That Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It's Monday so let's talk about Christmas, shall we? Who has a to-do list as long as their arm this week? Who thinks blogging is a good use of their time anyway? I knew I wasn't alone.

Our weekend kicked off with a Friday night Christmas party at the home of one of hubs co-workers. Four of the party go-ers spent the night here afterwards which was fun...we had a leisurely breakfast before they all went on their merry way Saturday morning. After they left hubs and I may have accidentally on purpose indulged in big lazy naps and movie watching for a large chunk of the afternoon.

There I go again, making good use of my time.

Actually I could make the case for a good nap any day of the year, but especially in December. I felt like a new woman on Sunday and I'm pretty sure that's due to my Saturday afternoon siesta. We did manage to squeeze in a little wrapping and card writing too, and by we I mean me because hubs only wraps under duress. Plus he had places to go and people to see which is really code for work, so on Sunday he headed to his home away from home-aka the airport. Don't feel too sorry for him though because he's in the fairy tale village of Heidelberg.

Without me.

Which might make me sad except one of us has to be home to collect this little cutie pie from the airport in a couple of days-

Okay, so that's a picture from a long ago Christmas past but seriously, is she the cutest thing ever or what? Daughters coming home from university for the holidays makes me supremely happy. Especially daughters who love to bake and have worked in retail where they learned to tie beautiful bows.

I truly do have loads to tick off my list today so I will leave you with a picture of 'something sticky' which is our prompt for today's photo challenge....

Isn't that mitten bowl cute? I make several batches of this Christmas Chex Mix throughout the month of December. It's easy and delicious and completely addicting. We usually take a bottle of wine to our party hosts but I also like to package this up in a festive container tied with ribbon and a Christmas ornament and voila...a fun little hostess gift.

You can find the recipe online but it's Christmas so I'm saving you the trouble-

8 cups cereal (I use 3 cups each of rice and corn chex and 2 cups cheerios)

2 cups salted peanuts

2 cups pretzel sticks

1-12 oz. bag of red and green m & m's

1 lb. white chocolate

Combine the cereal, peanuts, pretzels and m & m's in a large bowl. Melt the chocolate and pour over cereal mix to coat. Dump it all out on some waxed paper to harden. Enjoy!

Away in a Manger

For the past several Decembers I've traveled with a group of friends to Christmas markets in one charming German city after another.

The market stalls are loaded with vendors selling amazing food, jewelry, scarves and, my personal favorite, beautiful handcrafted Christmas decorations. There are so many choices it's hard to know what to buy. Occasionally our decisions were based on luggage space which is sad but true.

I have brightly colored nutcrackers, delicate glass ornaments, a small hand carved nativity and, one of my very favorite souvenirs, a German pyramid. The pyramids come in several different sizes but mine is four-tiered with six candles around the bottom tier. When you light the candles the paddles on top of the pyramid slowly turn.

I chose this pyramid because it held all the pieces of the nativity story. In the center of the bottom tier you'll find Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus in the manger. All around this scene are the intricately carved camels and kings.

The two middle tiers feature shepherds and their teeny tiny sheep...

And on top of it all is where you'll see the sweet choir of angels...

I can almost hear them singing.

"And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." Luke 2:7 (NIV)

This post is linked to the December photo challenge hosted by Susan...today's prompt-Away in a Manger.

Santa Claus is (still) comin' to town

Has Santa always been controversial? When I was a kid I didn't know anyone whose family didn't include Santa as part of their December celebrations. Well, other than my Jewish friends but they got presents for eight days straight which always made us just a little bit envious.

My own parents didn't go overboard. I mean my dad never donned a red suit or climbed out on the roof to ring sleigh bells but he did love the excitement of Christmas morning. And my mother stayed up til ridunculous hours getting our stockings filled and making sure everything would be just so when her family descended the stairs at o'dark thirty. I think most mothers would agree that Santa would be nothing were it not for Mrs. Claus.

In recent years it seems there is much discussion about the influence of Santa...the commercial side of Christmas has definitely been amped up a hundred fold since I was a kid. I do know that as a child I never confused Santa with Jesus. We heard the real Christmas story at Christmas time (and throughout the year) and were taught the importance and real meaning of the day. Santa Claus was something else and we understood this.

We knew we'd go to church at Christmas time. We went to church every Sunday and Christmas would be no exception. Besides I loved church, especially in December. As an adult the Christmas Eve service has become my favorite part of the holiday. Even so, the excitement that built as Christmas day rolled around, that sense of anticipation my siblings and I felt, is something I will never forget.

I remember going to bed on Christmas Eve feeling like my heart might burst. It was full. I felt a special measure of love on Christmas Eve for the sister with whom I shared a room. Oh we may have argued on other days but never ever on Christmas Eve. We were giddy with excitement and whispered across the space between our twin beds long after the lights went out. We'd tell each other that the sooner we went to sleep the sooner it would be morning. And somehow, in spite of ourselves, we would sleep.

