Hello Everyone! I have a bit more free time on my hands today. My last two papers are almost finished and I haven't received my linen yet, so I thought I would answer some of the questions on Sew, Mama, Sew's Handmade Holidays meme.
1. What is your favorite family holiday tradition?
I think it would have to be decorating the house and the Christmas tree. My mom always waited until the last minute to get a Christmas tree and so we usually decorated it around winter solstice. She has a particular way she likes to do the tree but every year she would allow my sister and I to add and change things that we wanted. My sister and I don't usually get to decorate the tree anymore but my little brother is eight and he has lots of great ideas.
Another holiday tradition that was strong in my family centered around food and baking. My step-father has an ancient gray recipe box filled with handwritten recipes on pieces of card stock. The names of the cookies sounded strange like Sour Milk Cookies and Ice Box Cookies, but they always came out great. My mom made candy. She would make chocolate lollipops and Santa Clauses. For easter she made elaborate chocolate eggs and bunnies. Looking back on it, she was a rather creative person herself.
2. Have you started any new traditions with your family that you didn’t practice growing up?
Yes. My mom usually started the Christmas season pretty late. I don't know when we got our tree when I was a child, but when I was a teenager we got our tree within days of Christmas. I start Christmas much earlier, Dec 1 is my traditional date to take out the decorations and music. My husband and daughter help me decorate. It worked wonders on Tom's mood this year. He was in a funk and decorating snapped him right out of it. He is a sucker for holidays.
3. What do you love most about the holiday season?
During the Christmas season people in general are much nicer, unless you are shopping, then watch out. Charities get lots of donations during Christmas, people are more likely to volunteer, and general good feeling toward strangers is higher. I wish this happened all year.
4. What do you like least about the holiday season?
Commercialism. I hate how Christmas decorations are out in stores before Halloween. That is not right. What happened to Thanksgiving people??? That is just the beginning...
5. Anyone close to your heart that you’ll be missing this year?
This is my dad who died on Dec 2. 2006.
and John Allen, my BFF from High School who died in Iraq this year
and Tom's BFF Doah who will be in Iraq for the 6th year next year.
May he come home safe.
6. What is your favorite holiday food?
The holidays are not complete without Turkey, preferably two. I cannot forget the spiral ham cut from Aunty Cyndia's pigs at her Yule party every year.
More coming soon.
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