| One. |
Christmas Cookies! |
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I've always loved homemade Christmas cookies. When I was younger, |
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my mom baked, but she was an "expert" at pies and cakes, not fancy cookies. Her best friend always brought over the intricate cookies. |
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My favorite was always the "turtle." The round, lightly maple flavored cookie, |
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With pecans for the legs, and glossy chocolate frosting. When I got married, |
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I started making fancy cookies. Dozens of them. Intricate and beautiful. |
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After my children were old enough, the whole family joined in. Now I would |
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just rather eat them than make them . . . I don’t have time! But my favorite |
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cookie is still the maple turtle cookie. A double batch! |
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| Two. |
Christmas Music! |
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Starting December 1st . . . Christmas music is so wonderful.
I especially like the old-time artists. |
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But the voice of Karen Carpenter is so beautiful, too. |
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Christmas music makes me misty and miss my family. |
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| Three. |
Ornaments! |
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No red and green balls on the tree for me. I even have a green snake! |
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But when I was a child, my mother had her mother's fragile, hand blown, |
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huge German ornaments. They were spheres; some with points on the |
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top or bottom. Beautiful colors hand painted on them, with jewels. But to |
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a child, they were old fashioned, or just plain "old." "Mom, can't we get some |
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NEW ornaments?" I recall my younger sister and I whining one year. |
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She gave in. I can feel her disappointment in us to this day. My mom was |
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not one to save things. She just threw those beautiful ornaments away! |
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What ignorant children we were. But, we were children, afterall.... |
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Now, I'd give anything for those beautiful heirloom spheres. But I have a |
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tree full of all types of ornaments. Wildlife, spheres, porcelain, just |
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beautiful pieces. There are never enough. Every year I made sure I bought |
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each of the kids an ornament so they would have some to start their own |
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trees when the moved away. And they have beautiful trees. |
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| Four. |
Santa! |
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Yes, there IS a Santa. And if you don't say so, no presents for you! |
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Funny thing about Santa . . . Seems where you live in the country and who |
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you live with, matters as far as what Santa's likes and dislikes are for |
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midnight snacks! When I was a kid, before going to bed, we always left |
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a carrot for the reindeer and a mug of beer for Santa, with a cookie. We |
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treated Santa well in my family! So, when I moved to Wisconsin and I |
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found out my husband was used to leaving "milk" I was a bit surprised! |
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I don’t drink milk . . . So Santa kept getting beer at the Evans home! |
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I figured he needed that by the time he got here. |
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| Five. |
Food! |
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When I was young we always had a fancy meal at Christmas. Still do |
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now. Usually a sit-down dinner at my home with at least 25 people. |
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But I like the days before and after when we seem to have a lot of |
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appetizers. I don't care so much about the other stuff. It's just fun to |
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sample all kinds of different things. And there's always something new, |
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along with the traditional items. Food, glorious food! |
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| Six. |
Lights! |
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I love Christmas lights. The more the better. Especially red and green |
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ones. Just don't leave them up all year! It sure was sad during the energy |
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crisis years when people didn't put up lights! |
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| Seven. |
Christmas Movies! |
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Just like I have to see Planes, Trains and Automobiles every Thanksgiving, I |
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need to see my Christmas movies. A Christmas Carol, Holiday Inn, |
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National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, and whatever |
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other one I might want to put in the mix (if I have time). |
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| Eight. |
Advent Calendars, Popcorn Balls and Ribbon Candy!! |
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I can't help it. It's fun to open the little doors on an Advent Calendar and see what's underneath each day. I also make homemade red & green popcorn |
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balls that taste so good, and when else do you ever see ribbon candy! |
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| Nine. |
Decorating! |
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Well, when the decorating is completed! It's so cozy and festive and full of |
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spirit. Whether it's tradition or it's doing something brand new. |
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| Ten. |
Presents! |
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I like choosing gifts for people - just the right gift. But I don't like it when I have to go off of a "shopping list." |
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A gift should be from the heart. I enjoy making homemade gifts for |
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certain people. I've made homemade vanilla, Kahlua, peppermint bark, and acrylic flower arrangements. |
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This year I did blueberry vodka. A homemade |
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gift isn't for everyone, but some people love them. |
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| Eleven. |
Snow on Christmas Eve! |
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That's the only day I will admit I love snow. We need snow on Christmas Eve. |
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Huge, soft, fluffy flakes. Ones that float slowly to the ground and land on the tip of your tongue if you stick it out. |
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The kind that makes you want to make a snow angel. |
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| Twelve. |
Festivity! |
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I love the spirit and cheer people feel. They forget about their troubles for a |
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little while. There are extra hugs and smiles.
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