Christmas traditions

[Kickaha]

We all have family traditions for various special times of the year. My wife’s family have a kind of toffee tradition, and Virginia every year spends time making said toffee. As I had time on my hands today (it was wet outside) I’ve done a page on my website at https://www.alofmethbin.com/Articles/Di ... index.html.

[draclvr]

We have only one here! They request my home made pizza for Christmas, so that's what I make. My step-duaghter will be arriving from the east coast on Thursday for another family Christmas Sunday. My husband met her mom when he was stationed in Germany with the Army. She passed away in 1999. Hanna baked for days making coffee cakes for at least 2 dozen people. Dave says he was delivering coffee cakes everywhere! Claudia has taken over the tradition and even found her mom's original recipe. So, I just turn my kitchen over to Claudia on Saturday and she bakes coffee cakes to take to the Christmas party on Sunday. I think she makes about 15 of them.

Dave and I usually just have a quiet day to ourselves and I make a - very expensive! - standing rib roast covered in a special seasoning and a crust of coarse horseradish mustard and real maple syrup. I do pan-roasted root vegetables and some Yorkshire pudding to go with it. I picked up two bottles of good red wine yesterday for our "feast for two!"

I'm BEGGING Rosaboobie to post some pictures of her beautiful conservatory all decorated for Christmas!

[Rosaboobie]

I think my conservatory has looked better other years, when I have had help to put them up, but I am still pleased with my effort. I also have a small video, but I dont think you can post videos here?

Conservatory1.JPG

Conservatory2.JPG

[draclvr]

Yay! My begging worked! Rosaboobie, this is just absolutely gorgeous! I can't stop looking at these pictures... especially since I have nothing up this year at all.

You should be able to upload a video to your Microsoft One Drive and share the link here.

RB sent me the video, so I uploaded to my OneDrive and the link is below. Just BEAUTIFUL! I can only imagine how lovely it is from outside!

Rosaboobie's Christmas Observatory

[Val]

That's stunning RB! And welcome back by the way! Merry Christmas everyone - have a good day.

[JKEerie]

Rosy...Absolutely beautifull! I do hope you're able to show this to neighbors...friends, so they see the beauty and the effort. I decorate my house to the nines with trees, villages, etc. Finally family see it on Christmas Day when the whole family is over. When I lived in Erie, I decorated, but no one saw it. I had two friends that I would drag over each year, just so someone would see it. Now that I'm able to celebrate with family, this year, I did a "treasure hunt"..."Santa is missing" for the entire family, based on Christmas trivia and their observations of things in my house. It was meant for adults as well as the two kids. They all participated and really had to look at decor to find the next clue. The last one was an anagram, based on names of Santa around the globe in different countries. They had to use google on their smart phones, but they figured it out. My brother asked me how long it took me to put it all together. Quite honestly, far less than doing all the cooking!

[draclvr]

Oh, JKEerie, that sounds like a wonderful way to make everyone enjoy all you Christmas decorations! I love the idea of a treasure hunt..

[Kickaha]

RB that’s splendid, thanks for sharing! JKEerie that was an imaginative treasure hunt!

[Rosaboobie]

Jk, what a great idea.

And yes, although I am set back from the road, my Christmas lights can still be seen very clearly. I have the conservatory, the kitchen and the lounge all decked out with hundreds and hundred of lights - it takes me about half an hour to switch them off before bed! - and yes, I have walked down to the road, and it does look really lovely - I am so pleased with it.

Well, the big day is here, and I just want to say Happy Christmas to all my Manorite friends. I am sorry I have not been here very much but what with holidays, and life's issues, it's been a busy year.

And next year I just might have some more news for you - watch this space - it's half good and half bad, in a way - now, that's got you thinking eh? x x x x

[Stella]

Wow, the Conservatory is beautiful! Merry Christmas everyone.

[draclvr]

And Merry Christmas to everyone here at the Manor! RB, that was VERY naughty of you to tease us with news!

Hmmm... she can't be pregnant; is she getting married? She'd never move, would she? Oh, the mystery!

[Rosaboobie]

Definitely a NO NO on the first two guesses, Drac!

[draclvr]

Ha, ha! So that leaves the third... hmmm...

[skeeter]

A bit late, but I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

[Val]

How adorable Skeeter!! Wide-eyed wonderment! Isn't Christmas more magical with a child around? ♥