tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post8271214767283523228..comments2024-03-28T19:36:39.783-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: On Christmas EveJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-90124657602330954332017-12-24T20:57:12.627-05:002017-12-24T20:57:12.627-05:006 am! Exactly!6 am! Exactly!Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-71082491576864468082017-12-24T20:56:29.248-05:002017-12-24T20:56:29.248-05:00Susan! XxxxxSusan! XxxxxHank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-41462328433054610722017-12-24T19:13:57.822-05:002017-12-24T19:13:57.822-05:00Merry Christmas Karen. Think of me at midnight mas...Merry Christmas Karen. Think of me at midnight mass. Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14187856103924954287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-69403803525495949912017-12-24T17:05:31.841-05:002017-12-24T17:05:31.841-05:00God bless all Christmas pageant producers, Denise!...God bless all Christmas pageant producers, Denise! You get a gold star in heaven for that ordeal.Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09553268569509053159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-56979937357562656872017-12-24T17:02:51.055-05:002017-12-24T17:02:51.055-05:00Thanks, Gigi! I have to admit, it's extraordin...Thanks, Gigi! I have to admit, it's extraordinarily relaxing to have no dinner to prepare, presents to wrap, or snow to shovel! Instead, we're going to Volcano National Park before coming home and dressing for dinner out. Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09553268569509053159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-74972844454882177632017-12-24T16:32:45.739-05:002017-12-24T16:32:45.739-05:00As a kid I loved to go to midnight Mass, but I'...As a kid I loved to go to midnight Mass, but I've been a heathen now, lo, these many years. <br /><br />On Christmas Eve the youngest reader in the house reads The Night Before Christmas to us all, and we put out cookies and milk for Santa. This will be the first time in years we won't do that. On Christmas morning we start the cinnamon rolls while we open the stocking gifts and have coffee, hot chocolate, or mimosas, then break for rolls, served on my Christmas plates, then go back to the other gifts. Each gift is opened separately, in turn, so we can all enjoy seeing the joy of the recipient. That's my favorite part of the gift-giving ritual. <br /><br />Christmas dinner is a big deal for us. This will be my first time cooking for awhile, since my daughter is here this year--we've gone there for awhile, so Santa could find my grandson--so I'm cooking my favorite pork roast with rosemary, garlic, apricots, and dried cranberries. It's probably our last Christmas in this house, so we'll make it a good one.<br /><br />In the evening we play games. Apples to Apples is our favorite for the last few years, because even the young kids can win, and we all laugh like crazy.<br /><br />Merry Christmas and joyous peace to all.Karen in Ohiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18002794561817071780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-65935400423849801002017-12-24T14:59:43.662-05:002017-12-24T14:59:43.662-05:00"Santa", not "Samta"! (Arthrit..."Santa", not "Samta"! (Arthritic fingers!)Deb Romanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01650858888197217258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88458998784618245542017-12-24T14:57:36.365-05:002017-12-24T14:57:36.365-05:00When I was growing up, my family never had any Chr...When I was growing up, my family never had any Christmas Eve traditions. Dinner was usually leftovers, or mac and cheese(Kraft's!) As we got older, we started going to Midnight Mass instead of waiting until morning. There were stockings, of course. We lived in an apartment. Having no chimney, we hung them on the back of the couch. My parents made sure to keep the door unlocked so Samta could get in. We had an early Christmas dinner and then went to visit each set of grandparents for about an hour each. Happy chaos, as there were lots of cousins on each side of the family!<br /><br />My siblings and I live in three different states. The one that lives closest is about an hour away. I'm joining her family for dinner tomorrow, which will include their lovely grandchildren! Weather permitting! Snow is in the forecast, and I don't drive in snow!