Christmas With The Vanderbilts

We had a fun and festive Thursday in spite of the gray skies and drizzle. Friends had some complimentary tickets to Biltmore House and invited us to use them. 

They actually had four complimentary tickets so another couple of friends came too, and since their car held us all we didn't even have to drive.  

Did  I spend an entire day out of the house doing something fun with family coming to town tomorrow and just a week to go before Christmas? 

Yes I did. Carpe diem!  

Also day date episode eleven if you're keeping count. 

I've been to Biltmore a number of times, but not since 2019 and never at Christmas. Biltmore is known as America's largest home, and was built by George Vanderbilt in the late 1800's.  I've always heard it's extra beautiful this time of year and it's true. Wow. 

Every room has a beautifully decorated tree-

Most light fixtures are adorned with some sort of gorgeous ribbon or embellishment-

Bannisters are wrapped-

And fireplace mantels are draped in garland-

I cannot imagine the amount of work that goes into getting the house ready for Christmas. 

It takes me weeks to get my own tree up and finished, and Biltmore is over the top in terms of decoration. This Noah's Ark tree was adorable-

Animals hanging two by two...

The trees fit the rooms they're in and the decor is appropriate for the period furnishings. 

Christmas dinner anyone? 

You need to reserve tickets this time of year and entry is timed. We went into the house at noon and spent almost two hours walking through. 

After we'd seen all there was to see (or all that's open to the public anyway...apparently the house has 250 rooms so we didn't come close to seeing it all) we drove about thirty minutes up the road to Sierra Nevada for a late lunch. Hubs and I shared a burger and their famous duck fat fries which were yummy. 

We got lucky with traffic and in spite of the dark, rainy, fog made it home about 6:30. It was a fun, full day and while I could have been at home ticking off those last to-dos, celebrating the season with friends is always on my list too.

Check. 

Monthly Musings-December

Hello friends and happy Thursday. Joining Holly (Pink Lady) and Patty (Good Better Best)  for their Monthly Musings link up today, and mixing in some of our holiday home decor just because. Here are the prompts-

1. What holidays do you celebrate? 

In December-Advent, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. I'm not sure Advent counts as a holiday, but it is an important part of the season for me.

2. Scale of 1-10, how into the holidays are you this year? Be honest. 

I'm an eight. I'm excited to have my girls and their families all together this weekend. It's the 'in-law' year so we're having a little family Christmas here on Saturday. When your kids are grown and married and have children of their own, and those in-law children are also close to their families, well...some flexing and adjustment of your expectations as to how Christmas looks absolutely needs to happen. 

Not gonna lie-it may not happen year one, but we're ten years in now and it's all good. Different can still be wonderful. 

Firstly, I love that my girls have in-laws who love them and their children. That is no small thing. Plus hubs and I have spent our entire married life alternating Christmas between our two families due to geography, so we know the drill. I've told my girls if we can manage a get together sometime in December on the 'off' years then we'll make that happen. Personally I don't want to celebrate in January. My mindset shifts to quiet, low-key, and hey let's not eat cookies every night in January, so if we're going to celebrate Christmas together it needs to be December. 

3. Favorite things to make/bake during the holidays? 

I love to bake cookies, but haven't done very many this year. Both my girls bake and will bring their creations here so we'll have plenty. I always make cranberry bread too, and chex mix both the sweet and savory.  

4. Favorite holiday movies? 

I'm not big on the Hallmark movies, but I like most of what we think of as the traditional holiday films. White Christmas, The Holiday, Elf,  Love Actually, and The Christmas Story are all watched here. 

5. Most random holiday tradition?

A picture on the steps first thing Christmas morning, before coming in to the room where stockings have been filled and more presents added under the tree. It was torture when I was a kid, and I think my girls will say the same. Now their children have a picture taken on the stairs so yay for tradition! 

6. Are you hosting for the holidays? New Year's Eve or New Year's Day? 

We're hosting our kids and grandkids this weekend, and then will be with my extended family on Christmas Day which I'm also looking forward to. We haven't thought about the New Year celebration at all. We may have friends in impromptu, or it might just be us? We're okay with low key on the last day of the year. 

