Christmas in July 2019 - Day Twenty-Eight

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PamelaG

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The ABCs of Christmas, can you come up with your family's version of A to Z?
 

PamelaG

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A - Advent - Mum used to buy Advent calendars for my sister Barbara and me, and then for Sophia, so now it's my job for make sure my nephews, Marc and Alex, have them every year as well. Not really sure if my sis approves of the chocolate ones I buy!

B - Buffet - Christmas Eve Buffet that lasts for several days of snacking - Baked Ham with Pineapple, Caesar Salad, French Bread, Chilled Shrimp, Smoked Salmon, Pate, Cheese Board, Marinated Mushrooms, Green Olives - yummy!

C - Custard - for pouring over the Christmas Plum Pudding!

D - DVDs - we all get at least one so they come in very handy for Q - Quiet Time.

E - Eggnog - Love it or hate it? Vic and I love it.

F - Fruitcake - Again, love it or hate it? I've been buying the overpriced ones from a British Food Supplier online but this year (and I know I've said this for the last few years!), I'm going to try to make my own. No fruitcake jokes, please!

G - Green - As in Mum's quote about my decorating, "Every flat surface is covered with something red or green!"

H - Ho Ho Ho - Our days of Sophia believing in Santa are over but we can still pretend, can't we?

I - Icicles - Love to see them hang from the eaves of houses.

J - Jesus - The reason for the season.

K - Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales, England - Site of our 2001 Family Christmas - the best Christmas ever!

L - Lazy - Christmas Day afternoons.

M - Memories - Of Christmases past, loved ones no longer with us, friends and family.

N - Naughty or Nice - Which list are you on?

O - Ornaments - At last count, 440 and every one is special (good grief, how many years ago was this list compiled? Ornament count is, gulp, over 800 now).

P - Christmas Pudding - So delicious.

Q - Quiet Time - See L and D.

R - Reflection - I spend time every Christmas going through the previous year's cards - re-reading the family newsletters, fixing the pictures of the children in my mind so I can marvel at how much they have grown when this year's photo arrives.

S - Stockings - There's always a (chocolate) orange and nuts in the toe.

T - Traditions - So many, so precious.

U - Unwrapping - All at once or one at a time - what's it like at your house?

V - Visitors - We love to have a holiday Open House, usually one of the two weekends before Christmas.

W - Wreath - Our patriotic, Go Navy, wreath has adorned our front door in three different states now.

X - Xtra Special - Everything about Christmas.

Y - Yule Log - Every year, I wish we had a fireplace and this year, we have one! It's a gas fireplace so I'll have to imagine that a yule log is in there.

Z - ZZZZs - What follows L, D and Q!
 

Holiday_Mom

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This was a good exercise in creativity!


Advent - The children use to get chocolate Advent calendars.

Books - I like to display children’s Christmas picture books as decor.

Candy Canes - I put crushed candy canes on ice cream and in hot chocolate. I use them to decorate the tree.

Decorate - We slowly begin to decorate the weekend following Thanksgiving.

Egg Nog - I like to add it to my coffee and I like to eat Egg Nog ice cream.

Fireplace - If it is cold enough, we light a fire on Christmas Eve. Another time after Christmas, we will roast hot dogs and marshmallows and make grilled cheese in the fireplace.

Gingerbread men - We bake lots of small gingerbread men and women

Hallmark movies - When the family is out for a few hours, I love to watch the Hallmark movies while wrapping gifts.

Ice Skating - We host an ice skating party followed by hot chocolate and cookies.

Jesse Tree - We read the Jesse Tree scriptures at dinner.

Kings - The three kings from the Nativity set travel from Christmas to Ephiphany.

Little People - For years, we put out Fisher-Price’s Little People Christmas sets from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve.

Mystic Monk Coffee - I buy their Jingle Bell Java and Candy Cane Coffee.

Nativity Set - We put one out each year. My children have had fun playing with the figures and moving them around.

O Antiphons - Starts Dec. 17th. When I bring out the verses to read at dinner each night, we know we are close to Christmas!

Parade - When possible, we go to the local Christmas parade.

Quiet - I like to get up early and enjoy a cup of coffee in the quiet by a lit Christmas tree.

Rankin Bass Christmas shows - We like to watch Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and The Year Without a Santa Claus

Stockings - The stockings get put up on Dec. 23rd. These are the stockings that I made for the family when I was in high school.

Tree - We like to go out and cut down our own Christmas tree.

Unwrap - We take our time unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning. It usually takes us a few hours.

