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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Granma Anne on Tuesday 19 December 06 16:21 GMT (UK)
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I got to thinking about some of those family Christmas traditions passed along from year to year.
My mother decorates our house to the hilt with Christmas in every room and every corner. Overboard is not the appropriate word, but you are aware that Christmas is in this house. None of her children or grandchildren will go to the extreme that she does after she is gone. However, we all will have good memories of a house full of Christmas.
I have, on the other hand, given my daughter Christmas gifts in the same two boxes for over 28 years. They are just those folder style of boxes that department stores used to freely hand out with purchases of shirts and
blouses. These boxes struck my fancy because they had a large Thomas Nast drawing on the cover of Santa holding a pipe. I loved the Victorian look. It is never a large gift to go in the boxes, this year she is getting fuzzy socks and a couple of other small items. But if the boxes were not under the tree she would be disappointed and so, I am afraid, would I.
What does everyone else do to make a special Christmas tradition?
Granma Anne
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Gramma Anne,
This is a great topic. My mom and I were talking about this at Thanksgiving. My mom has a shaker for making a roux that was her grandmother's and she would never make roux with anything but that. I think the food on the table is the most traditional, passed on for several generations. When the kids and I decorate the tree, we talk about the ornaments, where we got them and/or why we have them. It's a lot of fun remembering them. I also have the copy of Twas the Night before Christmas that my dad always read to us and now my husband reads it to the kids. And then we leave him cookies and milk (and a wee bit of Jameson's).
I love the boxes. It's the little things that are the most special and will always be remembered.
Kath
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I am an only child, as is my Mum, and my Dad had long lost touch with is siblings (hence me starting this family tree lark - I never knew a thing about my family).
So, to keep a small child happy throughgout the day, I got Santa's stocking in the morning, my big present after lunch and a small toy after tea. I still make sure in this household we all get a stocking in the morning (sorry, I mean Santa does that), the "real" present" after lunch and something silly in the evening.
meles
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Sounds good Meles - well you have a big 2nd family here at RC too.
PS: When do we get our presents? :D
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When we were children my parents always put the tree and decorations up the night before my sister's birthday. (16 December) To this day all of us all do the same!
Kerry
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well you have a big 2nd family here at RC too.
:)
Thanks!
meles
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When do we get our presents?
You'll have to make do with my presence on this site ;)
meles
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LOL - works for me - you always have something interesting or funny (or both) to add to a discussion.
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from Tony and Meles:-
When do we get our presents?
and You'll have to make do with my presence on this site
Ahhh, poor Tony P and Meles ... I gave you both a tiny piece of a present ... see
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,201579.15.html
Happy Christmas to you both !
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Thanks! It will be much apprecited, I know. Malaria kills so many in Africa.
meles
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I was an only child also Meles, my dad died when I was only 3 mum and I lived with my grandma, she had parted from grandad (I never knew him,) so our christmas must have been very quiet affairs but strangely I cant remember much about them.
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I hated Christmas as a child. Relatives came for dinner from far and wide and I only saw these adult people once a year, so was very shy. I did not want the big dinner and often caused upset by demanding sardine sandwiches or something similar. I was scared of the thought of anyone entering my bedroom so my presents were always down stairs on the settee. They were wrapped in beautiful red transparant foil paper I carried on this tradition for my children and would do so still if I could get the paper but it seems no one makes it now. One tradition that I have carried through is with the fairy at the top of the tree. She starts life straight and up right, by New Year's Eve she is leaning to one side. If anyone dares to comment I recite,
'I am the Christmas Fairy, my tights are torn and tattered,
I've been out all night with Action Man,
And now I'm flipping shattered '
( depending on who it is the last two words might get a bit bluer)
The grandkids, as did their parents deliberately mentioned the cockeyed fairy to get the verse. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Pennine
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We have two "traditions" in our house. The first one is that when the fairy is placed on the tree it is the yougest child who is in the house at the time that puts her there at the top and when it is time to get the dec's down it is the oldest child in the house at the time that takes her off and puts her away, it is something that I started about thirty years ago when my daughters were small and it now carries on with their brothers and also their children if they are here. The other family thing (can not really call it a tradition) that we do is that on christmas morning I have a small fry up for breakfast (I never eat breakfast as a rule,- and never have fry up's any more- as it is usually a cup of tea) which has to have black pudding/breakfast sausage/fried dumpling/ in it as a reminder of my father's scottish upbringing.
old rowley
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I live alone now, and the big family Christmases of former years are no more. But I DO clean all the family silver before Christmas, which has been a real tradition in the family! I was cleaning it yesterday, and reflecting on ancestors - how I can understand Mum winning trophies for sailing as a young woman, now that I know much more about her grandfather the sea captain; my paternal grandmother teaching Sunday School in a tiny little place in New South Wales, and getting a lovely silver tea service when she left there; my dad retiring reluctantly from his work and getting a silver tray as a mark of his colleagues' appreciation! Brings them all much closer, it does.
MarieC
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Marie,
That's lovely, and so true. All the traditions and reflections make them come to life. My 5-year-old is always talking about her great and great great grandparents and I get a tear in my eye often when she does. It's all a part of us and so important to keep it alive.
Happy Christmas!!
Kath
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Kath,
Thanks!! And you are absolutely right in what you say! :D :D
Happy Christmas to you, too!! ;D ;D
MarieC
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A good fry up with black pudding - room for one more OR :)
That sounds great.
My wife and her family wouldn't even try it, and their idea of a fry-up is vastly different to our English one. Luckily I can buy black pudding over here (eaten in various South American countries) but haven't yet bought any to cook as I need an excuse to make a decent fry up for breakfast.
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I need an excuse to make a decent fry up for breakfast.
"It's Christmas" seems as good an excuse as any!
meles
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We never have fry-ups any more either - a mixture of trying to eat healthy and not having the time to spend cooking loads of different things. Plus we rarely sit down to eat together any more, which is sad.
I used to love the sausage, bacon, black pudding, fried bread, bubble and squeak, beans, grilled tomatoes etc... And then we would start with either grapefruit or cereal, and finish up with toast and marmalade. I wonder where we managed to stuff it all.....
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totally agree with meles.............it's christmas, what better excuse do you need.........go on tony treat yourself........sliced tomatoes/a couple of eggs/bacon/black pudding/a couple of decent sausages/mushrooms and a fried slice...........what more could you ask for............
old rowley
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I think we stuffed in more food in the 'olden days' because we didnt have central heating when I was young, and we needed that fuel to keep us warm !
Bubble and squeak .... mmmmmmmm ....... Yummy ! (Made with sprouts is best !) (But then I'm a sprouts fanatic !)
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GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING: If you are invited to eat at Lydart's house, take a gas mask as a precaution :D
Sorry - couldn't resist that one...
I think you are right though Lydart, it used to be cold without central heating, we just used to have a coal (or coke) fire in the dining room and most of the time we would be congragating in the kitchen, especially when food was cooking. My Gran also used to have a Rayburn, which was going most of the time, and the kitchen was almost always warm, plus those cooking smells.
Cooking a good breakfast on Christmas Day is out for me - for a start there is precious little time to grab anything before 2 little monsters wake up and want to start opening presents, but mostly the rest of the family (American) wouldn't eat it - certainly not the black pudding (but then I could have a large portion all to myself!). And you can't get decent English type sausages here too easily (have to go to a British store). And then nobody eats veggies, so I would have to cook some cabbage or sprouts specially. But - there might be some sprouts left from Christmas Day, although Mother-In-Law likes to saute them in butter, which pretty much spoils them for me - I like mine boiled, and smothered in thick gravy...
