NOTE: please scroll through the whole post to see Midweek Blues, Watery Wednesday, Food for Thought, and Weekend Reflections.
Several years I was in a Christmas choir where the rehearsals started in Sept. leading up to a performance in Dec. with a whole mix with drama, etc.. It was exciting, but also a whole lot of time involved. Now I have learned more to enjoy the little things than perform!
Several years I was in a Christmas choir where the rehearsals started in Sept. leading up to a performance in Dec. with a whole mix with drama, etc.. It was exciting, but also a whole lot of time involved. Now I have learned more to enjoy the little things than perform!
The Christmas tradition at my oldest daughter's house is for each child
to make a gingerbread house...on a BLUE plate! This one is from last year.
to make a gingerbread house...on a BLUE plate! This one is from last year.
Creatively from scratch! no instructions or adults involved!
This pic is my contribution for Midweek Blues, hosted by Rebecca at http://thedustycellar.blogspot.com
This pic is my contribution for Midweek Blues, hosted by Rebecca at http://thedustycellar.blogspot.com
The children like to see the neighborhood block where everyone has decorated their house to the max (only half of this house is seen).
In this nativity seen Mary is dressed in BLUE, as well as one of the shepherds. In reality it probably wasn't blue. In that time, a blue robe probably would have been too expensive for Mary, and even more for a shepherd!
A few days before Christmas a tradition (out of necessity) for me and hubby is to make the trip to our Children and families to mid-California.
This is my contribution for Weekend Reflections, hosted by James at http://newtowndailyphoto.blogspot.com
At my small living room condo every inch counts,
so I started a new tradition where I'm displaying
the Christmas cards we receive
by taping them onto the lamp.
It works, right?
And for a few weeks we watch every sentimental Christmas movie we can get a hold of. That's our limit for the whole year:)
At my middle daughter's house, they see any feast as a foreign food adventure! They are trying to get the hang of rolling up very sticky (sweet) rice with filling (it's an Indonesian snack, called lumpur). If you click on the image you can see how the rice immediately sticks to my daughter's hands. Son in law has an inventive idea....
"See, this is how it's done!" When I asked him how he knew about that, well...I rather not tell you! I thought later that those wooden slat mats to make sushi rolls may also work...
Contribution for "Food for Thought", a new meme hosted by Rob and Mandy http://www.barcelonadailyphoto.com
And there is plenty washing of hands, since you can't touch anything without getting sticky sweet rice on it! Contribution for Watery Wednesday, hosted by 2sweetnsaxy at http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com
Would love to hear about your or your family's traditions (or you had as a child) to celebrate the Christmas season?
29 comments:
You've shared some great photos!!!
My Wednesday Link Do take time to stop by if you can. I also have a Christmas Day Gift Giveaway for you if you'd like to click on the very top button [Santa button] on my blog that'll direct you to another page, to view my gift,...sign up for your chance to win!!
Very ingenious use of water as a subject for Watery Weds. Merry Christmas. Loved your post.
your Christmas card display is brilliant, I think I'll try that :)
love all the family photos
Your family has lovely traditions, Jeannette. Christmas is definitely a time for family!
What a wonderful holiday post! I love the sticky rice situation - my kids love to make "rice balls" with sticky rice, and I truly understand the dilemma!
When I was growing up my sister wanted to be Mary in a school play but lost out on the part. So my mom wrote a play for us kids, and we performed a different one for the family every year on Christmas Eve ... until all the kids were grown and gone.
After the play, we would always adjourn to the dining room to feast on clam chowder, and when that was over, we had cake - after singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. Although we no longer have a play, we still have clam chowder and birthday cake on Christmas Eve.
lol, nice watery shot. True, these days comes with a lot of washing hands. :)
Anni,
Saw the Christmas post on your blog, and I may have forgotten to comment -very cute and endearing, Anni!
Hooked on memes,
Thank you! It "happened" to fit in my post;) Also, thank you for visiting!
Dianne,
Making use of every inch has gotten a new meaning for me!
EGWow,
Especially in the beginning I lived here in the USA it amazed me how kids would appear from any corner of the country to spend Christmas with their family!
Clytie,
Oh, that is so neat, Clytie! I hope you tell this story also on your blog? Yeah, never thought about cake - what's a birthday without cake!
Naturefootstep,
Don't know what is worse, sticky rice on your hands or paint! Since I'm an artist, you understand that I do that very very often;)
I'd like some of those blue M&M's please!
Love the traditions!
Those gingerbread houses are indeed 'blue plate specials'. :)
I love how you've changed your lamp into art - nice idea.
And, you transitioned everything right up to hand washing - well done.
My mother used to make a gingerbread house for Christmas. As far as I can recall, we were never allowed to get involved in that. (Cookies, yes; but the house, no.)
I could use hours and hours walking around watching all the X-mas decorations ;-)
Woody,
You prefer M&M's over the mints?? Or the marshmellows?
