifts for my friends when I was in kindergarten, but that doesn’t mean I was good at it. When I was in middle school and high school, however, I would purchase gifts at department stores that offered free gift wrap…just show the receipt with the gift and get everything wrapped for free! Ahhh…the good old days, when department stores hired school teachers as temporary gift-wrappers during the holidays. We would arrive at the gift-wrap department to see our teachers working hard behind the counter…tearing paper off the big rolls and speedily wrapping our gifts for our parents.

These days, I love shopping at locally-owned boutiques that offer gift-wrapping services (The Buttercup on Providence Rd in Charlotte!), but I also love wrapping gifts. My skills have improved over the years, but I have never claimed to be really good at it…until now!

Earlier this week, I went to a Favorite Things party, where each attendee brought a wrapped gift…something they love…and put it with all the other gifts. Each person picked a number, and in numbered order, they picked a gift out of the pile. My “favorite thing” contribution to the pile was a book from Southern Living called Southern Cocktails, which you can purchase here. When the recipient picked it up, she remarked that it was beautifully wrapped, and as silly as it sounds, I found myself feeling elated to hear that! I guess my skills have improved over time! I had wrapped it in a vintage-print paper with a red and green hand-tied bow, and I was so proud that you’d have thought I had discovered a cure for polio! Of course, I held in my elation, because how silly would it have been for me to look too proud of my wrapping?!? Once she removed the wrapping, the recipient also loved the book! It has some great recipes for cocktails, so I highly recommend it.

Personally, I have always thought of gift-wrapping as an art. I don’t consider myself an artist, but I think I do a pretty good job! And all my gifts for this Christmas are wrapped, so if you need help with wrapping, and you live in Charlotte, I’m happy to come over and help!

You’ll just need to supply the gifts, the wrapping paper, tape, ribbons, and a bottle of Prosecco.

***My links for Amazon are affiliate links, so I will receive a commission for items purchase through the links.

by Kelly Mattei

Away In A Manger

Away in a manger…

This morning, on “the Facebook,” a friend posted a video of a live nativity scene made up of some adorable children at a church in East Tennessee. The children are dressed as Mary, Joseph, an angel, and some sheep…all gathered around Baby Jesus in the manger. It’s a beautiful scene…right up until one of the sheep steals the Baby Jesus! Honestly, it might make it even more beautiful, because kids will be kids. In the scene, a little girl is portraying a sheep, and I guess she decides Baby Jesus needs to be held. She picks him up and begins swaying to the music with him, until Mary takes him away from her and returns him to the manger…and repeat. You can see the video here.

It reminded me of the live nativity at our church when our daughter was a little girl. It was presented outdoors at our church for two weekends during the Christmas season, and it was, indeed, beautiful. Our daughter, as a toddler/small child, found it fascinating, and she longed to portray Mary. In fact, when she was four, she spent a large portion of the Christmas season pretending to be “Mother Mary,” dressed as Mary with a head veil when we were home. I don’t recall her wearing it in public, but she wore it a lot at home. The days of her pretending to be “Mother Mary” are far behind us, as she is a sophomore in college. As a small child, her great aunt had a nativity scene on a table in her home, and when we gathered for the holidays, she let our daughter place the tiny, ceramic Baby Jesus in the manger before we had lunch. She was thrilled, and even though she did get to portray an angel in a Christmas pageant at a friend’s church when she was six or seven, she never portrayed “Mother Mary” in a live nativity scene.

When I was a little girl, I admired the small, wooden nativity scenes my mother had in our house during the holidays, and I especially remember a live nativity scene at a local church. The Biblical figures were portrayed by adults instead of children, but I remember driving slowly past with my family to see it and being fascinated. I thought it was the most beautiful scene every year.

When our daughter gets home from college for the holidays tomorrow, she will spend her time visiting with friends in town, going on vacation with me, and possibly visiting friends in other cities. However, we will take some time to visit a live nativity scene together, and we’ll drive around and look at Christmas lights throughout the city.

I doubt she will dress as “Mother Mary” this year, though.

***Feature photo is from a beautiful nativity scene in the Iglesia de San Felipe (Church of San Felipe) in Casco Viejo, Panamá City, Panamá.

***In Charlotte, we are fortunate to have the Billy Graham Library, where we can enjoy a live nativity during the holiday season, starting at 5pm, every day except Sunday, through December 23. Tickets are required but are free. For info, click here.

***To see other nativity events in the Charlotte area, click here.