I remember waking while it was still dark. My older sister would come into our room and the three of us would creep not so quietly into our brother's room to wait for the street lights to go out. It felt like hours and it may have been. We weren't allowed to wake our parents if the street lights were still on.

My mother took such care in wrapping our gifts and she still ties beautiful bows. We each had our special places in the living room and knew right where to look for our stockings which were, and still are, our favorite part of the day. Once those were finished we'd have a big breakfast before opening other gifts. The morning seemed to stretch on forever.

I don't remember my parents using Santa as a means of keeping us in line. He was more the jolly character who came quietly in the night and left happy childhood memories in his wake. While there are one or two gifts that stand out, the thing that bubbles to the surface of my heart when Christmas comes round is the sense of belonging to a family who loved me unconditionally.

I'm fairly certain a metaphor could be inserted here.

We've carried on similar traditions with our own girls at Christmas. One year hubs had taken the girls to the mall for some last minute shopping. We knew Daughter1 no longer believed in Santa (these thoughts are never said aloud) but Daughter2 had nary a doubt. A reporter from the local newspaper was there and he stopped them for an interview. He asked Daughter2, 'How does Santa get all those presents down your chimney and into your house?" Hubs could not believe his ears. Was this reporter going to ruin Santa for Daughter2 just days before Christmas? She was considering his question for a moment when out of nowhere Daughter1 piped up and said, 'Well, he climbs up on the rooftop and....and...he just does...it's really kind of magical." Problem solved. By a ten year old.

I found a few pictures from that long ago December day. I'm linking them for today's photo challenge since the prompt is 'Santa Claus'. Daughter2 needed to talk to Santa and Daughter1 went along with it in the name of sisterhood and make believe.

Christmas, 1998

Daughter1 is perfecting that thing tweens do with their eyes that parents dislike. She is sitting quietly but inside she is shouting-Do NOT take my picture with Santa! I'm too grown up for this.

Santa doesn't think so...

He asks Daughter1 what she wants for Christmas while Daughter2 tries to calm her nerves and remember her list. (Daughter2 always always has a list.)

She succeeds.

I love this Santa...he takes his job seriously.

And I love these big little girls, who at ages 8 and 10, loved Christmas and Santa and each other. They had imaginations as big as the sky and it was there they tucked Santa once Christmas Day had passed. These big little girls loved Jesus too. Still do. He lives not in their imaginations, but deep in their hearts...on Christmas and everyday after.

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." Luke 2:6-7

A Mery Christmas Tale

Once upon a time there lived a family, a mom and dad and their two darling daughters, who grew up and lived in their own apartments in two different states far away from their parents home and hearth. I know that's sad but don't worry, the story has a happy ending.

As with most of life's small details mama was in charge of the family's Christmas card each year. In spite of her babies growing up when she had her back turned for a minute, Mama still wanted to include them in the annual family photo card. She knew it would be silly to have a family Christmas card photo without all family members present and accounted for so way, way, way back in late August she had a brilliant idea.

Her whole little family would be together for a fun filled weekend celebration of baby girls 21st birthday in early September. Mama knew this was her window of opportunity and she seized it. She also knew this Christmas picture would be taken in warm weather under sunny skies so in a fit of creativity Mama decided to add just a splash of the meaning of the season to the photo. She purchased wooden letters from the craft store and painted them a cheerful Christmas green. She even remembered to haul those painted letters through three states to the birthday celebration. Sometimes that whole 'remembering to follow through' part of a great idea is where Mama drops the ball but not this time. No sirree, she was on top of her game.

Let's recap-it was September. Christmas was still more than three months away yet Mama had her whole family together, dressed in non-clashing clothing, smiling for a photographer (okay, brother in law) under sunny blue skies, holding holiday letters she had painted herself. Mama rocks!

The seasons they go round and round and now it's early December. Mama spends hours perusing various and sundry websites to find the perfect template for her photo. She discards all those that are too busy, too wordy, and too tacky until she finally lands on one that is just right. The color scheme matches her family photo to a T and the wording is simple. The photo is the star which is how she likes it.

She ever so carefully enters her text onto the backside of the card template, checking each and every letter as she goes. She reads it back over and over again to be certain there are no errors because a spelling error in the Christmas card might just send mama right over the edge. She hits enter and she smiles.

A week or so later her cards arrive in the mail. She tears open the box, anxious to see how it all came together. She has company in the house though, so she only has a minute to glance at the package and she is happy. It looks beautiful and her carefully thought out plan has come together.

The hubs comes home. She cannot wait to show him the card and as soon as he has greeted their guests she calls him into the other room to see her handiwork. He takes one quick glance and pronounces, 'The word Merry is spelled wrong."

Wait, what?

What did he say? A spelling mistake? That can't be. No no no. Mama had checked and rechecked and triple checked her spelling before hitting enter. She looks at her pretty card again. Mery Christmas.

Mery? Really?

AAAAGGH!!!!

The only teeny tiny bright spot here is that the mistake is not hers. The mistake is on the front of the card in their template. Mama thinks she might cry but instead she sits with her company who are family, and they talk about big serious things going on with people they love and Mama regains her perspective once more.

She calls the printer the very next day and they are apologetic and kind and they give her a full refund and tell her they will give her free expedited shipping and 50% off a new order which makes Mama mostly happy. Since the error was in their template she can't just reorder the same card. She has to choose a new card. Under pressure. So she does. Actually Mama does some of her best work under pressure.

And so a new card will come and it won't be her first choice but the wishes it holds will still be the same. And Mama won't have a picture for todays photo challenge whose prompt was 'stamped and addressed cards' but she will have joy in her heart anyway. Because Christmas is coming, and when she thinks about a baby born in a manger over 2000 years ago she knows that a less than perfect card is not such a big deal.

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child." Luke 2:4-5 (NIV)

Grandma Got Run Over by the Hodgepodge-Volume 56

Gosh Wednesdays roll around quicker and more often in December don't they? If you are ducking some holiday chore like baking or wrapping or cleaning then welcome! And if you're one of those super organized, plan ahead, never procrastinate, have Christmas shopping done in September types, well I guess you're welcome too. Actually everyone is welcome in the Wednesday Hodgepodge...here are my answers to this week's questions-

1. Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special to make your house guests feel welcome? How long should a guest stay?

Will I be hosting any house guests? Do you know us? We pretty much have a steady stream of house guests around here and for the most part that makes me happy. We enjoy having company and most of our visitors are not here for more than an overnight or a weekend. Hubs brother and sister in law were here last night on their journey south and on Friday night we have three or maybe four or possibly six of hubs co-workers spending the night. We're all attending a Christmas party in our neck of the woods which, as the hubs likes to say, is just south of Canada, and since these co-workers all live closer to the big city it makes sense for them to spend the night here. We're hosting my side of the family for Christmas this year so thirteen relatives of various ages, sizes, and temperaments will be here for two, three, or four days beginning December 24th.

As far as making things special...I like to put a little gift bag in their room or at least water and a snack. I make one nice big breakfast and we usually get bagels from The Best Bagel Shop in NJ (literally!)...

Mostly I try to relax so my guests feel like they can do the same.

How long should they stay? I think I'll plead the 5th since potential house guests read my blog and I don't want anyone to feel like they're not welcome to stay as long as they like. They're not but I like them to feel like they are.

2. Walter Elias Disney was born this week back in (Dec 5) 1905...what's your all time favorite Disney movie? Here's a list in case you're struggling...and yes, you have to pick one.

Y'all know I'm not good with the whole 'one' thing, right?

I'm going with The Parent Trap.

3. What's the last thing you purchased that you realized was a mistake after the fact?

I had trouble with this one. I'm not really an impulse shopper and I think buyers remorse is usually associated with impulse shopping. Four houses ago we purchased a couch and love seat that was just eh once we got it in the house. We lived with them for several years anyway.

4. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?

Hmmm...more than 50% but less than 90%...math was never my thing.

5. Amaryllis...snowdrop...poinsettia...your favorite winter blossom?

Snowdrops...we had the sweetest little bed of snowdrops off the patio in our UK house...the weather could be a bit dreary there in the winter and these precious little flowers would bloom wildly in spite of that. Seeing the snowdrops pop open meant spring was not so far away. I don't have a photo but you can click here if you've never seen a snowdrop.

6. What is one thing on your personal wish list this year? I think we all want peace on earth so let's make this an actual item.

I want a new ski jacket but hubs informed me that was no fun and I should just go buy one for myself and he'll come up with his own surprise. I would love a fancy camera. Not too fancy because we all know technology isn't really my friend, but one that allows me to zoom without the picture going all blurry would be nice.

7. If you could only use one word today what would it be?

Hope...that word has become our theme song around here since August.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Using the random space today for my Day 7 photo challenge picture...today's prompt is 'wreath with a red bow'...

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register." Luke 2:1-3 (NIV)

Candy canes, cocoa, and questions of course

Before I post the questions for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge (because who has nothing else to do besides hang out online??) I'm going to share a fun little gift idea I found guess where? Ha! Pinterest of course, home to a gillion great ideas.

