Category: holiday

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Christmas

Designer Christmas and Complementary Colors

cartoon of a man and a green monster in a Santa costume. The Monster says, "The great thing about being a monster around Christmas is it's the on day I can wear a red outfit with my green skin."

cartoon of a man and a green monster in a Santa costume. The Monster says, "The great thing about being a monster around Christmas is it's the on day I can wear a red outfit with my green skin."Christmas is one holiday where we see red and green everywhere. It grabs our attention. Any other time of the year, we would be chided for wearing such clashing colors. My wife has spent the better part of thirty years reminding me why that is a no-no… except at Christmas!

Red and green are color complements. If we look at a color wheel, red and green are opposite of each other on the wheel.

Basic Color wheel with primary and secondary colors
A basic color wheel with primary and secondary colors.

Complementary colors fight for attention. They bring energy and strength to any object or artwork that uses the colors together. Isn’t it a bit ironic that a holiday associated with peace, comfort, and joy has such a color theme?

Then again, Christmas isn’t quite as it seems. A king is born in a barn. Shepherds are the first to visit the newborn. Magi must keep the good news a secret from another, insecure, power-hungry king.

There is much more to Christmas than peaceful nativity scenes and carols about sleepy towns and babies that don’t cry.

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holiday

First Sunday of Advent

Single lit Advent Candle
Cartoon of a boy rejoicing because Christmas is coming
Christmas is Coming! ©2006Kevin Spear

I love this time of year because the anticipation is building. True, yesterday, I lamented how Christmas music in some areas has been playing for a month. but this is where the excitement of Christmas becomes real.

This morning, I get to teach the lesson to our elementary kids at Salem church. We will start with the prophecies in Isaiah 9, 53 and Micah 5. In churches across the world, the first candle of Advent will be lit.

In the darkness, a single candle of hope begins. After a few days of Thanksgiving and gratitude for the present, we can focus on hope and anticipation for the future.

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holiday motivation

Fear and Pumpkin Spice

Cartoon of a woman and a trick or treater. The woman says, "Happy Halloween! Here, have a pumpkin spice latte!"

The goblins will be out in a few weeks. They will scurry down well-lit streets for their treats. Adults who don’t want to shell out their life savings for treats will hunker down in coffee shops for some pumpkin spice concoctions. the irony is that those hand-crafted drinks may cost as much as a couple of bags of “fun-sized” treats.

Halloween will be one of those few times people will meet their neighbors. Another irony is that most of those neighbors will wear masks and costumes. Perhaps that is why some may be inclined to vacate their premises and go elsewhere while the little ghosts, goblins and super heroes roam the neighborhoods. It’s an ironic time of year!

We fear what we don’t know. Some of us will respond by stocking their cupboard with treats in order to minimize the tricks. Others will simply abandon their abode for one night. Is one better than the other? I can’t answer that. Personally, I’d prefer to give out the pumpkin-spice lattés. But I’m guessing they would lead to more tricks than treats.

In any case, face your fears and make sure your little goblins will be safe.

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Adobe Photoshop Bible Christmas holiday The Gospels

The Christmas Story in a Speed Drawing

This year, I had the chance to illustrate the Christmas story for a family party. I narrated the story from Luke 2 and Matthew 2 in the Bible. 

May you have a merry Christmas!

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cartoon children cartoons Christmas holiday

Naughty, Nice or Gross?

Cartoon of a boy and girl. The boy asks, "I can't be naughty during Christmas? What about gross? Can I be that?"
When people talk about doing something they know is wrong, they frequently describe it as feeling dirty and want to get clean. Boys, on the other hand, love to play in the mud. They jump at the chance to get messy and gross. If they can get Mom, a sister, or a friend that is a girl to be repulsed by their condition, so much the better!

This Christmas, maybe the best gift would be to let a boy get messy without getting on Santa’s naughty list. There has to be a place in the garage or in the basement you can spread out some paper and let the kids get a little creative and messy this holiday season. Just watch out for glitter. Once that is out of the container, that stuff shows up everywhere!