My friend Jenn suggested we post about our favorite things this Christmas…and since I am out of time and imagination, here goes.
ps. These pictures are all from Thanksgiving…I have nothing from last Christmas on this pc.
*Getting family in ONE place at ONE time. Being so spread out…we often spend Thanksgiving with mostly my side of the family and Christmas with Coach’s side. And during these holidays…one side is always asking about the other…they all love each other. Family; it’s a true wonder. And I love that I am in the middle of all this hub a hub.
*Decorating. Pulling out those dreaded boxes of ornaments…in minutes, they are not so much dreaded as a walk down memory lane! (hence my Lennox unicorn from 1981, the one that survived Mama Kong)
*Making the house smell like a pine tree. I am adamant about a fake tree (some tree hugger huh?) I am so fearful of our house burning down…so bring on the fakie and the Yankee candle scents.
*Our big Italian dinner. Be it Christmas eve or day. (depends on if my BIL has his kids Christmas eve or day) This tradition came from my Mom…handed down (in divorce) to my dad. It is all I know. And thankfully, Coach and his family have embraced it. Lasagna…antipasto, ravioli….ummm it is the best. Bring on the carbs!
*Relaxing. Since we did away with all the gift giving…just something small for the kids..the stress has just lifted from me. I LOVE this feeling. So freeing.
*Charity. We are pretty charitable all year round….but it seems this time of year we get more ‘needs’ in front of us. We give as much as we possibly can. And then some.
*Having a house full of laughing/happy people. This is what I envisioned years ago…and whenever it is present, it makes me giddy inside.
Just giddy I say!
What are your favorite things this time of year?
Gosh…I hope you have some too.
I really love the fact that I get time off work! And being able to spend it with my husband.
ReplyDeletei have so many ... going through and putting up the ornaments is always fun. oyster stew and tamales, not necessarily together, is a good one. shopping and having an elf to wrap is fantastic. having all of us together is way up there too. and those sausage, cheddar and bisquick thingies are way up there with us. xoxo. i love you, girlfriend. merry christmas and lots of blessings in 2010. xoxo.
ReplyDeleteI love the lights and just being with loved ones whether it be friends that are like family or family. Another of my favorite things are my blogging friends, like you, that I have come to love and I see each of you as gifts.
ReplyDeleteI love getting snowed in at this time of year...just having everything come to a complete stop...and it looks like we are getting this as a Christmas gift as it is suppose to start snowing this afternoon and dump 1 to 2 feet over today, tomorrow and Christmas and even a little more over the weekend. Since we will not likely get to travel as planned we will build snowmen, have snow fights, go sledding, drinking hot cocoa(with a little peppermint shnops added to ours) and watch some movies and play games and do lots and lots of shoveling! :)
I love all your happy family pictures. I pray that you and yours will have a happy & merry Christmas. I know you will! XXOO Lori
I love the dressing. Why oh why do I only make it twice a year when it's so dadgum easy?! I have no idea. lol I love looking through the ornaments and remembering what was going on when we bought them. I love my little family and we plan on spending some wonderful time together during this Christmas break. : )
ReplyDeleteI love all your family pics. You light up the blog when you post a pic of yourself smiling and/or laughing. Hugs to you (and yours) and Merry Christmas too!
Ha! We have the pine spray to make our fake tree smell real!! Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the year...just bursting with anticipation :)
ReplyDelete"This is what I envisioned years ago…and whenever it is present, it makes me giddy inside."
ReplyDeleteYES!
Holy cow, it must have dropped down to 70 for Thanksgiving, you have a sweatshirt on!! tee hee!
ReplyDeleteI love that you say you have an Italian Christmas. The pastas all sound good, but our traditional Big, Fat, Italian Christmas Eve isn't about pasta, it's about fish. We ALWAYS celebrate with the Feast of Seven Fishes. Yum! I would venture to guess that you'd be able to get some great seafood down there in Florida.
Merry, merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family!!!
Love the new header, Suz!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite thing this year was making Christmas for someone else.
I love the way the house smells and the way the outdoors smells to.
And I love the music!!
I love that you are a tree hugger...and that you have an arificial tree (my husband was a firefighter so no real trees were allowed).
ReplyDeleteHave you considered having both sides of the family together for the holidays? Any holiday will do....maybe 4th of July.
I love you most for the example you set for your girls with the giving thing. It's a good feeling and a wonderful lesson that they will carry on.
Love you, Suz...
I love the music of Christmas. We listen to Handel's Messiah every Christmas eve. Being with, or at least talking with, family members is also a wonderful traditional.
ReplyDeleteHi Suz, I somehow missed this post... Did Blogger not publish it???? Maybe I just missed it. Glad I did a second check!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have a great schedule --being able to spend time with both sets of families --on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Interesting that you eat Italian on Christmas... I could never do that--but my tradition is the traditional turkey and trimmings (just like Thanksgiving). I guess I'm too old and old-fashioned to change now!!!! ha
Have a very very Merry Christmas.
Lotsa Hugs,
Betsy
It may sound corny but I love reading about happiness, food, decorations and other's lives - makes me forget the blues :)
ReplyDeleteLife is good.
Life with amazing people in it such as you is much, much better!
(( hugs )) and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
love all of it.
ReplyDeleteI do love the music.
the carols especially.
and O Holy Night is my favourite.
Have a joyful Christmas Suz.
:-)
Merry Christmas Suz!!! and to all your favorites.
ReplyDeleteMay blessings of giddiness follow you where ever you go, what ever you do when ever possible. :) OXOX
Wonderful post and I wanted to wish you and your family a safe and Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures, your family all look like such fun people. Yankee candles...mmmm...that brought back some nice memories. I love the sugar cookie candle.
ReplyDeleteMy family used to use live candles on a real tree, can you imagine?? Relics from my parents' time in Germany (Army assignment). I shudder now to think of burning candles on a real tree in the house! Ah, I guess those were simpler days.
I love that we eat Mexican food for Christmas, because we just ate turkey a month ago. Italian also sounds awesome!
I loved this post! Hope y'all had a great Christmas! We are winding down.
ReplyDeleteHere is my Christmas secret: I HATE the "lead up" to Christmas Day, but I love the day (and Christmas Eve) itself... (crazy-weird, I know).
Here are my favorite parts:
1) Putting the ornaments on the tree that my kids made in elementary school. I saved all of them. Glitter and dried macaroni RULE! :)
2) Being surrounded by the LOVE and LAUGHTER of my family. My 2 favorite very favorite things.
3) Giving my dogs their requisite big rawhides. Watching one dog eat hers immediately and the other (sensible) dog, go into the backyard, scout a good "secret" spot and bury it for later. This happens like clockwork, every single Christmas Day. :)
4) Seeing how loopy my mom gets. This year my son told her that "Beer is better than wine" and she said "Beer can cure the blind?" (I think it's time for a hearing aid.)
5) GIVING. GIVING. GIVING. Does a person good.
6) Being thankful for Jesus.
Merry Merry Christmas!
PPS: And the way the real Christmas tree makes the house smell. Love it.
ReplyDelete