Visit - We visit our family and they visit us over Christmas break.

Wrapping Paper - I love wrapping gifts when I have plenty of time to wrap. Last minute wrapping is no fun.

X - Marks the Spot - Last year we did a Pirate Treasure Hunt theme on Christmas morning. Clues were given out as to where to find the next clue. Then a map was discovered with X on it. The kids found a wrapped gift. It was an Xbox.

Yankee Candles - I like to burn this brand of candles. Scents that I enjoy are Balsam and Cedar, Bayberry and Christmas Wreath.

Zinc - With all the colds, we make sure to take zinc lozenges at the first sign of a cold.
 

PamelaG

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May 27, 2011
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Washington, the Evergreen State
This was a good exercise in creativity!


Advent - The children use to get chocolate Advent calendars.

Books - I like to display children’s Christmas picture books as decor.

Candy Canes - I put crushed candy canes on ice cream and in hot chocolate. I use them to decorate the tree.

Decorate - We slowly begin to decorate the weekend following Thanksgiving.

Egg Nog - I like to add it to my coffee and I like to eat Egg Nog ice cream.

Fireplace - If it is cold enough, we light a fire on Christmas Eve. Another time after Christmas, we will roast hot dogs and marshmallows and make grilled cheese in the fireplace.

Gingerbread men - We bake lots of small gingerbread men and women

Hallmark movies - When the family is out for a few hours, I love to watch the Hallmark movies while wrapping gifts.

Ice Skating - We host an ice skating party followed by hot chocolate and cookies.

Jesse Tree - We read the Jesse Tree scriptures at dinner.

Kings - The three kings from the Nativity set travel from Christmas to Ephiphany.

Little People - For years, we put out Fisher-Price’s Little People Christmas sets from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve.

Mystic Monk Coffee - I buy their Jingle Bell Java and Candy Cane Coffee.

Nativity Set - We put one out each year. My children have had fun playing with the figures and moving them around.

O Antiphons - Starts Dec. 17th. When I bring out the verses to read at dinner each night, we know we are close to Christmas!

Parade - When possible, we go to the local Christmas parade.

Quiet - I like to get up early and enjoy a cup of coffee in the quiet by a lit Christmas tree.

Rankin Bass Christmas shows - We like to watch Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and The Year Without a Santa Claus

Stockings - The stockings get put up on Dec. 23rd. These are the stockings that I made for the family when I was in high school.

Tree - We like to go out and cut down our own Christmas tree.

Unwrap - We take our time unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning. It usually takes us a few hours.

Visit - We visit our family and they visit us over Christmas break.

Wrapping Paper - I love wrapping gifts when I have plenty of time to wrap. Last minute wrapping is no fun.

X - Marks the Spot - Last year we did a Pirate Treasure Hunt theme on Christmas morning. Clues were given out as to where to find the next clue. Then a map was discovered with X on it. The kids found a wrapped gift. It was an Xbox.

Yankee Candles - I like to burn this brand of candles. Scents that I enjoy are Balsam and Cedar, Bayberry and Christmas Wreath.

Zinc - With all the colds, we make sure to take zinc lozenges at the first sign of a cold.
I love X!
 

sweetpumkinpye

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I have been looking forward to this one.

A- All is calm, all is bright
B- Baking, a lot of it around Christmas
C- Carols by Candlelight, an Australian tradition
D- Decorations
E- Evergreen tree
F- Family, always family
G- Glitter, it gets everywhere
H- Home and Heart
I- Icicles
J-Joy
K- Kitchen, we tend to spend a lot of time there
L- Lights, the more the merrier
M- Magic
N- Northpole,
O- Others, Christmas is about sharing
P- Pudding, with custard and ice cream
Q- Quiet times
R- Rudolph and his red nose
S- Sleigh bells
T- T'was the night before Christmas
U- Unwind and enjoy the season
V- Vixen
W- Wrapping parties
X- Xcitement
Y- Year round planning
Z- Zest of oranges and cinnamon boiling on the stove..

 

Holiday_Mom

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Carols by Candlelight sounds so nice.

Glitter! I love it!
 

sweetpumkinpye

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Carols by Candlelight sounds so nice.
It is lovely.
A lot of towns do Carols by Candle light and there are a few big televised events. What happens is you take a picnic and a rug or chair, you sit on the grass and as the night gets dark you light your candles. Some folk have battery operated candles. Then as you sing your face is illuminated in the candle light. A lovely Australian tradition.