Traditions
It's funny how time slips away from you. It feels like only yesterday that I last posted, but as I look at the blog, it's been nearly three weeks! Work has been more hectic than it has been in a long time, and life outside of work has been even more busy. My body and mind are craving rest, but I need to get through one more week before I can recharge the batteries.
I have had some great stories to share with the blog world over the last few weeks, but I can't remember any of them right now. If they come to me, I will share them at a later date.
My daughter and I just finished making a batch of almond roca, and it got me to thinking about holiday traditions. I talked to my brother today and he was talking about making peanut brittle. This is one tradition that has made it through the generations in our family. My great-grandmother, and my grandmother would make almond roca and peanut brittle every year around this time. My brother, my sister, and I still use great-grandma's recipe, and oddly enough, this is the only time of year we make both of the candies.
Some of our family traditions have survived and some haven't. Vicki and I have also created many new ones. For the last 6 or 7 years, we have gone to Apple Hill in early December and cut our Christmas tree. Doesn't matter if it is raining or snowing...we are driving an hour and a half into the mountains and cutting a tree.
We get one new Christmas ornament every year. It makes for a hodge-podge of a tree, but each one has special significance to us.
We listen to the same CD every Christmas morning (Amy Grant's, A Christmas Album). There is a lot more music that I certainly enjoy more (try Third Day's, Chrismas Offerings...it's awesome), but that has become our Christmas morning music.
Our girls read the Christmas story from the bible and we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
Here's a wierd one...Vicki's sister has to have gouda cheese on Christmas day. It reminds her of happy times when she was young. I bought some gouda today, just for her, since she will be up here next weekend.
I have so many more to share, but I am interested in hearing some of your traditions.
posted by SuperSteve @ 8:25 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Sputnik, that's all I have to say!
This is the first year I've really thought about trying hard to make a tradition. This year, I'm learning what has and has not mattered to our children in the previous years.
We used to go get a tree at Apple Hill each year. This year we couldn't, and we couldn't even get to a lot or Lowe's as a family, and it didn't really matter to the kids. I have not yet put up the nativity, and that does matter to them. So I thought that maybe on Christmas Eve, we'll have some wonderful treat (like almond roca), light some candles, put on some music and put up the nativity. Then talk about Jesus and the real Christmas story. Thanks for sharing!
Which Stephanie is this, C,G, or K?
My great-grandmothers reicpe is as follows:
2C sugar
1/2C water
1/4C white Karo
2 sticks of butter or margarine
1/2C of sliced almonds
10 hershey bars
1.5 C of chopped walnuts
Grease a cookie sheet, and a piece of aluminum foil big enough to cover the cookie sheet. Break Hershey bars into small squares and divide into two equal portions (five bars each). Have chopped walnuts ready.
Boil first 5 ingredients until 300 degrees while stirring constantly. You'll need a candy thermometer for this. Pour into the cookie sheet. Spread five of the Hershey bars over the poured candy and gently massage until melted. Sprinkle with half of the walnuts. Flip the candy onto the buttered foil...use a knife to help the candy off of the cookie sheet. Spread remaining chocolate, massage until melted and top with remaining nuts.
I usually chill it in the fridgerator until cool and then break into small pieces. Store it covered. It tends to taste better with age.
Give me a call if you have any questions.
We open our presents on Christmas Eve as per Diane's family's tradition.
Her mom makes turkey and stuffing (typically because we can't have Diane's mom's turkey and stuffing at Thanksgiving because we are with my family, and Diane's mom turkey is the best on the planet .. like Martha Stewart good .. )
Diane makes SLAMMING Christmas cookies.
We have lunch at about 1 pm on Christmas day and then play board games with the family ..
No special music or books or anything like that.
Sometimes, if all the cousins are together, we go to the movies.
Simple, raucous, and fun!
Dale
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