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Well am I the exception as I only have a light breakfast on Christmas day ???
I cant face anything heavy as dinner will be mid afternoon, instead of our usual early evening. :) . We never have a starter either.
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I do think that a big breakfast, plus maybe too many nibbles with drinks can spoil what is for many the most special meal of the year.
One year only, I went with the rest of the men in the family to the pub Christmas morning. A few pints and lots of bar nibbles later, I sat down to my meal, already half full and just didn't enjoy it as much as if I had been at home helping prepare it, or savouring the smells wafting out of the kitchen before the meal was served.
I know this year we are having friends over, and I just realised it will be 13 for dinner - uh-oh! But by the time we have all snacked on chips and dip and various other things, the meal will be an anti-climax. Appetisers have a lot to answer for.... An appetiser should be the little bacon wrapped sausages we used to put around the turkey...
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I know this year we are having friends over, and I just realised it will be 13 for dinner - uh-oh!
A little triskaidekaphobia, Tony. Not allowed in the town I live in, with a university that was founded by 13 men with 13 dollars...
I was also born on the thirteenth of a month, and my 29th fell on a Friday (won't share the year). Thirteen of us went out to dinner and had a ball.
Kath
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PS: Kath - you put your age on your profile ;)
Ha - still younger than most of us :'(
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Ah well. I am an honest lass, although a tad slow on the uptake at times. :-[
Kath
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No problem Kath.
At least on RC I don't think most of us are worried about how old anyone is, at least I'm not - except for worrying about how old I AM! :'(
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You and me both Tony. ;D ;D ;D
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...and I make three of us! ;)
meles
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Better all get together and drown our sorrows.........
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Count me in. :D :D
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And since we've gone off track on this thread, let me pull us back. ;)
Not a Christmas tradition, but a Hanukkah one. My husband is Jewish and for the 17th year in a row, we are having a latke party Friday night. This will be one of our biggest, with about 30 at it, and my husband made me stop inviting people at that point. And again, my husband will be the only Jewish person at it. I started the Hanukkah before we got married. We had just graduated college and I didn't know what I was doing. I followed a recipe and fried them up in an electric wok. People look forward to it now, wondering when we are doing it. We can't stop this tradition. :)
Kath
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Oh Tony, you are S-O-O-oooooo rude ! Gas mask indeed ! I cook sprouts properly; its the over boiled, soggy wet ones that make you F**T ... no gas masks needed in this house ! Come for dinner one day when you are in Wales, and see ! (I'll get my bean eating veggie daughter over, if you want to experience REAL gas !)
Re Jewish eating at Christmas ... I remember when I was at college in London, a group of us used to eat with a Jewish family occasionally .. they were so hospitable to us Christians ! But at the end of term in early December, we were at the Jewish house for Friday evening, just as the kids had decorated their Christmas tree ... and they had forgotten the rabbi had been invited to the Friday meal ! I remember the kids carrying the fully decorated tree upstairs, the Mum sweeping up the dropped needles ... happy days !
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That's cool Kath - nice to mix the traditions, and very nice for your hubby I'm sure. Down here in Hollywood (FL not CA) it's also very Jewish - so lots of Hanukkah (or is it Chanukkah?) celebrations as well. You never quite know what to say to people down here, unless they are obviously Jewish... But I don't think most of them get offended by a nice Hapy Christmas...
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Sorry Lydart - no offence intended - it just seemed funny to me.
I agree, when you just let them boil away - phew....
Almost as bad as carrots or eggs left to boil dry...
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... or the smell of burnt toast ! How that lingers ... :(
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Last off topic comment from me I promise, but it reminded me of the story last week where the lady on a plane made such a smell, and to cover it up she lit a match, causing alarm among the passengers so they diverted the plane to Nashville.
Our latest tradition is videoing our daughters while they open their presents on Christmas morning. It doesn't mean too much now, but I'm sure in 10 or 20 or 30 years when some of us are no longer around that they will treasure these recordings.
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Hi Tony, :)
You have just reminded me of when my neices were little, It seems to be tradition that the family ended up at the brother and sister in laws for Christmas dinner, one year many moons ago, I took my mum and dad up there in a car stuffed with prezzies, When we got in the house, my bruv had a Camara filming them as they swamped us, I had never seen one of these things before, it was about the size of a small suitcase and weighed as much as a large one. Anyway this year for the first time in a few years my bruv informs me that the neices and there partners will be there for dinner, What a wonderful idea for after dinner, FIND AND SHOW THE OLD FILM, :-[ :-[ :-[
Pete :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
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That's what we did when I went to see my cousin 4 years ago (alas not Christmas), but we got out her Dad's old cine film(s) - about 30 reels, and found to my surprise on one a clip of my 1st birthday party in our front garden. Working on getting these transferred to DVD in the next few months...
Oh yes - I (emphasis on I) used to have a tradition years ago when we used to decorate the house and have lots of balloons. I used to rub them on my jumpers to build up static, then would stick them to the ceiling in the dining room at my Gran's. She used to be mad at me when she took them down weeks later, because the static had attracted a lot of dust....
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The only tradition we have is perhaps a strange thing for a tradition...we always try out a new recipe for Christmas dinner, come rain or shine. (Last year I did use pheasant stuffed with cranberries, the year before pigeon stuffed with sausage). This year I'm doing a French recipe...goose stuffed with a black pudding stuffing (contains black pudding, apples, garlic and port...and, no doubt, I'll finish drinking the bottle of port in the course of cooking :P).
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Yummmmm!! Can I come to your place for Christmas dinner, sgolding? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
MarieC
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If you like...I'm still uncertain what I'm going to do with 11-pounds of meat (that's how big the goose is!). There's only 3 of us. If you don't hear from me after Christmas, it's because I'm weighted down with too much food! :P ;)
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The stuffing sounds really weird and interesting, especially with black pudding, but you know with a goose it just might go really really well, goose being so rich. Not so sure what to do with the leftovers though, goose curry doesn't sound quite right to me :-X
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I am sitting here smiling at the thought of a pidgeon stuffed with a sausage, a very small dinner for 3. LOL ;D ;D ;D
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I am sitting here smiling at the thought of a pidgeon stuffed with a sausage, a very small dinner for 3. LOL ;D ;D ;D
We had one each. Although since no-one else in the house liked pigeon once they tried, I ate all three so as not to waste it. :P
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Sgolding this has given me such a laugh, I can really see the funny side of it, thanks for making my day.
(http://www.websmileys.com/sm/happy/1264.gif)
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I once ... and only once ... tried doing one of those turkey stuffed with a chicken stuffed with a duck stuffed with a pheasant stuffed with stuffing ... it took about 5 hours to bone the four birds, insert each into the next, tie up so it didn't all collapse ... then about 6 hours to cook through to the middle ... and about half an hour for the family to eat !
It was delicious, and interesting, but once was definitely enough !!
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Completley the opposite to Sgolding, were you eating it forever or did you have loads of people for dinner ;) I can imagine the work that went into preparing it, no wonder you said never again, dont think I would have attempted it, well done.
(http://www.websmileys.com/sm/happy/604.gif)
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When I was in my teens my mother (once only!) did a boar's head for Boxing Day, complete with orange in its mouth. She made brawn which I think my father enjoyed and after it had been the buffet centrepiece sliced pieces off the cheeks. I can't say I fancied any of it but it did look good.
All the preparation was so messy she said she would never do it again and has stuck to that!!
My mother, my daughters and I enjoy recalling the things we have done at Christmas over the years. Yesterday evening I went out with former work colleagues and we had a good evening laughing at all the other occasions we've eaten out together. All this is part of what makes Chrismas special.