7. Favorite way to ring in the New Year? 

I'm not a night owl, but I do try to be awake when the clock strikes twelve to mark the start of a new year. #goals lol. 

Is just being awake considered ringing in the new year? 

Some years we're with friends, some years friends are here, some years it's just me and the hubs and I'm good with any of those. I don't like to be on the road on New Year's Eve. 

8. Any new year's resolutions or word of the year? 

There will be some goals set and many years I do have a word. This year mine was anchor and I'll write more about how that looks in hindsight after Christmas. I haven't given a lot of thought to the new year/new word yet and honestly I typically don't get it in gear in this department until about January 7th so stay tuned. 

9. Favorite holiday songs? 

The traditional hymns and carols from my childhood are still my favorite...

                '...a thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices...' 

                '...God is not dead nor doth he sleep...'

                '...the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonite...' 

10. Favorite holiday memory? 

I could never choose just one. What I treasure most from my own childhood is the warmth and love I felt from my family and for my family on Christmas day. Those feelings bubble up every year and I feel so much gratitude for the people who grew me up. My momma made it all pure magic. 

Decking The Hodgepodge Halls

Welcome to this week's edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post. Be sure to leave a comment for the blogger before you because (kind) comments keep the blog world merry. 

Please note: The Hodgepodge will be on Christmas break next week, so no link up on December 24th. We'll return to our normal Wednesday hop on December 31st. In the meantime, here's what we're answering this week...

1. What's one thing on your to-do list that you want-need-must get done before the year ends? 

Re-organizing my closet. It's gotten away from me and I need to reel it back in. 

2.  December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day...are you a fan? Do you like maple flavor in other food items such as candy, cookies, donuts, oatmeal, hot toddies, coffee? 

I like it okay. On a waffle yes, but even then I don't want it swimming in syrup. Maple isn't a flavor I'd  choose and definitely NOT in coffee. I do put a splash of maple syrup on butternut squash when I roast it, and that's good, but otherwise maple isn't my favorite. 

3. Time magazine names a person of the year every year.  The tradition started back in 1927 with a 'man of the year' but has since changed to recognize not only an individual, but also to consider the impact of a group, movement, or idea that most influenced the year. The selection is not always someone or something good (think Hitler in 1938 and Stalin twice). 

This year they've named The AI Architects as their 'person of the year'. What say you? Is this a good choice, an obvious choice, a logical choice? Who do you think should have been named person of the year? 

I'd prefer to see an individual nominated rather than an idea. Technically they did choose real people involved in AI but eh. AI has its uses for sure, but some of what it can do is still pretty frightening to me. I really dislike having to figure out if something I read is AI or 'real'. 

What a year it has been. I might have picked Charlie Kirk as his murder seemed to be a tipping point in terms of free speech and civil political discourse in our country. 

4. What's a city, state, or country you've visited that you never care to visit again? Tell us why. 

Nothing springs to mind. If there are places I don't care to visit again it's generally because there are so many places in this world I haven't seen, and those spots top my list of places to go over places I've already been. I currently have no desire to go back to San Francisco or Portland.  

5. Next Sunday (December 21st) marks the first day of winter (or the opposite if you're living down under). What's one thing you love about this new season? 

There's a coziness that comes with the winter season that I enjoy. Sitting beside the fire, hot tea, a blanket, a good book, and nowhere to be. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Christmas, 1993

'

We can't make the clock slow down, but we got Christmas here right now, 

Let's soak it up and thank the Lord for another one." 

                                ~from Christmas Through the Years by Matthew West 

Merry Christmas Hodgepodgers! May the peace of Christ fill your heart and home 

today and in the year ahead. 

Hello Holiday Monday

Hello friends. It's crunch time with just ten days until Christmas. Is your to-do list done? Nope? Well pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea, and let's talk about our weekends because why not? It's late in the day for blogging, but does anybody really know what time it is? Or what day it is for that matter?

Linking with Holly (Pink Lady) and Sarah (Sunshine and Books) for their regular Monday hop. 