I have overnight house guests arriving tonite and even though we're family (or maybe especially because we're family) I wanted to make a little gift bag filled with Christmas cheer. We won't see this particular branch of the family tree over Christmas so I put a couple of little goodies into a bag and also added a couple of homemade items.

One is a cute Snowman canister full of granola. You'll find the recipe here and I'm seriously addicted. It is di-vine! The other homemade item is a container of peppermint cocoa mix. So cute if I do say so myself and really simple to put together. You layer the ingredients in a 1-quart clear container, add the directions for serving, and voila-a yummy comforting chocolate treat.

You'll find the recipe here but the layers are powdered milk, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, mini chocolate chips and...get ready for it...today's Photo Challenge Prompt...'a candy cane or five'.

Actually this recipe called for 1/2 cup of crushed peppermint and I had about 20 of the mini candy canes in my pantry so I used those. I put them in a baggie and enthusiastically pounded them with the back of a spoon. Pretty and therapeutic!

Now on to this week's questions...I know everyone is busy but you need a break from the shopping and the wrapping and the baking, right? Here ya go...be sure to come back tomorrow and link answers with all of Santa's elves.

1. Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special for your guests to make them feel at home? How long should a house guest stay?

2. Walter Elias Disney was born this week (December 5) back in 1905 ...what's your all time favorite Disney movie? Here's a list in case you're struggling...and yes, you have to pick one.

3. What was the last thing you purchased that you realized was a mistake after the fact?

4. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?

5. Amaryllis-snowdrop-poinsettia...your favorite winter blossom?

6. What is one thing on your personal Christmas wish list? I think we all want peace on earth so let's make this answer an actual item.

7. If you could only use one word today what would it be?

8. Insert your own random thought here.

The Magic Hat

We had a fun busy weekend that felt as full as Santa's sack on Christmas Eve. I have a sneaking suspicion this post will feel that way too. Friday night hubs and I had planned to knock out a little shopping, but he called on his way home from the office and asked if I wouldn't prefer a glass of wine and a lovely Italian meal at one of our favorite restaurants instead.

Why yes...yes I think I would.

So we did. And it was fun. And not totally unproductive in that I think we do need to just stop the madness every now and then and enjoy what's right in front of us. It was a lovely evening, much lovelier than any mall or shopping center on a Friday night three weeks before Christmas could ever hope to be.

We each had a fairly long to-do list for Saturday which included baking and decorating and a trip to the hardware store and then another trip to the hardware store and maybe a third trip to the hardware store, but we also penciled in a fun midday break. Our little town has some German roots and in early December they host their own version of a German Christmas market.

Oh, it makes me so homesick for my other life. This is the first year I haven't been to a picturesque little European market since 2003. Sigh. Such happy memories of times spent with friends and daughter2. Big sigh.

Our little market makes for a pretty good substitute. We met the very lovely German woman who started the market ten years ago and she knows a thing or two about what's needed to make small town New Jersey feel like a charming German village for one weekend in December. For starters you need a beautiful setting...

add vendors manning stalls selling handmade German smokers...

lots of wonderful food, a few thousand of your nearest neighbors and of course some Christmas music to keep it all festive.

Consider this next photo my entry in the Christmas Photo Challenge for today. Our prompt was 'something warm and tasty' and stroopwafels definitely qualify.

If you've never tried one you must...they're a Dutch treat, waffles made from thin layers of batter with a caramel-like filling.

Set one atop your steaming cup of coffee and the center gets gooey and even more delicious. Know what else is delicious?

Gluwein in a specially designed mug...this is key if you want your market experience to be authentic.

And now I must say a word about the hat. I jokingly call it the magic hat because whenever hubs wears it we make new friends. It's like a magnet. As we made our way thru the crowds he was stopped over and over and over again and asked about his hat. No less than five people took his picture. Several were German and they told us about their childhood homes across the sea and how it came to be that they were eating bratwurst and sipping German beer in the New Jersey countryside.

Hey, even Santa needed a closer look...

The hat is special. It was purchased several years ago in a teeny tiny town in the Austrian Alps, this one in fact-

The wonderful little shopkeeper insisted he take the edelweiss pin to make the hat complete and so it began. He started adding a pin most everywhere he traveled and now that hat is chock-a-block full of flags and emblems and memories. A very special keepsake.

Is this post long? Sorry. I told you our weekend was full. Besides all of the above and a whole lot of decorating in between we also managed to squeeze in two parties, one on Saturday night and another on Sunday afternoon. The Sunday afternoon gathering is an annual event held at the home of hubs former boss.

She and her husband raise money for a local food bank at this event and its possible her hubs walked a llama thru their gorgeous family room. He and my hubs are like two peas in a pod. Not literally of course because her hubs is uber-uber tall, but in spirit? They are so kindred.

Thus concludes the weekend. You are welcome.