The best part of Christmas though is going to church on Christmas Eve when all the preparations are complete and enjoying the anticipation of the occasion, seeing the children's faces and then later the calm and serenity of midnight mass which we have by candlelight.
Ellen
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Absolutely Ellen ! Couldn't agree more ... I'm helping take a service at 9 p.m. in one tiny nearby village church which has but two or three services a year in it; then going to another in our village church at 11.30 p.m., which is always lit only by candle-light on Christmas Eve, and the path to it through the trees is lit by candles in jars ... just wonderful ! The peace, the quiet, the beauty to calm us all after the rushed preparations ... it sets me up for what is to come ! Wouldn't be without it !
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Thats exactly like they do in Austria at Xmas, this particular year the priest got stranded in another little village so the service was delayed, they also put lighted lanterns in the churchyard, its so beautiful and as you say quiet.
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I think we sometimes can get carried away with all the fancy electirc lights and decorations, but there is nothing nicer than candlelit paths outside, or a candlelit room. Very peaceful - sounds lovely for this time of year.
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I once ... and only once ... tried doing one of those turkey stuffed with a chicken stuffed with a duck stuffed with a pheasant stuffed with stuffing
I remember the other year they had a special on Channel 4 where Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall did one of those with 10 birds. Such an impressive meal, although I don't think I could do it...I wouldn't be able to get all those different birds for one. It's hard getting the more exotic meats in this next of the woods...I was lucky last year to get pheasants. Only managed those 'cause our butcher went out shooting...we know they'd be shot recently, as they still had the pellets inside them. ::)
I tried out the black pudding stuffing this evening on a chicken. It went really well...I can recommend to anyone looking for something different to try it. For a 11-pound bird it asks for a pound of black pudding, 2 apples, a clove of garlic, a glass or port, and salt & pepper to taste. Such a unique taste, and made for some of the moistest meat. Looking forward to trying that in the goose now. :)
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I was lucky last year to get pheasants. Only managed those 'cause our butcher went out shooting...we know they'd be shot recently, as they still had the pellets inside them.
I call my crown "the pheasant's revenge" - one mouthful - crunch - ouch! >:(
meles
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Pheasants = road kill, dare I say ? Very common round here, and I understand its legal if its not you who hit it !
HOWEVER, we dont eat hedgehogs whose death has been caused the same way !!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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When I was young my Dad decided Christmas Chickens were too expensive - so he thought he would raise his own & bought 6 chicks. 2 died within a couple of weeks, 2 more died during the next few months trying to get under the wire & out of the chicken run - so we were left with 2 which he had to pluck and clean for my mother (as she said that is what the butcher usually did & she wasn't going to do it). With the cost of the chicks and the feed etc they were the most expensive Christmas lunch we ever had.
.. But to answer the question "what do you do"
.. As little as possible :D :D
Trish
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Eating your own usually seems to end in tears :)
Last year we had a steer which we couldn't sell for some technical beaurocratic reason so I figured the best thing was to have him butchered and put him in the freezer. So a couple of 50 mile round trips by Land Rover, and £150 to the butcher,and I had a humungous heap of beef.After giving steaks to family and friends, the freezer was still overflowing with minced beef and stewing steak which no-one wanted and it's still not used up now. :P
But on a more positive note, the local gamekeeper called in tonight with a couple of brace of phezzies which he always does for Christmas- that tradition is much appreciated!
Fred
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My brother had a Thanksgiving turkey that was raised by someone in his office. It was 45 pounds :o :o. They ended up cutting in half and they claim it was very tender. I still don't believe them. ??? I am sure Christmas dinner will be the other half :D.
Kath
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It was 45 pounds :o :o.
45 pounds??!! :o Our oven isn't even big enough to accommodate that, and goodness only knows where I'd keep all the meat!
Reminds me of a story I've heard of my Grandma though. This was in the 60s. She went into the butcher to order a Christmas turkey that weighed 5-pounds for the family. The butcher mis-understood though, and gave her one that cost £5...in the end she had a 30-pound turkey! They were eating turkey for weeks after, I'm told...curries, sandwiches every day, turkey every meal. It was February before they'd used it all up!
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Sounds a bit like the Mr. Bean turkey - when I first saw that sketch I laughed so hard I cried...
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I have that on CD and I still laugh at his antic's
Could anyone possibly....naw!
My Grands love the Swimming pool episode.
Granma Anne
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When I first came to America - we lived in New Mexico - ( with its large Hispanic population the celebration of Christmas is a major festival ) - and a beautiful aspect of this celebration is the appearance everywhere of "luminarias" ( "little lanterns" in Spanish ) and these are little paper bags with sand (for stability) and a small candle inside
Hundreds of these small flames line - streets - paths - porches and roof lines ( they have adobe houses with flat roofs there .... ) ........ they originated in New Mexico - where they are traditionally displayed on Christmas Eve - the concept is - that the lights will guide the spirit of baby Christ to one's home which is a blessing .... I loved it and I still do it now here in Colorado !! :)
In case you're interested this is how I make them !! ;)
Brown paper lunch bags
votive candles ....... tea candles are fine but will not burn very long
DRY sand or rice at least ½ pound per bag
A long grill lighter or long fireplace matches
Take the bag and open it.
Fold the top edge down approximately 1 inch all around the top of the bag. Flatten the folded edge and fold the top edge over again. The bag is now stronger and will stand up straight when fully opened.
Add DRY sand or rice
Fill the bag with 2-4 inches of sand / rice - enough to keep the bag from blowing over AND enough to hold the candle in place.
Position your bags outdoors 1 to 2 feet apart on a flat surface ..... ( I like to line my front path and porch ...... ! )
Make a hole in the middle off the sand and push the candle in about halfway - this anchors the candle and the sand will not extinguish the flame.
Use the long grill lighter or long fireplace matches to light the candles
To me it looks magical and very special !!
:)
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I am told that many years ago my Grandad was in the pub and was offered a young turkey. He thought he'd keep it in the back yard (in Battersea!) and fatten it up for Christmas. The duty of feeding the bird he delegated to Nan.
Come the day, he went out to dispatch the beast, but Nan (always a softie) threw her arms round its neck and would not let him near it.
I'm told they had ham at Christmas and a pet turkey for a couple of years...
meles
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Oh god how awful, similar thing happend to me once on holiday in Greece (before we went metric) asked for cheese and of course it came in kilos, much more than we really wanted, we had a very cheesy diet for the rest of the stay. ;D ;D
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Bit worried about sgolding's turkey ... how did they keep in from going off for so long back then ?
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Annie,
I love the candles. I think I will do that today for our Hanukkah party. It will look beautiful.
Kath
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Hi Meles, you are up and about early today ;D remember my story about my mum being in Romania, same thing happend there evidently, they had one chicken left, as they were about to leave for England it was duly dispatched and served up on the table, all the children started crying and would not eat it as this one has become like a pet. :)
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Up VERY early. Been to Tesco's (at 6:30 ::) ), done all the Christmas shopping! Is it too early for a sherry? :D
meles
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Reminds me of the story about the Prime Minister who went to the Isles of Scilly for Christmas with a very large turkey to cook in a Baby Belling. There was speculation about how many joints it would have to be cut into and I was told this by one of the family who allowed their range to be used for the cooking. Never been sure how much of that story is true and how much is embellished!!
Still at work at present but we're stood down from mid-day. Going to the supermarket with my daughter tonight at about 10pm - hope there will be veg left and NO children. I do love them but not when I'm shopping!! Off to Weymouth for the day tomorrow to see m-i-law.
