Happy Boxing Day - Happy Holidays 2020 Everyone

 

Happy Boxing Day December 26

Happy Holidays Everyone

Now as an American (US), we don't celebrate Boxing Day as they do in the UK and other places.

But I've always thought that we should. So for years I have celebrated the day on my own, in my own mind. 🤣

I used to say that in my life I lived in the US during the work day and then at night I lived in the UK in my mind, since I watch lots of British TV programs

Many in the US celebrate Kwanzaa (December 26 - January 1).  You can read about it at the link: 

https://www.almanac.com/content/when-is-kwanzaa

I became acquainted with Kwanzaa during my years as a weekend volunteer at the  museums.  If my volunteer weekend in late December happened to fall on Kwanzaa we would celebrate it with visitors, staff, and other volunteers. 

As a Cuban (Cuban-American) I grew up celebrating the holidays until January 6, Dia de Los Reyes Magos.

https://cuban-christmas.com/3kings.html

(Now, as a kid, I always received presents from both Santa Claus on December 25 and then the Three Kings on January 6)

This has been a solitary holiday season for many, myself included, because of COVID-19.  But we all know that it is the right thing to do, for our own health and the health of others.  

My two favorite actors favored us with unexpected gifts this Holiday Season

Photo by An Le

Richard Armitage with a lovely Audible Q&A. Below is a bit of the almost 30 minute interview:

Reading & listening purely for leisure is something we all deserve, even (perhaps especially) busy narrators like @RCArmitage. What are you indulging in this holiday break? pic.twitter.com/OEXycLDg67

— Audible (@audible_com) December 23, 2020

Sean Bean as Mr. Wilford surprised us with a familiar, yet unexpected, holiday poem:

 

Snuggle in and listen to Sean Bean read you the story of how Mr. Wilford will destroy Christmas and what's left of humanity.
'Twas The Train Before Christmas pic.twitter.com/c2SjjnVP89

— Snowpiercer on TNT (@SnowpiercerTV) December 24, 2020

Happy Holidays to Richard and Sean🎄

New Year - New Audiobook Challenge 2021 - Listening Books (UK)

 

At the start of this year, 2020, I was looking for a new audiobook challenge for the year.  I was searching Facebook when I found the Listening Books 2020 Audiobook Challenge.  I am now listening (and reading also - for a great book club) my December challenge,  "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.  You can check my blog post of November 30 for more about this month's challenge.

I also tried the Listening Challenge from AudioFile magazine in 2019.

So I was pondering the next challenge late last week looking for a new 2021 audiobook listening challenge.  

I was happy to see a notification on FB this morning that Listening Books has posted a new challenge for 2021.  It's different from 2020's but looks interesting and I think I will try it.

Now I don't belong to Listening Books, a UK Audiobook Lending Charity. They have audiobooks for children and adult members that have "illness, physical, or mental, disabilities that affects their ability to read the printed word."(https://www.listening-books.org.uk/).    

When I decided to join this year I asked if it was OK to do so since I'm in the US, and also would not qualify for membership. They explained that they had opened it to the public on FB in the hopes of learning about new audiobooks from a wider public so that they might then research for their members and add to their lending library.  

I really enjoyed their 2020 Audiobook Challenge.

😌🎄🎅🤶

If you would like to find out more about Listening Books and consider a donation to support their work you can do so at the link below:

https://www.listening-books.org.uk/help-us/donations

They also have a podcast and a blog

https://voluminous.libsyn.com/

https://www.listening-books.org.uk/blog

Now for the Listening Books 2021 Audiobook Challenge: