Beauty Tips for Ministers

Every Minister’s Go-To Boxing Day Outfit

Can you believe we have church again in the morning, pigeons?

My most loving wishes for a beautiful day of post-Christmas rest (or semi-rest, I hope!). I feel a wee cold coming on myself (how many people did I kiss and hug on Christmas Eve? HUNDREDS! I need to learn that thing that the priest at midnight Mass did, clasping his hands on his chest and sort of bowing a hello to everyone — except that is SO not me) and am off to take some Emergen-C. Coffee, too. Oh yes, Lord, coffee.

Non-germy virtual kisses to all! How did you services go? Any wardrobe malfunctions? I used two heavy, blingy hair clips to keep my strands off my face and found that the clips were too heavy to stay in well. I wound up having to roll my hair in order to keep them in. Other than that, I avoided moisturizer and for once my make-up didn’t melt before the 7:30 service.

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I Wish You the Merriest, The Merriest

And a reminder that when all else fails, a pretty little pink cocktail dress with a sprig of mistletoe is always a good fashion choice:

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Beautiful Christmas Cards

Over on my FaceBook page we’ve been talking about this new phenomenon of the family photograph-as-Christmas-card. I am bemoaning the loss of the beautiful, shared symbols of Christmas that used to arrive with the cards– the wise men, the nativity scene, the angels, the fir trees, et al. While I love my friends and their children and enjoy seeing photos of them, I miss the special holiday cards with lovely art on the front and (dare we hope?) a phrase or two penned by an actual human hand inside.

I just don’t really understand it. Since most of us can easily share photographs via e-mail and FaceBook or other social networking sites, I say Bring Back the Christmas Card!! Support a local artist! I have done just that this year and purchased my Christmas cards from Martha’s Vineyard artist Daniel A. Waters. Sadly, Mr. Waters doesn’t seem to offer Christmas cards on his website but if you love these, I bet you could contact him and he’d send you some next year. They’re printed in gold ink on thick ivory paper with ripped edges. $15 for six. Not cheap, but these are printed individually and are frameable art.

If you must send out the photo-cards, may I make a plea on behalf of all of us who are thinking this but too timid to say it? INCLUDE YOURSELF IN THE PHOTO!! Yes, I love seeing how my friend’s children are growing up. But darn it, I want to see them, too!! And watching you wrinkle and lose your hair and waistline is half the fun… it says that we’re all growing older together.

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‘Tis The Season

If PeaceBang has provided you with a personal consultation, gut laughs, good advice and general joy this year, why not drop a tip in her tip jar?

BTFM is a labor of love, and we love it when you love us back.

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Holiday Gifts For the Pastor/Supervisor

Bea wants to know if I have gift recommendations for her, since she and her minister (she’s a Director of Religious Education) exchange small gifties for Christmas.

I don’t know!

I feel as a minister that I just want to thank the staff in some small measure for the amazing job they do all year. I take the office staff out for a lunch so we can have a bit of relaxation in the middle of the crazy. I shop all year ’round for staff gifts. I like themes (candles, gardening, snowmen, etc.). If I find multiples of something really cute somewhere, I snap them up and save them.

I would think that books are always a winner for a minister.
Who doesn’t love nice soaps and lotions and candles?
My office staff gave me a totally cool cheese grater one year. They know me very well; I had been lusting after it at Williams-Sonoma.
My secretary owns a little general store in Rhode Island and always gives us a hunk of amazing cheddar cheese from her place. I eat that cheese from Christmas through to the New Year. I melt it, I cut chunks of it, I eat it with chutney, I eat it on tuna melts. I probably have three pounds of permanent lard on my posterior from that cheese but why quit when you’ve got a winner?

Gift-giving can be stressful if it feels obligatory. Just give something that you would enjoy sharing with your minister. If nothing seems inspiring, I don’t think any gift is necessary. I know that sounds weird but as fellow church workers, I feel like we absolutely understand that there is NO way we would want to add stress at an already crushing time of year, you know? A card or a hug totally suffices.

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Perfect Christmas Gift For the Minister/Priest!!

Remember this old post?

Well, wonderful news! I just received this today from Herr Philippi himself!!

My new book Kopfbedeckungen in Religion, Glaube und SpiritualitŠt has been published recently. The publishing house is St. Benno Verlag, Leipzig. This hardcover book showcases the entire Philippi headwear collection and more in over 1,000 fascinating and exclusive photographs.

Info on ordering the book is here. Scroll down for English options. It is available in the UK through Amazon, and in the US and Canada through Powells City of Books in Portland, Oregon or here.

Danke to Herr Philippi for letting us know about this book, and congratulations on the new publication! We love your work here at BTFM.

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