October 2020 Rudolph Day

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Holiday_Mom

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You're going to laugh at this. :D At first I thought the thread was from last year. I thought the "2020" was a typo. Then I realized that it is now October 2020. :rolleyes: I thought it was still September! :oops:
 

Ahorsesoul

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Oct Rudy Day

Movie: I really do not have a favorite Christmas movie. What is yours that you like to watch by yourself and why?

Book: I really like murder msysteries. Probably not the best thing for a Rudy Day reading. But this book is rather funny reading:
Letters to Santa Adorable Christmas Letter from Children Over a hundred years ago or any Santa letter book.

Have you saved any of the letters your children have written? What would You say in a letter if you wrote one this year?

Recipe Book: The Christmas cookbook: Delicious recipes for pastries, appetizers and main courses to enhance Christmas with a French flavor

On Facebook, Crafting with the Shabby Tree
She also has a Blog with craft videos
theshabbytree.com
I’m pretty sure someone here turned me on to The Shabby Tree. Raise your hand. I need to thank you.

Facebook scrapbooking site: Scrapper’s Challenge by Kathy Aho. She is really nice. Search on Christmas once you get to her page. For Oct her subject is Family History
And Christmas is a great time to ask people about family stories. Well maybe not this year but during a phone call you can ask.

What is your favorite family Christmas Photo? Now or something from your childhood?

Pinterest idea: Do a search for Christmas Family Photos that you can use this year. If you are by yourself you still are a family! Post a photo for us to see or write down an idea you have been thinking of using.

One year I found Snowman shirts at Walmart. Of course they only had one shirt. I needed five in different sizes so I made them myself. Of course I can not find a photo now.

Photo Pet Peeve: I do not like to receive family photos of just the kids. I call them Orphan Photos. What are your likes and dislikes about Christmas photos?


My favorite carol: Carol of the bells


What is you favorite memory of Christmas?
I remember going up on stage to get a Christmas Sock from Santa. They always had an orange in the toe, some little toys and candy. Always a candy cane. My older brother always tried to talk me out of the orange. Didn’t work. At that time oranges were expensive so they were a real treat.


What was one of your disasters and how has it helped you in preparing for Christmas this year?
One year I was shopping for Christmas gifts in March. Not for the coming year but for the previous year. Decided I would never do that again. That is how I found Organizing Christmas. Share one of your disasters.

What is your Dream Christmas?
To experience Christmas on the Beach in Australia!

Favorite Cookie. Well worth the time to prepare them: Nigella lawson’s Pistachio macaroon buttercream cookies. http://www.edible-woman.com/pistachio-macarons/

Interesting Blogs: https://wisconsinmagpie.com/?s=christmas
http://celebrateanddecorate.com/?s=christmas

Here’s an 1900 photo from the Library of Congress
https://www.loc.gov/resource/ggbain.37759/

What is your Favorite Christmas Recipe that has a story? Please share it with us.

Chocolate Covered Cherries
As a kid in the 1950s my Aunt Erna made wonderful candies at Christmas. When we were at her house she stored these candies on the stairwell in a big ceramic bowl going upstairs to the unheated attic. The kids all played in attic. I had a 101 excuses to go down the attic stairs so I could steal a Candy. She died when I was 13 so I did not get her recipe. Thirty years later in 1993 my mom died, I received her recipe box. Yep, I found the recipe in her box. Since then I have shared with only one person. This is my Christmas gift to you.

Aunt Erna’s Chocolate Covered Cherries

Drain a jar of Maraschino Cherries
With or without stems
I then lay them on a paper towel to dry off

Beat until soft 1/2 cup butter (yes use butter)
Add very slowly 1 pound Powered sugar (3 1/2 cups)
Beat until very light
Add 4 tablespoons heavy cream and 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls with a dry off cherry in the middle. Roll this in some powered sugar and shake off the extra. Set aside on wax paper.

Chocolate Coating

Melt 4 ounces unsweetened bittersweet baking chocolate with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 inch square of paraffin. Add 5 drops of vanilla. Dip the candy into the chocolate and set on wax paper to dry. Be sure to cover the stem if you have them on the cherries.

Cut squares of plastic wrap to wrap around the cherries once they are set. Next hide them so I do not steal them.

Notes

You may have to add more powered sugar when you start rolling the butter and powered sugar. If it is sticky it needs more powered sugar or it needs to be cooled. Once you start working with it you will be able to tell which to do.

When you roll the candy in the powered sugar make sure to shake off any extra or the chocolate will not stick.

You can put nuts or dried fruit inside instead of cherries. I have added Kahlua to the butter and powered sugar mix. Some years I used drunken cherries.

I have used white Almond Bark for a coating. With a sweetened coating it might be too sweet but dear daughter likes white chocolate.

I have never liked the Chocolate covered cherries that you buy in a box.

I have made this totally by hand or using a hand held mixer .One year for Christmas I asked for a Kitchen Aid mixer specifically to make these candies.

Store in Refrigerator but not on the attic stairs

100_1722_Original.jpeg20171126_091646.jpeg
 
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missjane

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Diedra, what a labor of love! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
 

halimer

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Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
 

sweetpumkinpye

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Diedra, I love this photo of you. It makes me smile.

Thank you so much for posting such a wonderful array of interesting things. I am sure going to enjoy looking through them all.

What would You say in a letter if you wrote one this year? This I am going to do......
 

luludou

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Diedra, loved your post, so many different things to consider. You sure seem busy in that picture, yummy!

I will go take a look at all those links... I like the villages in the Magpie one. would like to make one at some point.

