What is Christmas?

For too many years we have listened to the Christmas commercial hype telling us we must have this, or must do that to have the perfect Christmas. But Christmas isn't about material things. Putting aside for just a moment the reason behind Christmas, Jesus birth, the holiday is about spending time with loved ones; family and friends who care about you. It's about the imperfections that make us laugh and cling to each other when all we want to do is give up, or cry. Christmas is a celebration of our support groups in life. The acknowledgment of the love we give and get everyday. So what are you doing for Christmas this year? Are you rushing around trying to make everyone else's Christmas special, or are you taking time to be with them and create Christmas memories?

Remember the times when you made Christmas cookies, played with wrapping paper, sang to your children at bedtime, gave and received hugs with relatives and opened your heart to the possibilities in life. Don't give up on the joy behind Christmas just because the wallet has more room than usual. Teach the young to make things, to visit neighbors and family; encourage traditional love. The best thing about Christmas is the feeling of being loved by someone else.

So is Christmas in the wrapping paper, the bows, the gifts? Or is Christmas in the arms that hold those gifts? My favorite memories were the ones when we as a family tried over and over again to get the Christmas picture right; often with lots of wonderful mistakes! I hold on to those memories like gold. To me that is what makes Christmas.

Ok, story time for all good girls and boys...
(and all frog lovers everywhere!)

The Little Blue Frog

Once upon a time in a country far away there once was a company that created a little animated short to display their amazing creativity and ability to help companies advertise. It's inventor, Erik Wernquist, also known as the amazing frog tamer decided to use a little blue frog. The essence of the short digital story was the ability of the bored little blue frog to use his imagination and create a 2 cylinder motorcycle on which to play. He is so successful that the imaginary motorcycle takes off with him on it!

What a wonderful little frog. So cute but so...naked. The little short (made in 1997) was called 'The Annoying Thing'. This short was seen by lots of people who so enjoyed it that they told their friends, who told their friends, who mentioned it to a few million people. The result? This little blue frog became known as 'Crazy Frog'. A company contacted Erik and suggested he market the little ugly thing, to which he promptly replied..."Really? Seriously? hmm, well, ok, but I don't know who would buy it."

In the meantime, realizing that so many people were beginning to ask for more of the little blue guy, he created a music video based on the song from Beverly Hills Cop. And so was born the 'Crazy Frog' epidemic. From little videos to dolls that ding ding, to posters, cd's and a hundred other marketing ideas (which include ring tones) an empire was born. About which a much richer Erik Wernquist smiles, while scratching his head still trying to figure out what it was that made people really like his cute little animation.

Here it is... the original. I might want to remind you that he is wearing a vest and nothing else... something I didn't notice at first viewing...which was more than 10 years ago. However, the debate when the marketing reached America raged on, and many of his American appearances have the small appendage simply air-brushed out. Please don't be offended, remember that the culture in other countries is a lot more liberal where advertising is concerned and for the Netherlands-it is considered extremely tame and children are allowed to view it unsupervised.

http://hem.bredband.net/turbo2/the_annoying_thing_320x256.mpg

And here is the first music video Erik created:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k85mRPqvMbE

Long live Crazy Frog! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee