The Tree Went Out - aka - How Soon (After Christmas) Do You Evacuate the Tree?

Our beautiful live Christmas tree, banished to the back yard.

When do you undecorate from Christmas?

Oh, the memories of years past, when I was still at home, living with my parents and three siblings. We can all tell you exactly when Dad wanted to take the tree out.

That would be, most of the time, on Christmas Day morning, even before we opened presents.

Yes. He would begin to verbalize his plans for taking out the tree, lights, ornaments, tinsel and all, tossing it on the rubbish heap or wood pile or on the top of some other pile of yard stuff. Seriously! We barely had time to open our gifts, let alone play with them, before he was unplugging the tree and dragging it out the door. Pine-needle bespeckled kids, mountains of wrapping paper trash, scattered toys, various animals in the midst of playing in the papers, mom trying to watch us enjoy Christmas...and there would go dad, announcing the soon-to-be-upon-us-tree-removal. Barely having heralded his intentions, the tree would be marched away.

Another Christmas tree down the drain.

Surely, I tell you the truth with only slight extensions. The family joke has become how soon my Dad can convince my Mom to let him haul out the tree. He starts in even before Christmas Day. We know the game.

And guess what? In my house at least, I have a very hard time leaving the tree decorated and in place AFTER Christmas Day! His Christmas Day destruction of the holiday décor has jumped to my generation.

This year, we managed to remain decorated for one day past December 25th. Maybe less. We undressed the trees, repacked the storage boxes, removed lights, cleaned, and generally put the house and yard back to normal. On December 26.

I know. It's a sad, sad thing. But I can't seem to help myself. It doesn't help that the hubby agrees.

January 1st? Winter décor is all in place, and nary a Christmas bauble left in sight.

I guess there's always next year and the hopes of letting the decorations of Christmas hang out until the New Year. Here's to Christmas 2015.

Best Ever Cranberry, Cream Cheese, & Turkey Leftovers Sandwich

Many, many years ago I was introduced to a turkey, cranberry, cream cheese croissant at the European Café in Yakima. Sadly, once I discovered this fantastic restaurant and exquisite sandwich, they closed their doors.

Many years ago, we adopted our own version for Thanksgiving night leftover turkey. True, the main dish at the big meal was delicious. But the leftovers smashed with cream cheese and cranberry sauce on a croissant was what we anticipated. That, and Christmas morning turkey quiche.

This year, welcome to the new version of our favorite sandwich. Healthier? Definitely. But that was really not the motivation. We just did not have croissants. We love the new and improved model. And no worrying about rushing to get the big croissants from Costco.

Already thinking about when I am going to cook the next turkey breast. For leftovers, of course.

Turkey, Cream Cheese, & Cranberry Sauce Sandwich

Ingredients:

~white meat cooked turkey breast

~cranberry sauce (we prefer the jelly type)

~cream cheese (reduced fat is fine)

~really good multi-grain and seed bread

1. Toast the bread.

2. Spread a thick layer of cream cheese on one slice of toast.

3. Add a layer of thinly sliced cranberry sauce.

4. Shred turkey and add as much as you like.

5. Cut in half. Devour.

Plot for the next meal.

Gingerbread Joy - Sugaring Up the Grandkids

Meet gingerbread joy. Also now known as sugar joy. I mean sugar high.

Nana likes to have traditions with her grands. A few years back, I started decorating gingerbread houses each Christmas with the grands.

Gingerbread Tips:

~ Hot glue houses together. Who eats them anyway? And they won't fall down or make you wait for hours and hours until they set.

~ Cover a piece of cardboard with foil. Tape it on. Glue each house on an individual board. Much, much easier.

~ This year I got smart. Divide candies into bowls. One bowl per kid. Saves fights, hassles, and who gets to eat what. I mean who gets what to add to their house.

~ Give each a damp wash cloth before you begin. Perfect for wiping off sticky fingers and faces.

