Showing posts with label holiday cheer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday cheer. Show all posts

7/4/11

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!

Celebrate with your family and friends. Enjoy BBQ, swimming, and company!
Be safe when playing with fireworks.

See you on the flipside!

12/1/10

Turning Grinchy McScrooge into Festive Cheer

FYI: I had written my Monday post on Sunday when I was still in the post-Thanksgiving doldrums and pre-Christmas cheer.  By Monday, I was a happy little camper again, since the hubster had put up the tree the previous night after I went to sleep. He's such a good guy--I'm allergic to dust and dang! those things get dusty!

But that didn't stop my long distance writing bud, Cyndi, from calling me out on it . . . literally.  Cyndi called to give me a hard time about being Grinchy McScrooge and I have to admit that, yes, I was feeling a touch of the Grinch when I wrote the blog.  And for anyone who bakes, cooks, knits, crochets or makes anything homemade, please, please, please give them your heart-felt thanks for their efforts, because it IS a lot of work, not counting the time and money involved.

So, on Tuesday, I pulled up my candy list and checked it twice, jotted down the ingredients I would need to make candy.  So, yes, I will be making about 30-40 pounds of candy again this year.  I love experimenting with truffle and caramel centers.  I think my favorites are Lime Gimlet (lime and gin), Whisky Toffee (self-explanatory), and Bananas Foster Caramel.  I might need to try a strawberry margarita one this year.  Last year was the first time I made peanut brittle and it turned out well.  Toffee and turtles are always on my to-do list.

While waiting for my chocolate to be delivered, I started putting out my Christmas stuff.

Now, I admit that I have a selfish Christmas tradition--I have to unwrap everything by myself.  Ornaments, smokers, nutcrackers, etc.  The reason is two-fold.  One, I want to see if anything broke.  Usually there are one or two needing some TLC.  And two, I love remembering when and where I was when I bought them. 

I could tell you about the smokers that I bought in 1987 when I backpacked around Germany and Austria after my brother's French wedding.  A couple of them still have the East Germany stamp on them.  And I'm always on the lookout for unique Christmas ornaments.  One of them is a hand carved face with a potpourri of German spices tied under it.  I have a small snowman painted gourd that I bought at Silver Dollar City three years ago. I have ornaments that I bought at Disney World over the last nine years. I've made ornaments with my daughter as craft projects. 

Every item brings back memories, memories that I treasure each and every Christmas.

Do you have a tradition that you insist upon keeping every year?

I would say "Write on!", but I'm taking a small break to enjoy the holidays.
Happy Holidays!