Cinnamon Bear, or Life Without TV

The TV died last week, actually my husband assures me that it is merely in ICU and should recover nicely once the capacitor transplant is complete. You have to understand that I have 4 children, while my husband has two extra babies, his 40 inch flat panel LCD TV and his Nikon D40. So the problems with the TV have been somewhat traumatic. To compound the trauma this is the season where we (the kids) watch endless Christmas videos while Mom (that's me) frantically tries to get everything accomplished without losing it and turning into a screaming banshee. Banshees aren't exactly filled with Christmas spirit and can turn unexpectedly violent when provoked by whining children.

Thank goodness for the computer and internet. It has saved the day! I found The Cinnamon Bear while blog surfing last week. Cinnamon Bear is a radio show originally broadcast in 1937. Each day starting on November 29th a 15 minute episode of the story was broadcast with the final episode on Christmas Eve. The first day the kids thought it was lame, by day three they were listening quietly (miracles DO happen) and begging me to play the next days episode early. It isn't too late to add this to your family holiday, just double up a few days to get caught up.

Youtube has allowed for a few minutes of peace when I really need them. If you search Christmas Cartoon Classics it turns up a treasure trove of Christmas classics from long ago. Such wonders as Christmas Comes But Once a Year (1936) and Jack Frost (1934) are just a few keystrokes away. This is youtube though, so some parental oversight is required.

Christmas music can be found on the internet too. Mikes Radio World has been providing me with a link to home since we moved overseas. I still listen to many of my favorite hometown radio stations even though we are in Germany. In addition to the many station links from around the world, this time of year there are Christmas Music only feeds with holiday music from many different countries. Instead of watching TV we are listening to a lot of holiday music and breaking out the board games. Maybe we will just leave the TV broken a little longer.

**For a chance to win some international Christmas music on CD head on over to Live From Waterloo and check out the contest.