Honestly this last week everyday felt like the weekend. We had two holiday dinners, I had a luncheon with my volunteer team, a book club party and a neighborhood party. I have just a handful of pictures, mostly food-sorry!, but it's the holiday season and there are lots of yummy bites to be had. I won't post all the pics from our wine dinner last Wednesday, but this appetizer-

Lump crab, compressed cucumber, and a delicate coconut lime vinaigrette. Scrumptious! Hubs knows the chef, and about a month ago they got to chatting and next thing you know hubs had invited him to dinner at our house. It will be fun, and best of all he said he'd cook the quail we have in the freezer. Whoop! I told him if he wants to bring a repeat of this app he should feel free. 

Four of us were in black velvet that night, which needed documenting. 

Friday was a day date kind of day, episode ten if you're keeping track. We went out for breakfast which is one of my favorite things, and then walked over to Hobby Lobby (also a favorite) and then drove downtown to a couple of little shops there. 

Is everyone finished with their shopping because I still need a few bits and pieces to truly call it done. I'm ready to have all the buying behind me, and hopefully tomorrow will be the day. There's a lot of us. 

Hubs didn't even blink when I said we needed a picture in the middle of Hobby Lobby. 

Friday evening we went back into town to watch our two oldest grands in their school Christmas program. Is there anything sweeter on planet Earth? No there is not. Each grade performed a song and then scripture was read between the various class group performances. Max's class sang O Christmas Tree and the Mancub's class sang Little Drummer Boy. 

If that doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit nothing will. 

Watching a child scan the audience for his mom and dad, then knowing when they finally spy them from across the room because their eyes light up and an enormous smile spreads across their face, well it will turn your heart to pure mush. 

I spent all of Saturday morning wrapping gifts. I'm still not done, but I made a lot of progress. We were invited to a neighbor's house Saturday afternoon with several other neighborhood couples to watch the Army-Navy game. Our host made so many yummy snacks along with a delicious turkey chili, plus everyone brought something so a very full table. 

I made the cranberry-jalapeno dip we love to have this time of year (recipe here) and you use a slotted spoon to pour it over a brick of cream cheese. It's the perfect combination of sweet and spicy, plus a mix of textures too. So good! 

The game was actually really exciting and I was rooting for Navy.  My dad was a Marine and attended the Naval Academy, plus hubs and I lived in Annapolis for nine years (non-military) so my loyalty is there. It was a close game with quite the finish. 

Sunday was church, then I hit the grocery store. Hubs vacuumed the whole house and polished the wood floors. I did some prep work for the luncheon I was hosting on Monday (today) and I finally cleared off the dining room table which is where I've been wrapping and writing cards and doing pretty much everything Christmas related. It's been making hubs twitch so he was happy. 

I meant to take pics of the luncheon set up, but I was busy luncheoning. I had nine friends for lunch including my daughter. So fun! She arrived a few minutes early (thankfully!) and helped me with last minute stuff, of which there was somehow a lot lol. 

I made hot chicken salad, a veggie tray, a Christmas fruit salad, and cranberry bread. Everyone brought three dozen cookies to swap and I bought these cute containers for the take-home goodies. The cookies were beautiful and we did not have any doubles.

And that was the weekend. Hope your week ahead is merry and bright! 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 633

Hello Hodgepodgers. Here are the questions to this week's link up. Hop back here on Wednesday (December 17th) to share your answers. 

Please note: The Hodgepodge will be on Christmas break next week, so no link up on December 24th. We'll return to our normal Wednesday hop on December 31st. In the meantime, here's what we're answering this week...

1. What's one thing on your to-do list that you want to get done, need to get done, or that must get done before the year ends? 

2.  December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day...are you a fan? Do you like maple flavor in other food items such as candy, cookies, donuts, oatmeal, hot toddies, coffee? 

3. Time magazine names a person of the year every year.  The tradition started back in 1927 with a 'man of the year' but has since changed to recognize not only an individual, but also to consider the impact of a group, movement, or idea that most influenced the year. The selection is not always someone or something good (think Hitler in 1938 and Stalin twice). 

This year they've named The AI Architects as their 'person of the year'. What say you? Is this a good choice, an obvious choice, a logical choice? Who do you think should have been named person of the year? 

4. What's a city, state, or country you've visited that you never care to visit again? Tell us why. 

5. Next Sunday (December 21st) marks the first day of winter (or the opposite if you're living down under). What's one thing you love about this new season? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Festive Friday Favorites

I've been a Monday-Wednesday blogger all year lately, but thought today I'd join in the Friday Favorites link up (hosted by Erika and Andrea) with a few bits of holiday miscellany. 

1. I spent all day yesterday baking. It was such a joy to be at home, no where to go, nothing to do but spend the whole day in my kitchen. I know that doesn't appeal to everyone, but it's definitely my jam. I also did five loads of laundry,  and sorted out some Christmas gifts and decor that needed sorting. I made two kinds of cookies, two loaves of cranberry bread, and a chicken pot pie for our dinner. 

2. My daughter called on her way home from school pick up and asked if we were around and if so they'd drop by and say hi. It's one of the happiest parts of life right now y'all. A daughter living close enough to drop by. 

Also, I played at least 47 games of tic-tac-toe upon their arrival. My sister-in-law sent this fun set at Thanksgiving and the boys love it. So fun! 

3. I bought two of these little spoon rests at Hobby Lobby back in November and it's a sweet addition to my coffee set up. The other is by my stove. 

I bought these mugs the year hubs and I got married and while there are so many super cute Christmas mugs out there, these remain a sentimental favorite. There are four in the set illustrating the twelve days of Christmas. 

4. I like to leave a box on my front porch for my friends aka the Amazon-UPS-Fed Ex drivers. 

They're here often this time of year, and I know the days are long. I put bottled water and some snacks inside-chips, bars, clementines...that sort of thing. It gets taken so I think it's appreciated. 

5. I took the dog out this morning and was greeted with this-

Let heaven and nature sing!

Ho-Ho-Hodgepodging

Welcome to this week's edition of The Wednesday  Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. Hope your day is merry and bright! Now here we go...

 -

1. Do you struggle with the commercialization of the holiday season? What helps you keep your focus when the season’s busyness and commercialism start to take over?

It's disappointing but I don't know that I struggle with it. I stay in my circle this time of year. I concentrate on my family, and the people whose paths cross mine. Less news, more Jesus and the miracle of His birth.  

I enjoy the message of advent~hope-peace-love and I love the traditional Christmas hymns whose lyrics are timeless. I like sitting beside the tree in the early morning quiet with my Bible. I stay out of the stores as much as possible.  

2. What's one small thing you want to savor before the year ends? 

The excitement my grandchildren feel about everything. We Facetimed with my youngest grandson the other day and when hubs asked him how he was he said 'Christmas isn't today.' : ) 

They love the lights and examining all the ornaments on the tree, spotting Santa, watching the Grinch, and sneaking a just baked cookie or three. It's all magical and their excitement is contagious. 

3. December 9th is National Christmas Card Day. Do you still send Christmas cards? If so does yours include a photo or is it a more traditional card, or maybe homemade? How do you feel about the tradition of exchanging cards at the holidays? If Hanukkah is the holiday you celebrate in December do you send cards to mark the occasion? 

I love Christmas cards, both the giving and the receiving. We have friends and family scattered here there and everywhere and I enjoy hearing from them at Christmas especially. A photo included or as part of the card is nice too. 

4. What's your least favorite holiday related task? What's your favorite? 

My least favorite holiday related task is the wrapping. Does anyone else get a backache when they wrap presents? I try hard not to save it all for the end, but I'm not always successful at wrapping ahead. 

My favorite is probably baking because I enjoy making cookies and I enjoy giving them away. I love choosing our Christmas card each year too. 

5. Let's do a little holiday this or that? 

• shopping or wrapping
• shopping
• baking or decorating
• baking
• eggnog or wassail
• wassail
• real tree or artificial
• real, but we usually have artificial
• turkey or ham
• ham
• white lights or colored lights 
• both! 
• ugly sweaters or matching pjs
• matching pjs
• peppermint or cinnamon 
• cinnamon
• presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Day
• Christmas Day

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Who watched the Kevin Costner special on the birth of Jesus (The First Christmas)? What did you think? There were about a million commercials but overall I thought it was very well done. I'm  happy (and not gonna lie, a little surprised) to see the gospel story presented on ABC of all places. If you missed it I think you can still find it on streaming services and Hulu. 

Merry Wednesday everyone!