Ellen
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Have a safe journey to Weymouth in this fog, Ellen.
meles
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Thanks Meles - the fog hasn't been bad in Cornwall but not sure what it will be like when we get further east.
Ellen
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Up VERY early. Been to Tesco's (at 6:30 ::) ), done all the Christmas shopping! Is it too early for a sherry? :D
meles
:) :) :) :)
A Christmas tradition in our family which was begun by my sister and me - leave it all (excluding cards) to the last minute. Today I will start my shopping, tomorrow I will finish it.
A pity that Sunday get's in the way this year or I could have started tomorrow :D :D :D
Happy Shopping ;)
Gadget
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We've done the cards, bought the presents, decorated the house, got most of the shopping (just one more trip tonight at about 10 p.m.), got the sermon ready for midnight service on Christmas Eve ... and suddenly realised we've got a few days with NOTHING to do (family arriving lunch-time 25th) ... yippee, a few days holiday, googling and looking up censuses ! BLISS !!!! Might even break open the sherry early !!
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY ROOTS FRIENDS
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Bit worried about sgolding's turkey ... how did they keep in from going off for so long back then ?
I'm not sure...the storage part of the story has been lost to the ages.
Although curry was originally invented to hide the taste of rancid meat, so maybe that's the answer...curry will kill any germs, especially the way I make them (when I make curry it's not so much food as it is nuclear warfare! :D) ;)
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Oh good ... glad you answered ... you'd been a bit quiet and I thought the chicken had got you !
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The only thing that's got me is the census...it's a very demanding mistress that gets awfully jealous if I'm not looking for ancestors. ;)
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... the census...it's a very demanding mistress that gets awfully jealous if I'm not looking for ancestors.
That I understand fully ! Don't we all have such a lover !
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Annie,
I love the candles. I think I will do that today for our Hanukkah party. It will look beautiful.
Kath
Happy Hanukkah Kath !!
Have a wonderful day !!
Annie :)
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Well Meles,
I think you deserve a bucket full of Sherry for going at that time, ::) I have just come back from our local Adsa I only wanted a few things, (did my shop on Wed.) it was horrendsous in and out of the shop, I gave up and came home. :D
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Well we don't have any old traditions as such just the ones that we have made up ourselves.
Christmas Eve -
Turkey put on slow cook, vegetables done and ready, hubby and me exchange pressies
Christmas day -
5am rise to watch kids with pressies,
8am phone calls to everyone,
12pm DINNER!!!!!
4.30pm over to Mum and Dad's for Christmas Tea with rest of the family and open more pressies there.
8pm home and early night for kids (and usually us)
Now it has changed a bit with Christmas dinner being with all kids and Grandkids here.
Boxing Day is over to Mum and Dad's so looks like the tribe of Israel in all the cars.
We don't take bookings at Christmas as that is the time for our Grandsons
Each child has a Christmas decoration for the tree that is just theirs - a new one each year. This year I got three angels from my trip to germany in November - hand made and painted - so they are on the tree with the others
Right now I am just relaxing before the storm - sent hubby to supermarket for veg so don't have to stand about myself (he has more patience), Grandsons (4,3 &1) gone to see Santa, Rooms done for New Year, Pressies wrapped and stored in large (very large) gift bags for Grandsons, Cards sent and received
Now what can I do for the next couple of days??????? hmmm I know - search, search and search some more
HAVE A BRILLIANT CHRISTMAS AND A FANTASTIC NEW YEAR TO ALL MY FRIENDS ON ROOTSCHAT
Carol, Pete and family, Blackpool
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DON'T ANYBODY GO INTO YOUR NEAREST TOWN THIS EVENING ... it will be BEDLAM ... I just went into our sleepy market town of Monmouth to collect a prescription for someone ... HELL ON WHEELS ... nowhere to park, cars going round and round, thousands of parents with screaming kids, visitors ... why Monmouth, I ask ? Is the world and his wife coming here for Christmas ?!
Ah well, it may fill our churches !! :D :D :D That'll be good anyway !
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No only this evening Lydart did you see my posting to Meles earlier ???
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I did 5 years of night shift at Tescos and it was the norm to see parents with very young children shopping in the middle of night just to miss the queues. There were many that came in between 2am and 5am. Those poor children having to be awake at that time.
Carol
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Guess what :)
Father Christmas is definitely around. Coming back this afternoon, about a mile from our house crossing the road were 9 large red deer stags with their pointers all sparkly in the setting sun. They looked very spruce. Four ran on and I'm sure I heard a voice calling
Dancer
Prancer..........................
Happy Christmas everyone
(http://www.websmileys.com/sm/party/fest22.gif)
Gadget
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Gadget
I think you've been taking in a little too much festive cheer!!!! :o :o :o :o ;D ;D ;D ;D I saw the reindeer this morning pulling Santa's sleight outside the supermarket!!!! ::) ::) ::) ::)
And there is no way they could have got from there to Scotland in a couple of hours,........ or is there :D :D :D :D perhaps he really does fly!!!!!!!! ;) ;)
Kerry
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He was clearly coming back from Tesco's, Gadget. ;D
meles
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Oi Santa doesn't shop there!!!!!! ::) ::) ::)
It was Waitrose ;) ;) ;) much better class of presents!!!! ;)
Kerry
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Did you see Olive, Gadget, was she there too?
You know Olive - it mentions her in the song - you know...
Olive the other reindeer.....
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
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Ahh! Now I've got you all. My computer sits next to a second floor window (first story for those of you in GB) that overlooks my back garden. I use the term Garden loosely because much of the property in back of my home is given over to the wild. A couple of times a year I carve trails out there between the trees, shrubs and wild growth just to see where the wildlife are living. I look out now and see my small white shed next to a choke cherry tree that has long given up its leaves. A path runs next to it and wanders back into the wild. I can see my own herd of doe and fawns grazing in the cleared area just past the wild raspberry and grape vines. The fawns are big now, close to the size of their mothers. Five, no six of them. They wander out of sight and I cross my fingers that they will escape the hunters guns. In the Spring the does will be back with new young to carry on. Perhaps some of this years herd will spring into the air to help lift a tiring sleigh along its way, perhaps I'll hear the sound of bells jingling in the night. Perhaps this year, I'll listen as I've listened for so many years...perhaps this year the sound will come past my window, perhaps as I drift off to sleep......
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Gosh Anne, thats beautiful ...
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Here is an image from just a few weeks ago.
the path to the back is just to the right of the shed-straight back from the wellcap.
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Very blurry, sorry - long distance and enlarged. The fifth one is off to the right still grazing. but they were moving back into the bush at this point after feeding across the trimmed grass for nearly half an hour.
They were too far off for photos this morning.
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Ok - all together now...
"Doe, a deer, a female deer"...
Sorry Annie couldn't resist that...
What a great view you have there - I'm jealous...
No deer here, but driving through the park by Hampton Court a few weeks ago on my way to Heathrow I saw probably close to 100 deer right next to the road. Aren't the London parks wonderful... And the deer in Indiana used to come right up close to our office as well.
Down here in South Florida our jungle (1 acre plus of true jungle in the back yard) is home to a family of raccoons, lots of squirrels, and probably 40 kinds of Lizard, Ghecko and Iguana, some more than 2 feet long. And then another 20 types of butterfly as well.
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The park is Bushy Park. One of London's best kept secrets. Shhh! :-X
http://www.royalparks.gov.uk/parks/bushy_park/
meles
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Thanks for the link Meles, I learned a few new things about Bushy Park today. It is indeed a beautiful park, especially following the river along in the southeast side. And it's just across the street from Hampton Court as well, so you can make a full day's outing and do both.
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Meles, I am a long way from London and Bushy Park, but I thank you for the link and I shall enjoy exploring the site. My critters ancestors lived here long before I came along. No lizards here Tony, we do have a few garter snakes that live under the front steps. Keep the mice down. I managed to get some photos of the large woodchuck that took up residence under our back deck this summer. And there are lots of grey squirrels, chipmunks, raccons, opossums, pheasants and wild turkeys that wander by. One year we had Wood Ducks nesting way in the back. Of course there is the bird feeder and those visitors change as the seasons change. a few weeks ago I was unloading groceries from my car when I heard a scree, scree call- you know you always heard that call on "Walker, Texas Ranger. I looked up and saw a Bald Eagle flying over my head. About the third one I have seen in the wild since moving here 26 years ago. I feel it is a privilege to share my lovely world with all these creatures.
Anne
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It is lovely having so much wildlife around isn't it - well most of the time...
The chipmunks in Indiana used to look so cute, but they kept burrowing underneath our front porch and digging up the lawn.
And then the raccoons up north and here both keep trying to nest and have babies in the roof. Our family had babies in the garage roof this summer.
The lizzards are cute, but our neighbour hates them and sets their dog on them - such a shame - haven't seen the 2 really big ones we had a few months back, but we have at least 3 approaching 2 feet, 5 bright green ones a foot long, and then a gazillion up to 3 inches of countless varieties. They are so cute and eat lots of bugs...
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Has this turned into a very nice, but unrelated to Christmas traditions, thread ??
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Oh dear! I am guilty!
Let me redirect the thread. When I bought my first place, 25 years ago, it was just before Christmas. I bought a cheap artificial tree - it swas all I could afford at the time.
It's still going strong!
meles
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Meles
Your presents look very nicely wrapped! Have you got time to do a pile for me if I bring them round?? :D :D :D
Can't wrap to save my life! ;D ;D ;D :( :)
Kerry
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Thats just what I have been doing, I'm not much good at it either ;D ;D ;D
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That's become a Christmas tradition in our house...I buy the presents, I buy the cards, I wrap the presents, I write & post the cards...buy the food, cook the food ect, etc... Well this evening I just broke the tradition...gave him 3 presents & in best teacher voice accompanied by a Paddington Bear stare said ''Wrap these'' & hey presto, 3 beautifully wrapped presents ;D ;D ;D
Debbie
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Lydart, close your eyes.
Now picture this very dry and ancient desert scene. Sand, rocks, stone buildings forming a little town in the midst of nowhere. A well for water, a path worn down a heavily trod slope, caves against the side of the hill. A Cave to shelter the animals from the cold desert winter winds. there ahead is a tired and weary couple, the man leading an old donkey with a very pregnant and exhausted woman. Shelter, nowhere to be found. At last a place in a stable out of the wind, perhaps a small fire for warmth and a heated drink, some food. Soon, as cows still do today, a gathering to witness a new birth, a child born unto all of us. A lowing call from a cow, a bleat from a sheep, even the lowly goat gives out his baaaa! Perhaps there were even small birds resting in the shadows above watching and welcoming this birth. Their hearts are purer and simpler than ours, methinks in many ways they are more worthy of his love for the purity and simplicity with which they pass their lives. Alas, how we strive for that purity. I celebrate the chance to reach for it myself. Perfection I shall never attain, but I would like him to tell me when I enter his midst that I did a good job and he welcomes me home.
Until then I take joy in all his creatures that live around me and no matter the season, I hope you will share in the pleasure they bring.
Granma Anne
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If I close my eyes, I can't read the rest ...
;D ;D ;D
... but I understand what you are saying. That's the special bit of Christmas that you describe ... its the bit that's missing from so much these days ... sorry folks to bring religion in, but as some of you know, I'm taking services this Christmas in some of our village churches ...
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I thought of that, I'll let you peek! Just watch out for the mouse under the tree!
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Here's another tradition I brought to America !! ..... though I have friends who think I'm doodle alley !! they don't like them ......... what do they know ?? ............... D :D :D
A tradition which hangs on regardless of modern living - is the mince pie !
We always had a custom when we were growing up - that you make a wish on the first one of the season ;) After that you try to eat at least one for every day of the twelve days of Christmas - which will then bring you good luck for the twelve months until next Christmas !
Another custom was to offer and accept a mince pie in each house you visited over Christmas !
Not to offer these was bad manners ......... and was at one time thought to be so inhospitable as to bring bad luck on the house for the rest of the year! My Mum always said to refuse them when offered was to turn away good luck !! .... she was the superstitious one in our family !! ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
Annie :)
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I am among the few who grew up liking sweet mince pies. I could eat the stuff right out of the jar. When the frozen ones came along my Mom bought those. I hate the cardboard crusts, but eat the filling. Borden's, I think, used to jar the stuff with the alcoholic additive. Coming from a strict baptist family, that was not allowed in our home. When I married I used it to make my own pies and loved the flavor. Heaven's I could never make that mix from scratch! Tried to make pumpkin pie from scratch one year and that was a disaster. Now the tin gets opened and into the shell it goes. Some things are better coming from mass production. Pecan pie is another one that I used to make each year. I came across a recipe one year when I was living in Tennessee. Yummy and sweet! Sadly it got lost in one of my many moves.
I think I am hungry! Wonder why?
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Have not read all the replies on here but my family tradition is the pillowcase at the end of the bed stuffed with all sorts when you wake up as a kid as well as leaving the small 'sniffter' for Santa and carrot for Rudolf.
My mum always put 'special' decorations on the tree .... such as the the things we made as very small children out of crepe paper, toilet roll holders and bits of cotton wool (some of them where non descript but were supossed to be Santa)... so I have carried this on and have things my daughter made at nursery and she loves to put them on the tree
I have started my own tradition with my daughter in the thank you note back from Santa for the thoughtful refreshment. Also all the Christmas books and seasonal cuddly toys get brought out every year.
Oh I love Christmas and try to still try to make it magical even though I have a bling queen 13 year old with attitude ;D ;D
Cal 8)
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Cal, when she is thirty-three she will be doing the same things you do today and talk fondly of all the happy Christmas memories she has of her childhood. You can smile then and know that there is one tradition that we all participate in. The tradition of memories of Christmas Past.
I think maybe that is why I started this thread. So many of the things people have shared are things all of us do in small ways and some of us in big ways. I think we just needed to see that in each other. In reading all these replies I have said to myself, "Oh yeah, that too!" for many of the responses. That and I can't help still being hungry!
Granma Anne (Who is getting fatter just thinking about mince pies and chocolates and Christmas dinner!)
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Oh I do agree Granma Anne
As we go forward we instill the Christmas traditions that made us feel so good as children & the small things mean so much
Even now my daughter will not let me put the Christmas tree in the dining room (which would be ever so much more convenient) as it is tradition to have it in the lounge
Cal 8)
p.s. a great thread to start....... thank you :)
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Christmas crackers aren't readily available here .... but I ALWAYS make sure I've got them !! :D :D :D
I knew the English started Christmas trees .................... :) :) :)
In the 7th century a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, went to Germany to teach the Word of God. He did many good works there, and spent much time in Thuringia, an area which was to become the cradle of the Christmas Decoration Industry.
Legend has it that he used the triangular shape of the Fir Tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The converted people began to revere the Fir tree as God's Tree, as they had previously revered the Oak. By the 12th century it was being hung, upside-down, from ceilings at Christmastime in Central Europe, as a symbol of Christianity.
The first decorated tree was at Riga in Latvia, in 1510. In the early 16th century, Martin Luther is said to have decorated a small Christmas Tree with candles, to show his children how the stars twinkled through the dark night.
Annie :)
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The New England region has a chain of stores called The Christmas Tree Shop.
I buy Christmas crackers there. Unfortunarly they do not sell online.
Funny, I forgot about that childhood tradition until I got my Mr. Bean dvds and then my Grands watched him pulling his Christmas cracker's. I came across them in the store and now we have revived the tradition.
We used to get them for our birthday parties as well. I have a package of them sitting and waiting for Christmas dinner.
:D
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When I was young my Dad decided Christmas Chickens were too expensive - so he thought he would raise his own & bought 6 chicks. 2 died within a couple of weeks, 2 more died during the next few months trying to get under the wire & out of the chicken run - so we were left with 2 which he had to pluck and clean for my mother (as she said that is what the butcher usually did & she wasn't going to do it). With the cost of the chicks and the feed etc they were the most expensive Christmas lunch we ever had.
.. But to answer the question "what do you do"
.. As little as possible :D :D
Trish
Trish ! your story reminds me of one Christmas when I was growing up .... funds were a bit tight ... so as we had a cock and a hen .... Billy and Minnie .... Mum asked Dad to kill Billy ..... :-\ :-\
Me Dad had a terrible time doing it .... me Mum cried plucking and cooking it and my sister and I sat and cried and couldn't eat Billy ......... :'( :'(
We ended up with eggs on toast and Christmas pudding ........ and my Uncle took a cooked Billy - so we didn't have to look at him in the fridge !!
:P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P
Anne .... I get them from Pier 1 now .... the week after Christmas !! ;) ;) ;) ;)
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We have our crackers all ready for Monday. I started the tradition over here and the family won't let it drop. Only problem is that everyone insists on pulling their own cracker, rather than letting someone hold the other end, or making a circle and all pulling at once. I think it looks ridiculous pulling your own cracker - maybe this year I will step in before they pull and get it done right...
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I got online this morning at 6ish (Eastern Standard Time, US). 15 hours later there are 3 pages of posts on this thread. Wow!! :D
Annie, It is pouring rain here, so I didn't even try the candles up the walkway. But the latkes were a huge hit. After an extremely stressful day. I drive an hour to get my youngest brother at the airport. He's not there. I Figure out after an hour, flight problems, and head to a store to shop some. Get back to the airport and need to wait 2 hours for him. Mind you I have my 5-year-old with me, who was a charm all day. He finally gets in, after a long day for him, I drag him to the mall and the liquor store (not such a drag) and then to a huge supermarket to get Hanukkah candles. I leave him in the car with my daughter to get the stuff. It is crowded and I realize I also need beer, so get everything and head out to see them standing there. He says Molly needed to ... I said, "did you lock the car?" and he says, "Yes." I say, "Did you take the keys out of the ignition?..."... >:( >:( :( :o
I don't even know what to do. I call a car locksmith and beg them to come quickly. I have an hour's drive home and 30 people coming in 3 hours for latkes. Thankfully, my husband starts peeling and grating and the locksmith comes quickly. We are home with 75 minutes to spare. A friend shows up early to help and latkes are ready, eaten, (wine drunk) and everyone happy. Let's hope this isn't a tradition.
Tons of fun for all and now we have Christmas to get through. Everyone thinks it's great that we get both celebrations, but boy is it a lot of work.
Kath
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Only problem is that everyone insists on pulling their own cracker, rather than letting someone hold the other end, or making a circle and all pulling at once. I think it looks ridiculous pulling your own cracker - maybe this year I will step in before they pull and get it done right...
Better not tell them of the tradition that when two people pull the cracker, the one who ends up holding the middle bit containing the goodies, gets to keep it!
meles
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I think we do most of the same things as everybody else has mentioned. Aren't we all so traditional - lovely!
A couple of weeks beforehand my 25 year old son brings home the tree, decorates it and hangs the decorations in the room too, and by Christmas all the chocolates on the tree will have vanished, just as they did when he was 5 years old, no change there!
My dad used to work as a nurse in Fazakerley Hospital and way back when, the land on the corner was a farm. One year Dad was promised a chicken for Christmas and he called in the morning before and asked if it was ready, whereupon the farmer took him around to the yard and asked him which of those still running around he wanted. Dad came home with it still warm tucked under his arm and gave it to a horrified mum to pluck and prepare. I'm glad they never told me this before we ate it ;D
Mary
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Christmas crackers are very much a tradition in Australia, I wouldn't dare not include them.
Sometimes known as Bon-bons.
They seem to be on the shelves in most stores at least a month before xmas.
For the first time, this year I did not put up a tree (renovation chaos limited the space) - but because of all the drama it seems to have created I decorated a couple of sticks in a pot just to shut everyone up :P
I must say that I get quite interesting comments.
Merry xmas to all. ;)
Margaret
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Kath ... what a day ! But I'm so glad you finally got a happy Hannakuh, with friends and family ... and that the latke's were good !
Let's hope Christmas is a little more peaceful for you !
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Oh Kath !!...... I feel for you !
But just think of the memory for your 5 year old ...... in a few years she'll be saying " I remember one year ......... " :D :D :D ...... and everybody will laugh !! :D
Glad the latkes went over well ........ I love them ...... I called my friend yesterday to wish her Happy Hannakuh in case I left it too late today ....... and she was going through her menu ....... sounded pretty good to me !!
I used to work with her and one year I drew her name for the Secret Santa and I made up a bag with Hannakuh stencils and wrapped everything in blue and silver paper ........ she never forgot that - ( she had always got Christmas presents !! ) ...... in fact she talks about it every year !!
We're digging out here .... don't know if I'll be able to do my luminarias either ....... 28 inches of snow and apparently another storm coming in tonight .... wish us luck !!
Annie :)
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Annie,
Lucky you with the snow. My son is so sad we are having a muddy Christmas. A couple years ago we got 3 feet on Christmas day. It was magical.
And I am already laughing about yesterday. Great stories to tell. I finished Christmas shopping today, much poorer, but feel good about having it done. Whoopee :D :D Now to wrapping.
I hope you manage to dig out, and enjoy your beautiful white Christmas.
Kath
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Lydart,
Thanks for the wishes. Hanukkah was wonderful and our list for next year's latkes is already longer. Christmas will be quiet and peaceful (me with fingers crossed :-\).
Have a great Christmas.
Kath
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Just rediscovered another tradition. Looking at my tiny old Mum and wondering, "Where does she put it all?"
We've had lunch (3 courses), tea (friends came round) with quiche, sausage rolls, mince pies, nibbles, etc etc.
We're both sitting here stuffed, and Mum has "just wondered if I would be making a sandwich before supper..."
Supper?! :-\ BEFORE supper??!! :D
Wondering if a 13lb turkey will be enough for three...
meles
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Would she like a slice of my traditional Christmas Choccie cake, Meles?
I've been making it for all and sundry at Christmas for 45 years.
It's from a recipe given to the family by my Gran's best mate :)
Gadget :D
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I'll give it a whirl if you put it on this site or PM me. I doubt if it'll last five minutes in this house at the moment, what with a chocoholic and a tiny old eating machine. ::)
meles
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Just rediscovered another tradition. Looking at my tiny old Mum and wondering, "Where does she put it all?"
We've had lunch (3 courses), tea (friends came round) with quiche, sausage rolls, mince pies, nibbles, etc etc.
We're both sitting here stuffed, and Mum has "just wondered if I would be making a sandwich before supper..."
Supper?! :-\ BEFORE supper??!! :D
Wondering if a 13lb turkey will be enough for three...
meles
If it isn't, I know of one which I'm quite willing to share!