Favorite movie? hummm... lots of them but I do like Elf, it's full of Christmas cheers and funny... especially when you watch it with a child

Letter? I don't know what I,d put in it... it's been a crazy covid year with not much happening... except illness (on my part) and I wouldn't want to say too much about that (negative)... but I would love pictures and writing about my grandson.

Too bad I can't access mom's photo albums (can't go in another region because of Covid), I'd love to do something with our old Christmas pictures ... a collage or putting up pictures in my frames on the wall.
 

jampss

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Wow! Loved your Rudy Day post! I will work on those wonderful questions! And those candies .... awesome! Thank you so much for sharing! :)
 
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Ahorsesoul

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Forgot my to add this very small book. I've ordered a few for gifts this year.

The Golden Rule
As expressed by cultures around the world
Compiled by
Sandra & Harold Darling
 
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sweetpumkinpye

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Recipe Book: I don't have a favourite but I do enjoy flipping through recipe books.


What is your favorite family Christmas Photo? Now or something from your childhood? My favourite Christmas photos are of the kids when they were little. I have one of them in their brand new Christmas outfits and I am trying to get the perfect photo. They are both crying in that photo. A few years ago the kids had a photo taken with Santa at our local mall. That is a good one. I have a few framed photos that come out every year and live on the dining room hutch.


My favorite carol: Oh Holy night. I adore this song.


What is you favorite memory of Christmas?
I have a lot of great memories. The best one would be 1998, we found out on the 14th of December that my dad was very sick and it would be his last Christmas. We gathered family and put on the best Christmas ever. It came together very quickly and we just enjoyed each others company and we loved on my dad. He passed in June 1999.


What was one of your disasters and how has it helped you in preparing for Christmas this year?
One year I hurt my back very badly and I had no idea how I was going to pull everything off. I visualised throwing unwrapped gifts under the tree and feeding the kids cereal for lunch. Luckily with a bit of help it all came together but I promised never to be in that situation again. I am now very organised when it comes to Christmas planning.

What is your Dream Christmas?
To have a beautiful "Hallmark Christmas" complete with snow, sleigh rides and roaring fires........magical.
 
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luludou

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We used to do the sleigh ride every NY's Eve (but there are none anymore), there was music.. but since it was usually soooo cold... most brought some liquor instead of hot chocolate ;)
 

Holiday_Mom

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Deirdre, I'm going to see if my dd would like to make the chocolate covered cherries. She loves cherries. You've asked some great questions that I'll think about and answer later.
 

Holiday_Mom

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Favorite Christmas Movie: Hallmark’s The Christmas Ornament is one of those movies that I can watch every year. I didn’t see it until a few years back. I think I like it because it speaks of the grief that people go through at Christmas when they lose a loved one. It helped me because over the years, three family members have died either right before Thanksgiving or the day after Thanksgiving. Another one died two days after Christmas.

Letter to Santa:

25 October 2020

Dear Santa,

It’s been a tough year with this virus called COVID-19. How are you and Mrs. Claus? I hope it hasn’t reached you up in the North Pole. I have a favor to ask of you. Could you send an email blast to people that if they are not wearing masks and social distancing, then they will be on your naughty list? If you don’t know how to do that, I think that there are some folks in Iran and Russia that could help you out with that. We can call it Operation: COVERT-20.


Have you and Mrs. Clause had any problems with Zoom? It seems like people here are having a difficult time finding the buttons for the camera and microphone on the screen. They are recording themselves doing odd things when they think the camera and microphone are off. Could the elves come up with an idea to make microphone and video buttons on Zoom bigger and more noticable?

Any chance that you might make a surprise visit to the U.S. on Wednesday, November 4th? It’s the day after the Presidential election. There’s so much division. We could use a little cheer.

In closing, I’d like to point out that I’ve been a good girl even if others tell you otherwise. Please don’t give me any coal in my stocking. I still have the coal my brother gave me when it was left in his stocking. It’s taking forever for the coal to turn to a diamond. Could you leave a diamond instead?

Much love,

Mary



What is your favorite family Christmas Photo? Duck and hide - We don’t do Christmas photos. If I send a photo, it's’ usually just the kids.

Favorite Christmas Carol: God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman

Favorite Christmas Memory: When I was in kindergarten, I received a new kitchen set and chalkboard, I ran over to the window and yelled “Thank you, Santa!” (This was a foreshadowing of my favorite job in the world - being a mom and teaching my children.)

Christmas Disaster - Christmas 1999 - Dh got sick and was hospitalized the week leading into Christmas. I had just two gifts for our oldest but not for anyone else. My brothers set up the artificial tree with me before dh got home. Dh didn’t get home until Dec. 23rd. I promised myself that I would never be in a position again where I had no presents bought. In 2000, I bought gifts during Black Friday and wrapped them as soon as I could. I did the same in 2001 and in 2002, I found the message boards that CEO put out. I signed up for the Christmas Countdown emails and I have been hooked on prepping for Christmas with like minded folks ever since.

Christmas dream: I never really thought about it. Hmmm… I guess it would be to have many happy Christmas memories.

Favorite Christmas Recipe that has a story - Growing up my mom used to make Springerle cookies. For those not familiar, they are anise flavored cookie made with a wooden imprinted board. My mom made them because my dad was of German descent and he had them growing up. One year I realized that we didn’t have the cookies anymore. My mom lent the springerle board out and it was never returned.

Fast forward to Christmas 2004 and I received a hand made Springerle board from my parents. Earlier that year, I had told them about a website that sold hand carved molds and I loved them. That is the one cookie that we all look forward to eating each Christmas. It isn’t Christmas Eve until we eat a Springerle Cookie.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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Mary, I loved reading your post. Beautiful.