Sir Beads and I have been trying to add some regular exercise into our schedule. Health experts seem to agree that walking is very beneficial so, about a month ago, we began to walk a few times per week.

Winter is fast approaching, and because that means snow, ice and freezing temperatures, we’ve decided to walk at the shopping mall where the weather is always good! 😉 There are several malls in our area and we figure we can alternate among them so as not to get too bored. We’re not attached to any walking group. We just try to go during off-peak hours. Each mall has previously been measured for walkers so we know how many times around equals a mile or more.

People have asked if we feel extra tempted to shop and spend money with all this mall exposure. But honestly, that has not been the case. We’re pretty focused on walking and if we shop at all, it’s after our walk. By then we’re usually a little tired and don’t want to stay much longer.

Last night, however, I needed some shampoo and toothpaste so we popped into the Walmart. As I went off in search of the hair care aisle, Sir Beads headed over to electronics (which is to him as the crafts department is to me – a fun place to browse!) Anyway, as I was glancing at the shampoo, he came up behind me with a DVD in his hand.

“Do you think you’d be interested in THIS?” he said with a knowing smile.

My eyes lit up. It was one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time: The House Without A Christmas Tree. Up until now, all I had was a scratchy homemade videotape that I’ve been babying since the 80’s! I was thrilled to see it on DVD and for only FIVE dollars!

Originally a 1972 made-for-TV special, this heartwarming story takes place during the 1946 Christmas season. It’s a tale of a young girl who has lost her mother and is being raised by her grandmother and her aloof father. It was a small budget film so it has the feel of a stage play with sets and scenery that evoke the atmosphere of an age-gone-by. The acting is superb – especially that of Mildred Natwick who portrays the grandmother. I found a short collage of scenes from the movie on youtube and I’ve included the link below.

Run; don’t walk, to Walmart and try to get your copy! (It’s also available on amazon for $8.99 where it received 148 reviews, 137 of which are five stars!!!) Then, some day before Christmas, make yourself a nice cup of cocoa and snuggle up to watch a story that might just become part of your holiday traditions. 🙂