Would she like a slice of my traditional Christmas Choccie cake, Meles?
I've been making it for all and sundry at Christmas for 45 years.
It's from a recipe given to the family by my Gran's best mate :)
Gadget :D
And now Gadget is downgrading meles to someone who is in the all and sundry category, and I haven't even been offered any!! :P :P
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It's here, Pels. For you, meles, meles's Mum. meles's OH but.............................
it will be gone by Boxing Day. I'm married to a choccoholic :-\
Gadget
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"Where does she put it all?"
We've had lunch (3 courses), tea (friends came round) with quiche, sausage rolls, mince pies, nibbles, etc etc.
We're both sitting here stuffed, and Mum has "just wondered if I would be making a sandwich before supper..."
Supper?! :-\ BEFORE supper??!! :D
Wondering if a 13lb turkey will be enough for three...
meles
I've just made 3 lbs :o :o of sausagemeat & apricot stuffing at the request of my greedy kids...1lb or even two pounds is just not enough, apparently
If she's still hungry after lunch tomorrow, send her down here...cold meats. stuffing & pickled pears should see her right ;) :D ;)
Merry Christmas Meles....debbie :)
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I'm really looking forward to my traditional christmas meal tomorrow - but unfortunately...
No roast potato - mashed already made in a tub - just heat in the microwave.
Frozen sprouts and swede, gravy out of a jar...
And to top it off - baked beans...
Will keep my spirits up thinking fo the good traditional Christmases of the past...
HAPPY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL
From Rainy South Florida
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Baked Beans ??? :o :o
Where did that come from in the traditional Christmas fayre!!!
Will be thinking of you as I tuck into an organic chicken, pork, lamb and ham, roasted parsnips, mash and roast potatoes, sweet potatoes, julien carrots, broccoli, sprouts (all locally grown) , chestnut stuffing and a bit of paxo!!!
Have a great one :)
From a very cold (but dry.... no that is a first ) Manchester ;D
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I'm really looking forward to my traditional christmas meal tomorrow - but unfortunately...
No roast potato - mashed already made in a tub - just heat in the microwave.
Frozen sprouts and swede, gravy out of a jar...
And to top it off - baked beans...
Will keep my spirits up thinking fo the good traditional Christmases of the past...
HAPPY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL
From Rainy South Florida
Tony - why the baked beans and potato? :'( :'(
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I'm really looking forward to my traditional christmas meal tomorrow - but unfortunately...
No roast potato - mashed already made in a tub - just heat in the microwave.
Frozen sprouts and swede, gravy out of a jar...
And to top it off - baked beans...
Will keep my spirits up thinking fo the good traditional Christmases of the past...
HAPPY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL
From Rainy South Florida
Tony - why the baked beans and potato? :'( :'(
Come to mine...we have enough to feed an army...all true Brit traditional...make sure you hang on to that cracker with all your mite for Blighty!!!
Merry Christmas ;)
Debbie :)
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I'm really looking forward to my traditional christmas meal tomorrow - but unfortunately...
No roast potato - mashed already made in a tub - just heat in the microwave.
Frozen sprouts and swede, gravy out of a jar...
And to top it off - baked beans...
Will keep my spirits up thinking fo the good traditional Christmases of the past...
HAPPY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL
From Rainy South Florida
I told you a week ago to show these Yanks how to do roasties Tony !! ::) ........ if nobody will do it .... do it yourself .. :D
All my friends now know how to do them and have come to expect them ...... they have started doing them
themselves and make sure they do them when they know I'm coming !! :D :D
Broncos are playing in snow !! woohoo !! ..... ( not bad though !! )
Happy Christmas Eve everybody !!
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
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Traditional Christmas has gone out of the window down here.
Prawns and Salad is the order of the day now, normally consumed in the evening outside on the patio, with a few cold drinks.
It's too hot to cook a roast dinner ;)
After a light lunch we may nip down to the beach, it seems a popular thing to do here.
http://www.ourbrisbane.com/news/weather/
The 5am wake up call from an excited child hasn't changed though !!!
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Boy Chorlton !!
That sounds good to me !! :) :) :)
Have a wonderful Christmas .... I hope Santa is good to you also ( not just the excited child ) !!
Annie :) :)
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It's my mother-in-law's decision to do all the frozen and prepared stuff so she doesn't have to worry about cooking and preparing fresh veggies or potatoes. Only problem is frozen veggies taste like c**p.
Baked Beans is a traditional American thing - we have meat, potatoes and 2 veg plus gravy, they have meat and side dishes, which will include a side salad, maybe some veggies (but rarely), baked beans, macaroni cheese, potatoes, almost never gravy..... Sad state of affairs.........
Never mind - I will make up for it on my next trip back to dear old Blighty - first stop Debbies house ;)
Happy Christmas everyone.
Hey - what are you doing on here - bunch of losers - get back to Christmas..... :D
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Tony,
I need to defend us Americans. >:( I have never heard of baked beans for Christmas dinner. :P I promise I would never make them either. I have them with a hot dog, not a nice big turkey dinner. I also don't serve mac n cheese with my Christmas turkey. I server homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes (I love roasted but I like the mashed with the homemade gravy -- yum), a couple different kinds of veggies (they can vary, but my husband loves sweet potato, I love green beans, and my daughter loves carrots, and I always make rutabega, all fresh). And fresh cranberry sauce. I top it off with some delicious dessert, this year a hot fudge cake, homemade. ;)
Tony, you are welcome to trudge north and enjoy dinner with us. Tomorrow I will take that turkey carcas and make me a big pot of turkey soup, with all fresh stuff in it.
So please note, not all Americans are bad cooks. Many know how to do it right. My M-I-L isn't one of them, but... :-\.
Enjoy Christmas.
Kath
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Whatever you have Tony .... enjoy it !!
You're lucky you have someone to cook for you ...... I bet it will be wonderful :D
You can always go the Queen Victoria route ......... " do it for England " :D :D :D :D
We'll be having our Christmas dinner next week ..... Meat and potato pies .... sausage rolls yummmmmm !!
And we like our carrot and turnips mashed together with butter and pepper ( good stuff Kath !! )
My family wouldn't have it any other way !!
Have a wonderful Christmas dinner everybody !! ( whatever you're eating !! )
Annie :)
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dinners finished.......expandable trousers readjusted.........just remembered another christmas tradition..........that after dinner bloated feeling coupled with over drowsiness :D :D
old rowley
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Was it good Old Rowley ?? ..... did the kids have you up when it was still dark ??
Well in America .... we don't have the Queen's speech at 3pm ...... ( though they say there's a podcast !! :D )
3pm is the start of the football !! ......................... ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)
So there's another tradition ....... !!
:)
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hi Annie,
little un was up at 3 trying to rifle through his sack that santa had left only to have the shadow of his mother loom heavily in his bedroom doorway gently explaining to him that although santa had left the sack for him he also told mummy that anyone waking up before the dawn would have broken the golden rule of having a sack placed at the end of his bed ......wake up at 5 no prob.................at 3 big one........ with that he (the 3 year old that is not santa) climbed back into bed said "ok mum" and promptly went back to sleep (phew result there if ever there was one as I had only got to bed meself just before 2).
Come the proper time to wake up (if there is ever one on Christmas day) found me trying to screw new eyeballs into sockets and being cheerful .......not easy when you have an all action figure being stuck up yer hooter. After seeing the three year old being envoloped by his sack as it appeared to devour him when he put his head in it was all down stairs where following another christmas tradition (see....... keeping this posting in line with the subject) the youngest in the house was the first to "discover" that Santas size nine's had left a trail from the fire place out to the hall and halfway up the stairs (his face was a picture when he saw them) then it was a free for all for the prezzies under the tree which somehow (dunno how must have been magic) had doubled from the two that had been placed under there when the 3 year old was up to the many that surrounded the base................