<br /><br /><br />DebRo Deb Romanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01650858888197217258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-48363821078577012462017-12-24T14:51:53.703-05:002017-12-24T14:51:53.703-05:00Jim, that's amazing that you've got four g...Jim, that's amazing that you've got four generations together to celebrate. That must feel very special, and I love that you put up the tree in your hotel suite. My husband and I always get a bottle of amaretto to have back at our room in the inn, so we can have a mellow nightcap at the end of the day. We don't usually do that at home, which makes it feel festive.Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-77787510408952352022017-12-24T14:49:00.495-05:002017-12-24T14:49:00.495-05:00Rhys, congratulations on the review in th NYT this...Rhys, congratulations on the review in th NYT this morning. <br /><br />My mince pies are just out of the ovenAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14187856103924954287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-31612778773290228802017-12-24T14:21:46.954-05:002017-12-24T14:21:46.954-05:00I grew up with my parents and an older brother, an...I grew up with my parents and an older brother, and we shared Christmas with my Aunt, Uncle and two cousins. So Christmas was 4 adults, 4 children, of which I was the youngest. We alternated Christmas between our home in Southern California and theirs in Pebble Beach. The visiting family always stopped in Solvang on the drive to buy Danish at Birkholme's Bakery there. It was a must, and we had it for Christmas breakfast. Oh, so good.<br /><br />Our Christmas tradition was pretty ordinary. Decorated tree (no tinsel, bad for dogs), colored lights. A few gifts out early, but most appeared late Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve dinner was light, usually a salad, in a nod to the large meals to come next day. After dinner, we would gather by the fire while my uncle, who had a rich, sonorous voice, read the Christmas story from the Bible. Later, I would get <i>A Visit from St. Nicholas</i><br />BY Clement Clark Moore ('Twas the night before Christmas) read to me, (the older cousins were't interested) by my Mom.<br /><br />We had stockings, oh yes we did! All handmade, with our names on them, but not hung up and filled until Christmas Eve, after the young 'ins had gone to bed. There was always a tangerine in the toe, and a small toy. The rule (there seemed to be a lot of them) that the children could not get out of bed and get the stocking until 6am. Then we could get our stocking and return to bed with it QUIETLY. Adults got up around 7am, and then everyone got dressed, and breakfast was served, the aforementioned Danish, juice, coffee, eggs. As a little kid, it seemed to take for-ever! Finally breakfast would be over, the dishes washed, the kitchen cleaned(!). We would all go sit around the tree and gift-giving would commence.<br /><br />One child (usually not me) was designated the "giver" and the adults would specify which gift was to be given. Then the child would get it, read the tag, and give it. The recipient would oh and ah over the wrapping, open it carefully, show everyone what it was, and then an adult would point out the next gift to be given. THIS ALL TOOK HOURS, and to kids, who wanted to get and open their presents NOW, it was excruciating.<br /><br />Eventually, it was all done, and my Aunt had saved what wrapping paper she could, and we could go off to enjoy our presents. Whew. Meanwhile my Mother and Aunt made made Christmas dinner which would be at about 3pm. Usually the traditional turkey dinner.<br /><br />Now? Just two of us, but we have a tree, stockings hung on the mantle, decorations of various kinds about the house. Candles lit each evening. We don't put things into the stockings, as it's too near the fireplace, which is lit throughout the days and evenings, but the stockings get filled sometime during the night or first thing in the morning. We open them when we get up, then Christmas breakfast these days is cinnamon rolls and coffee, then we open the other things. Since it's just us, there aren't many but it's still fun.<br /><br />Oh, and tonight, Christmas Eve, there'll be spiked (bourbon) eggnog. Ahhh.Rick Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07978136287154214297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-21380837560619582162017-12-24T13:38:33.194-05:002017-12-24T13:38:33.194-05:00Same to you Diana!Same to you Diana!Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-79210573342440006692017-12-24T13:38:16.401-05:002017-12-24T13:38:16.401-05:00And we are very glad to have you here--enjoy your ...And we are very glad to have you here--enjoy your gang!Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-38182906974791239492017-12-24T13:37:12.467-05:002017-12-24T13:37:12.467-05:00thanks for being a part of our Red family!thanks for being a part of our Red family!Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-77870957057110964602017-12-24T13:36:36.015-05:002017-12-24T13:36:36.015-05:00Your mother in law sounds like a great woman. And ...Your mother in law sounds like a great woman. And an excellent idea to spread things out...Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-70794369300243962442017-12-24T13:34:17.533-05:002017-12-24T13:34:17.533-05:00You are welcome Amana, so happy to have you with u...You are welcome Amana, so happy to have you with us!Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-60622418772136083142017-12-24T13:33:15.563-05:002017-12-24T13:33:15.563-05:00Ann, so funny about the even numbers of presents! ...Ann, so funny about the even numbers of presents! and the mass sounds gorgeous, but I simply couldn't make it to midnight! ours is at 7 pm, and our new choir including me, will be singing:)Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-77364457890064909472017-12-24T13:30:54.616-05:002017-12-24T13:30:54.616-05:00Sounds like a wonderful holiday Denise--and so gla...Sounds like a wonderful holiday Denise--and so glad your mom is doing ok!Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15184523561072754282017-12-24T13:29:25.583-05:002017-12-24T13:29:25.583-05:00Yes, it's normal. Things never seem to taste q...Yes, it's normal. Things never seem to taste quite as good as we remember our mother's, even with the exact same recipe.Rick Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07978136287154214297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-40747480797370513812017-12-24T12:25:30.031-05:002017-12-24T12:25:30.031-05:00It was lovely meeting you in Toronto, Amanda! I&#...It was lovely meeting you in Toronto, Amanda! I'm so glad you've joined us!Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-34092673268299109482017-12-24T11:45:47.657-05:002017-12-24T11:45:47.657-05:00We are a stocking family too. I love everything a...We are a stocking family too. I love everything about Christmas. Everyone's Christmas traditions sound lovely.<br /><br />Merry Christmas Eve,<br />DianaBibliophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07764234701385787238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-46011311012868171392017-12-24T11:45:34.037-05:002017-12-24T11:45:34.037-05:00So fun to read all these! After we got married, a...So fun to read all these! After we got married, and especially after we had the boys, we seldom stayed home at the holidays; we alternated between my parents and in-laws. With my in-laws gone, we now spend either Thanksgiving or Christmas with my family each year. This year we've got four generations celebrating together, which thrills all of us. We have a miniature tree that we had gotten for my father-in-law's nursing-home room, and we've set it up in our hotel suite with presents around it. Our generation has for several years "given" each other donations to charitable causes for gifts; as others have said, we've got enough stuff. We don't really have food traditions, other than eating too much of it. There are too many of us to host a meal comfortably in anyone's home, so we'll go out to an early dinner this evening and have pie and ice cream at my parents' place tomorrow. A lot of the activities will center around the youngest generation, who are six and two.<br /><br />Julia, thanks so much for confirming Die Hard as a prime Christmas movie! We were having a conversation about this yesterday. I think we'll probably watch Love Actually, though.<br /><br />Like others, I'm very grateful for this community and all the contributors. I wish all of you and yours a wonderful holiday!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-26014197050874559252017-12-24T11:05:56.550-05:002017-12-24T11:05:56.550-05:00I realized, on rereading the blog this morning, th...I realized, on rereading the blog this morning, that I forgot to hang the stockings:-)<br /><br />Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-35085957394307030882017-12-24T11:05:02.735-05:002017-12-24T11:05:02.735-05:00Kait, we spent quite a few Christmases in Mexico, ...Kait, we spent quite a few Christmases in Mexico, outside Guadalajara. No Christmas trees, of course, but our house had potted plants in a sort of atrium, and we would string colored lights all through the plants. Didn't miss the tree all that much!Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-35542070037461353192017-12-24T11:03:22.917-05:002017-12-24T11:03:22.917-05:00Amanda, it has been such a pleasure for us, gettin...Amanda, it has been such a pleasure for us, getting to know you!Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.com