'Tis the Season to Reread

Fa la la la la...la la la la!

With Thanksgiving come and gone and the Black Friday craziness over (complete with sore legs and feet the next day), not to mention celebrating my first Christmas party of the season Friday night – yes, I’m aware that it’s still November – I’m ready to dive into the holiday season with gusto (now there’s a word I don’t use that often).

I spent Saturday cleaning so that we could take down the Fall decorations and begin decorating for Christmas. I even got my first holiday card in the mail yesterday. By far the earliest I’ve ever received one. They even beat my parents who usually send theirs out December 1st. I like to wait until the first Sunday of Advent to begin transforming my house from Fall to Christmas, and traditionally we start with the Nativity set. It’s my little way of reminding myself and my family about the humble beginnings of this holiday before we get caught up in the holiday hustle and bustle.

As I try to juggle a few extra balls during the season, keeping up with reading and writing can be difficult. I enjoy reading too much to stop, so I’ve decided to devote this time of year to rereading books that I’ve wanted to revisit. I’m doing this for a few reasons: 1) I already have the book in most cases, so I don’t have to make a trip to the bookstore or library. Most books that I’ve loved enough to reread, I’ve purchased to add to my collection. 2) Knowing the story prior to reading, I don’t have to guess what will happen and can enjoy other aspects of the novel (plotting, dialogue,characters). After a few hectic days, it’s easy to pick up the story where I left off.

In my last post I mentioned that I was rereading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and I’ve finished it. The first time I read this novel I had purchased it at midnight, read a few chapters, went to bed, then inhaled it the next day until I finished that night. I read it one other time with a reading group then forgot about it for 2 years. Until last week. Can I tell you how much I loved it? I really savored it this time, knowing what was going to happen, and found some lovely treasures along the way.

Currently, I’m finishing up a reread of Speak (I didn’t get to finish it the week I met Laurie Halse Anderson) and loving it. After that I'm looking forward to rereading Gossamer by Lois Lowry and I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. Maybe I'll throw in A Christmas Carol by Dickens to get in the holiday spirit.

How do you keep up with reading time during the holidays? Or do you just take a break and resume reading after receiving new books as presents when the season is over?

Potter Fever!

I've got it again - Potter Fever. It's contagious and has been infecting my whole family.

1. Symptoms - Connecting real life situations with Harry Potter continuously. For example: Friday when my 11 year old and I were riding in a sluggish elevator I pointed to the door and cast an Alohomora! spell. It opened! (tee hee)

Another symptom - the inability to resist watching the movies or picking up a HP book when it's in the room, and being drawn to anything HP related in stores (the 2011 calendars, the ads for Deathly Hallows Wii game, etc.)

2. Remedies - I've found in the past that it's just easier to give in to the illness instead of trying to fight it. Immersing myself into the Potterworld again is the best remedy. Part of that for me has been chatting with like-minded friends, "Are you getting excited? I can't wait! What show are you going to? IMAX or AMC?" and so on. Also, I can always count on the ABC Family channel to provide HP movie marathons before movie releases. I've seen bits of my favorite of the movies, Prisoner of Azkaban, and also Goblet of Fire (last night) and can hear the music for Order of the Phoenix in the other room now. Another remedy for me has been rereading Deathly Hallows which I started this weekend. It's been almost 2 years since my last reread so I need to get cracking!

3. Cure - As long as there is something new regarding the Harry Potter world, be it a movie, book, theme park, Rowling interview, there can be no cure for me. I'll always be excited by anything new involving Harry Potter. Usually, my obsession is in remission, unless drawn out by someone else who shares my passion for Rowling's world. Then there's no holding back.

I've had some great conversations with a couple of my friends recently who share my obsession. We're all looking forward to Deathly Hallows. I won't be able to see it on the release date but--

Sorry about that! My kids just shouted, "Mom! There's a DH scene on NOW!" *squee* The scene where Scrimgeour gives the trio what Dumbledore left them in his will! Oh, right. There. Did you notice that? Another symptom is squeeing without warning over anything related to---Oh, I can hear it! The beginning of Order! If you'll excuse me for a moment...

Okay, I'm back. See, my husband loves that part and he was on the phone. I had to run to the kitchen and silently mouth, "Order of the Phoenix! The Dementors attacking Dudley and Harry!" so he could watch that scene. Yeah, the fever is rather high right now.

Excuse me again, but one of the kids just asked me when I think Deathly Hallows Part 1 will be released on DVD. (I know, right? The movie isn't even in the theater yet) I'm not so great with Arimanthcy, er, Arithmatic so I may have to ponder this a bit.

Squee!! Another scene! Kreacher telling the trio about the locket in Grimmauld Place! The very chapter I'm on right now!

(I think I need to lie down. I've got it bad)