All in all Annie it has been a very good day.........now the hoofed one (Cameron our three year old) is back in his bed as I type and the house is quietening down again ready for tomorrow when the four grandchildren come over and it all starts again..........
old rowley
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Bought some reindeer food this year. Sadly the reindeer don't seem to have been too impressed as it's still sprinkled all along the garden path.
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:D :D :D :D :D :D :D ;)
You're so funny Old Rowley ....... that "little angel " Cameron was sent as a gift - to give you wisdom !! :) :) :)
Enjoy the peace and quiet for a bit !!
:) :)
Bearkat ..... maybe they left it for the birds 'cos of the bad weather !! ;) ;)
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Bought some reindeer food this year. Sadly the reindeer don't seem to have been too impressed as it's still sprinkled all along the garden path.
Ummmmmmmmmmmmm - up here it's called our garden ;D
Thank goodness for deer fencing.
Good grief, this new super dooper screen is something else but me fingers don't work any better after a lovely meal and a few glasses.
Gadget - concentrating like mad :)
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Well the day passed fairly quietly for us, had a lovely dinner, couple of glasses of wine, some xmas pud and later a few goodies. Mostly watched tv, tomorrow evening we are going to the pantomime to see Dick Whitingdon with Jim Davies, should be a laugh.
Hope you all had a good christmas day.
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Yes we have had a lovely day ate loads, had a laugh, done some singing on my daughters ps2 Singing Stars (hey after a few glasses of wine it is amazing what you can do ;D ) and watched some telly (a novelty for me)
Hope you all had a great day
Cal 8)
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Christmas Day seems to go like this; go to the daughter and open presents with grandchildren, then back for a brief respite and look at the turkey. I cook turkey and stuffing balls, creamed parsnips and gravy, daughter does the rest. When turkey is cooked and in dish, wrap it in towels then drive just over 1 mile to daughter's house so by the time we get there it is 'rested' and ready to carve. This began when she didn't have an oven big enough for everything, and has continued because then neither of us has to do it all.
Over to No.1 son's house tomorrow.
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First of all, since I started this post, I want to thank everyone who has responded. You have stirred a lot of memories for me and reminded me of many traditions I had forgotten about over the years. You also made me a starving, raving maniac salivating over all the food discussed here. At last I am stuffed beyond redemption after today's feast.
Each year there is alway's one gift that seems to get remembered in our family. This year it is the one I gave to my son. Now this grown man has a great sense of humor and loves the rare and unusual. Forgive me, but this year I outdid myself with his gift and we will remember it for many years to come. How many of you can say you gave someone a pot of gold- well that is what he got a 'Pot o' Gold' right from the wee oul fella himself. He said his name was Jimmy O'Leprechaun. Comes from a long line of the Irish way back into unnamed centuries. I am working on tracing his lineage as you read this. Problem is one of us has to keep our eye on him all the time. Did manage to snag a photie of him this evening, so if any of you recognize him or might be willing to do a look-up for his ancestors, please let me know!
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Hi Anne
I don't think he looks like a McConnell !!!!! (Ours don't have red hair)
Best wishes
Ellen
;D ;D ;D :D :D
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And he looks too tall to be part of my family. ;D ;D
Kath
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My Dad has hung his ball ;D on the Christmas Tree for the past 42 years - He bought it when my sister was a baby and every year it has to go on the tree nearest to his chair!
I myself started a bit of a silly tradition only 4 years ago by creating a Christmas Quiz with questions about the family - I wasn't going to bother this year but everyone moaned and wanted a quiz! Due to suffering from loads of migraines in recent weeks I hadn't got around to writting the quiz so my 13 year old son took over this year. AND despite getting 2 questions about my own son and hubbie wrong I was still on the winning team. He is so like his Mum and very bossy. ;)
Sooziecats
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Sooziecats:
I am still chuckling at your Dad's 'ball'. I can think of many responses to that but we need to remember this is a family list!
The rest of you, keep it clean! Your comments, not her Dad's ball!
;) ;) ;) ;) ;D
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The rest of you, keep it clean! Your comments, not her Dad's ball!
;) ;) ;) ;) ;D
:o :o :o :o :o
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Good job there was only one!
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Not sure if this should be here or on a food thread. But I had forgotten until my Mum arrived, that she requires a cup of hot Horlicks at night at Christmas. I bought some Christmas Eve. Tried a sip. It's still disgusting.
Just made another mug for her. Ugh.
Sorry to those (a) ex pats (eg Tony?), who will be saying - I remember Horlicks, why can't we get it any more? and (b) non Brits who will be saying - what is Horlicks? Be grateful for never having tasted this grey, sweet, malty milk drink.
meles
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My auntie who is 82 has a cup of Horlicks every night before bed, even when we are on holiday. ::) I love it but cannot have it any more :'(
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Meles....Shurrup!
I am an ex pat......in cognito in the dark depths of California......who is paying £5 a jar for Horlicks........I am thinking of starting a Horlicks black market!
If it ever gets below 60F here......I will sip my Horlicks and hug my water bottle
Indi..
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Me too Indi !! ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
I've been buying Horlicks Tablets too !! ................ ;)
Reminds me of when I was in hospital .... they always came around with Horlicks / Ovaltine at night !! :) :) :)
I just have a hard time finding decent hot water bottles ........ and end up with a heating pad !! :)
For traditions ..... I came across REAL chocolate liquores (?) ........... reminded me of the old days with them and Turkish Delight in a wooden box !! :)
::) ::) ::)
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Hi Annie.....Jolly Holly....Crimbly Crumble...and all of that.....!
Chocolate Liquors.............Yes...My parents used to have them and sisters and I would suck all of the booze out of them......didn't do any good......would need to eat 25lbs to get a buzz!
I love Turkish Delight.......the real stuff that's covered in white powder and tastes like perfume......YUM...YUM...YUM....
Mr Indi thinks that I am quite mad!
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Seeing that I'm here in England and just wanted to make you all jealous - yes I have not one, but TWO boxes of liqueurs!!! and also rose and lemon turkish delight - also a box of Frys turkish delight chocolate covered like the bars.
Am I a meanie or what :D :D :D :D :D
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You can buy loads of that stuff in Cyprus, but they don't call it Turkish delight because they don't mention that 'T' word!
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Turkish delight is my absolute favourite. I was given 5 boxes for Christmas. Ling's is the best. YUM!
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Well, my teacher used to say, "I hope you're brought enough to share". Mary and Bearcat HAVE! ;D
meles
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Back to traditions ::), after New Year's day, I forbid :P my children to sing Christmas carols. It has become a tradition (translate game) in our family to annoy me with them. I am so tired of all things Christmas by then, since it starts around Halloween. A couple years ago my daughter's preschool class had a guest storyteller and they sang songs. The woman asked if they all knew 'Jingle Bells' and Molly raised her hand and told everyone she wasn't allowed to sing those. The adults in the room all thought it was because my husband is Jewish and became very uncomfortable. We still have a good laugh over that one.
Kath
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Yes I remember Horlicks Meles, No I still don't like it either :)
Horlicks tablets though? Hmmm - are they supposed to help cure a Horlicks addiction or what? ;D
HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone - between a heavy workload at home and work I haven't been on here quite as much - expecting that trend to continue unfortunately.., but I will keep up on the current threads I am subscribed to...
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HORLICKS, ????
Femail bromide, :o :o :o :o
Pete :) :D ;D