Certifiable Night Owl
 Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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| I love this topic! Growing up, I did not have Christmas, so for the past 22 years, I have kinda struggled to come up with "traditions" for my family. The PJ's thing is a no-brainer, but of course I hadn't thought of it, lol. This year, I will add that one.
This year, stringing the popcorn and cranberries for the tree only took 8 hours...  As usual, it was only the female units, (me, my 12 year old daughter and 9 year old daughter), that lasted to the end of the task... We string with Christmas music on and just enjoy the time together talking/singing without the distraction of tv or telephones. (I turn them off).
But I have to say that my (almost) 17 year old son hung in there as far as the outside lights were concerned... When it hit 6 degrees, minus the windchill, I opted for making cocoa, but he got the job done. Also having two more sons, ages 18 and 19, LED lights have been the "thing" the last couple of years... They have them installed in and under their cars and that is what they decorated the house with... Quite frankly, I am a little afraid that at one point, a plane may land on my house. This morning, I made the gingerbread and frosting for us to make the annual gingerbread house, after the 3 youngest get out of school. We are weird and open gifts on Christmas Eve... The reasoning is that we spend all Christmas day and evening at my ma's, and it eliminates some of the chaos... She has a huge house and lunch/dinner is buffet style, with our immediate family having 40 people... but it was always me and my "common law step-dad," Mike, doing the cooking... So we bring 2 vehicles to haul all of the kids and the food... Both my step-dad and I were restaurant managers for most of our lives, and he would bring all the chaffing dishes from his work. The two of us were quite the sight to see on Christmas, with our "food safety" training, lol... Talk about being anal... Everything out in smaller portions and refreshened often... Checking proper serving temps of the food constantly... Keeping things stirred and adjusting temps, keeping the cold things on ice... Our "knowing looks," chuckling at how silly my Ma is being with her gravy, (her one contribution to the meal... but dang is it GOOD!), as she is complaining that "it just won't thicken," when it hasn't even come to a boil yet... So, for me, Christmas really is about spending time with loved ones, without the outside world distractions... Focussing on eachother and what we have here and now, and remembering those who have passed on... Cooking is one of my major passions, and I love to stuff those I love with food, lol... So the Christmas meal is always the topper for me. This will be the 2nd Christmas without Mike to cook with... He died shortly after Christmas the year before last... It certainly is not as much fun, being the only one cooking... Nobody to flash the "knowing looks" to... I sure do miss him... The family will continue to chuckle as I fuss over the food from noon until 10pm... Stuffing them all silly... Yep... The biggest "tradition" for me is all about the food and family-time on Christmas day. _________________ Michele Queen Thunderthud (Cat) Cultivating Kitty (Cat) Moon Shine (Black Cat) Wendy Katz Away (Mouse) Little Neigh Sayer (Horse) |
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