Carletta,
Actually, I couldn't believe it when I saw it on my pics that the (paper) plates were blue! But now that color serves my purpose:)
Thanks, it may stem from all those papers I wrote in school (smile).
Monika,
Hope you make your own gingerbread houses now as your own tradition?
Anjoe,
So can I, and there are plenty in the Los Angeles area!
A great post with great pics!
Thanks for sharing about your lovely family;o)
***
Have a beautiful weekend, Jeanette****
I love enjoying learning of the traditions of my blog friends!
I love the memories. I plan a Christmas tradition story for Christmas Day.
I have been writing several blogs of memories. THe last one got a spammer with 7 comments on evils of corporate punishment which I promptly deleted and wrote him why. I was not advocating 0r criticizing in my blog, but regaling my memories. Most children in my age group received some corporate punishiment in my day. Most of us turned out pretty good. I agree it can be overdone.
The next post has nothing to do with coroorate punishment! We'll see if the spammer comes back.
It seems that creativity and ingenuity characterize both you and your family members.
Christmas cards under the lamp - great idea!
The gingerbread house of your eldest daughter's children is very cute!
Thanks for sharing pictures of your family (your middle daughter has lovely fingers with or without the sticky rice, and your son looks more like an artist than a teacher, and I mean it as a compliment).
I love the nativity scene. Great shots! Happy weekend!
Red balls
Wonderful shots. The reflections are very nice.
Cildemer,
Thank you, friend!My adult kids are great subjects to write about:) Hope you have a great weekend!
Rebecca,
Wouldn't be surprized if you have taken on some German Christmas traditions? It's not a Christmas tradition,but have you heard about "Kaffee Klatsch"?
Nitwit,
Some people skim the story without taking time to let it sink in what the story really says :( Did the spammer answer your question?
Duta,
Thank you for your kind comments. Actually the pic of my son is from a few years ago, and he has dyed his hair black now.
When I asked him about it, the said, "Well when you're a few years in a country you have to decide whether you are going to adjust to the culture, or stay foreigner." I gave him two thumbs up!
BTW I love to read your readers' comments -such interesting viewpoints:)
Kim,
It was a drive by-shooting-a-pic that turned out well to my surprise! Thank you, and enjoy your weekend as well:)
What a beautiful and blessed family there!
I loved this post full of great energies and lights!
And I also love the top of picture with you painting!
Well in Brazil now is Summer and for the Christmas dinner we have lots of ice cream, turkey of course , fruits...
And we used to exchange many gifts!
It's the second year that we will be far away, but I know all hearts will be in unity. :)
Best wishes!
Léia
Which reminds me... I must check my mailbox since I havent got any Christmas cards (or bills).
Not much happening in my household for Christmas. My husband and I are eating at a restaurant, and then having a quiet week. Happy Christmas to you!
I love hearing about other people's traditions! Mine generally revolve around food and old movies!!
Happy Holidays!
We just switched to eating sticky rice (not sweet) because my husband likes it. It's softer. I usually buy the parboiled one but it still doesn't turn out like my husband likes it.
Also we have a tree but just fill it with white lights and a few bears and ribbons. It revolves and looks wonderful at night. Sometimes just the lights is enough.When my kids were younger I also liked them to make the air dried cornstarch glue dough decorations It made the tree personal.:)
I love the reflection on the car miror!
Have a nice weekend :)
Love the personal stories... We have many traditions: homemade gumbo (lots of seafood), Jesus' birthday cake (4 layers with white icing, decorated with fêves and 33 red candles), Christmas Elf, oysters on Christmas Eve... hummmm, seems that most of our traditions revolve around food!
Jeanette, I never made a gingerbread house. Now with neck/shoulder problems I don't even make my own gingerbread cookies. I might bake a cake with the same spices just for the smell though...!
Loved sharing your family Christmas traditions, old and new!
(That's the best way to do it -- a mix of both!)..... very creative way to enter all those memes.
Have a great trip to CA and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Leia,
Did not know that turkey is also in Brazil a Christmas tradition. In Luxembourg it may be too cold for ice cream on Christmas (unless you want to scoop snow off your roof, LOL). Feel for you to be so far away from your family. For you and Cezar I wish you a very merry Christmas!
Evelyn,
Hope you also get a Christmas play or concert or other event in there (surprize your husband:) ) in your "quiet! week!
Knitwit,
with all kinds of creative people around me (kids), I never know what they'll do next:)
A Lady's life,
I admit that I like brown and wild rice the most. How the Christmas tree is dressed up is as individual as the people - I think it's one of the most fun traditions!
Elisa,
Thank you! Love riding through the sunset:)And thanks for visiting my blog as well!
Genie,
The birthday cake is an excellent idea and I love gumbo, what's the Christmas elf tradition? (I know the movie Elf, but you probably are referring to something else?)
Monika,
Must be frustrating sometimes not being able to do these things...at least you can bake a cake! Have a very merry Christmas!
Sallie,
This way I still tell my personal story:) Thank you Sallie, wishing you the best Christmas ever!
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