~ Ask an adult to help if you have under two's. This was Donavyn's first gingerbread decorating. And, oh, boy, he found the icing and candy!

~ Let gingerbread houses dry before sending home. I put them in the oven so the kitties would not help themselves.

~ And of course, it goes without saying, take lots of pictures. Lots.

We are proud of our houses. And under the influence of sugar samples.

Donavyn and his house. Mostly, he wanted to wipe off the icing and eat it.

Hayden and his house. He kept raising his hand for help or more icing. Can you tell he is in kindergarten? Guess what they are working on.

Khloe pretty much did her house all by herself. Other than icing. The changes in the kids from year to year are amazing.

Nothing like sugaring up the kiddos. And then sending them home with mommy and daddy.

I bet the parents love it as much as the grands do. wink wink

Homemade Stockings - A Family Tradition

Ages ago, or at least twenty-nine years, I made matching stockings for my new husband and myself.

Using fabric with Christmas prints, I sewed strips together to make a striped quilted fabric. The striped pieces were sewn to a backing to provide stability. After cutting out the stocking shapes, they were sewn together. I added festive trim and a loop for hanging. To finish the stockings, I embroidered our names.

Upon the arrival of each of our children, showing my love of elaborate Christmas times with family, I made more stockings. But their stockings were huge. Actually, each baby could fit into his and her stocking with ease. For a short time.

The tradition continues. With the birth of each grandbaby, yet another handmade stocking is created. The only signs that show the different decades of origin are the changing of the prints on the fabric. And possibly the variety of trims.

It's always been that way with me. Making things with my hands is one of my passions. I love homemade. Gifts from the heart and the home.

How about you? Do you love homemade or store bought? What gifts do you like to make or give?

12 Days of Christmas - A Stocking Game

Years ago, my college roommate and long time friend suggested that we celebrate the 12 days of Christmas by giving each other a tiny gift on each of the 12 days of Christmas before Christmas break.

It was the birth of a perfect Christmas holiday tradition. That tradition is still in effect in my family, particularly with my husband and I. The 12 Days of Christmas, in our home, has evolved over time, but basically remains the same.

Beginning yesterday, my honey and I put one wrapped gift (figuratively) in our stockings. We will do this each day until Christmas Day. Yesterday was 12 days from Christmas. Shoppers? Beware. Only 10 more shopping days!

Back to the story. By Christmas morning, we will have 12 stocking gifts. Figuratively because, instead of daily opening each gift as my roommate and I once did, we hold all gifts in a hidden spot until Christmas morn. And we don't open them until after we have our traditional turkey quiche with spicy salsa and freshly brewed coffee.

As an added twist, this year we set the price limit of $5 for each item. It must be at or below the stated cost. This not only lowers our Christmas budget, it adds a challenge to our traditional Christmas stocking game.

Homemade is fine. Sale and clearance is fine. Free is even better. As long as the cost is below a fiver, the challenge has been met.

Let me tell you, it has been a challenge. Not much is to be had for less than five bucks. If you are in the know, please help me out so I can be in the know. And get those 12 Days of Christmas covered.

Thanks.

Christmas Tea & Traditions

TJ, Mom, and I at the Christmas Tea

Traditions are very important. This is especially true during the Christmas season.

Some traditions that we hold dear:

~ putting up the tree on Thanksgiving Day and watching our first Christmas movie (though this year, the Seahawks played - we watched them instead)

~ watching all of the versions of "The Christmas Carol" we can find

~ switching the radio station to Christmas music

~ reprogramming the Ipod to play Christmas music

~ celebrating Advent at church

~ holding a Christmas Eve candlelight service

~ rereading and contemplating the Christmas story from the Bible

~ baking special Christmas treats

~ praying for snow, snow, and more snow

~ watching Christmas movies

~ hot cocoa, candlelight, and snuggles

~ doing the 12 Days of Christmas with our stockings

~ seeing and hearing from family and friends

~ putting up the stockings we have used for our entire marriage

~ using the same tree skirt that I made when we first got married

~ buying presents for our loved ones

~ composing the Christmas newsletter and mailing the photo cards

~ allowing the kitties (whichever ones we have at the time) play with wrapped presents, wrapping stuff, and various decorations

To name a few . . .

This year my sister, my mother and I traveled to a Women's Christmas Tea in Kennewick. It was delightful. There were beautiful decorations, adorable ladies (especially my mom, just ask the lady at our table who kept telling her that), delicious treats, great music, and interesting speakers. Tack on a little shopping before and after, plus a few hits of coffee, and we called it a good day. I'm already considering next year.

Note: I just attempted to locate a good quote that included the word tradition. I had no idea that there were so many negative connotations attached to 'tradition.' Here I was thinking about sentimental reasons I did things in certain ways. I can see their points (sort of), but I mean it in the nicest sense.

Good news. Here is one that is more appropriate.

I learned from my grandmother, who grew up in devastating war times, how important it is to keep with tradition and celebrate the holidays during tough times.
- Marcus Samuelsson

So let's keep with tradition and celebrate the holidays, even now, during the tough times.

What traditions do you enjoy?

A Month of Thanks - November 26 - Traditions

I love traditions. So much in fact, that I have to remind myself that it is okay to branch out and try something new or go a different direction. We have (aghast) even considered traveling over certain holidays. That would mean we would be out of town and not participating in our traditional this and that. Oh my, we are getting bold. And sometimes we start new traditions. Like our annual (unless, like last year, Arctic temperatures, necessarily change plans) Christmas tree hunting trip to the mountains.

Maybe a part of my love of traditions is that it connects us to the past and the future. In the old days, we always decorated the Christmas tree after Thanksgiving dinner. We watched a Christmas movie the same evening. The dad and the kids put up the tree and lights. The mom and the kids added ornaments and made it pretty. We each had our part to play.

Thanksgiving dinner has traditionally been at my house. For years. This year we are going to my sister's home. The stress is off of me and onto her. It will be lovely. But I do bemoan the fact of no leftovers in our fridge. How do people survive without Thanksgiving leftovers?

We have the usual - turkey (prepared a variety of ways), relish trays, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, corn, green beans (this year I am making green bean casserole), pumpkin pie and a few other desserts. Oh, and olives. Black olives. Cans of black olives. In memory of the little boy who could consume an entire can by himself. That boy is now grown and still loves olives.

Thanksgiving is a holiday where we overeat the traditional menu items. But within the menu items, flexibility is allowed in preparation style and recipe. But we always get together. Family members that are around are invited and expected. It's just what we do. And we love it.

Today, November 25, I am thankful for traditions.

For traditions make our family remember times together over the years. And traditions lead us forward to embrace times together in the future.

Until the next time.

Traditions keep us going.

The Outfit ~ Generations

Bill and Kevin, 1964-ish

We have this outfit. It used to be adorable.

Bill (dad, grandpa, great-grandpa) was a rural mail carrier. After daddy Bill and mommy Carole adopted baby Kevin, a mail carrier overall outfit was found so Kevin could be just like daddy.

Leap forward many years. Kevin became a daddy. Out came the mail carrier outfit, though Kevin was not in the postal service. Baby Taylor enjoyed wearing the overalls as he toddled, tasted tires, and sat on grandpa's lap.

Bill and Taylor, 1989

Taylor racing away from the tires he was tasting (baby jogger - remember those?)

Bill holding Taylor while Kevin peeks at the camera

This summer, 2014, baby Donavyn donned the now thread-bare mail carrier overalls.

Donavyn and Papa Kevin, 2014

Fourth generation Donavyn wearing third generation overalls

Donavyn with Mommy

Sentimental, tattered, and worn.

Loved.


Angie Quantrell is writing about life experiences in Chara, 365 Days of Joy.