Happy 2017

Family Christmas traditions. Do you still follow them?

I have a cousin who posts blog style posts, almost daily, on Facebook. I look forward to her posts. Her style of writing is just like the way friends would visit over coffee. Just everyday musings. How her night went, her plans for the day, the weather etc. Today she asked her readers what they remember about their Christmas holidays.

I don't remember any real Christmas Eve traditions other then we always went to Midnight mass and it was so cold. I always loved the smell of all the real Christmas trees and the huge Nativity set. Being in church when it was dark was so magical.

Christmas morning we opened presents and we always went to Babcia after dinner. Spent the afternoon with aunts, uncles and cousins.

I remember the New Eve parties at Babcia's. We always had a "feast" before Midnight so we could start the New Year off with Mass and communion the next day. And the fireworks. There was always fireworks saved from the 4th to welcome in the New Year. I image that the hugs and kisses and shouts of “Happy Year” outside in the cold made the neighbors wonder. But one tradition that I still do, even now that it is just the two of us, I stay up to greet the New Year with the front door open to let him in. And the cold.

My kids will say they remember 7:00 p.m. Mass, stopping for a bottle of wine and a big bottle of pop (special treat in our house) and then Jerry making homemade fudge from scratch. Which by the way he still makes for the whole family, all 30+. Then there was the usual begging to open just one present. And I never gave in. LOL fun memories.

What memories do you have of Christmas’ past? Hope your memories are happy ones, too

Enjoy the season,

Rose

Less Stressful Christmas

This article got me thinking about how Christmas can be so stressful for a lot of us. I have always tried to get the Christmas shopping done early. I found that once that is done the rest can be fun or at least not so stressful. I use to shop by phone or mail in. Always looked forward to the Sears and Penny’s Christmas catalogs. And so did the girls. Circling everything on most pages. Deciding what they wanted most was the hard part. But at least I did that from my easy chair with a cup of coffee. Needless to say, I was a prime candidate for online shopping. This year, I think the only thing I have bought in a store was some decorated gift boxes at the local Dollar General to make wrapping a breeze (just need some Scotch tape and I am good to go) and four grab bag gifts under five dollar (two of which had to be snack items), two for each of us, for the pony games we play at our family Christmas. I was amazed at all the different worthwhile looking items you can find at Wal-Mart. Especially since they had to be unisex items.

I do very little Christmas baking any more. All the girls and their families bake enough for the whole neighborhood. Hubby makes enough homemade, from scratch, fudge for the whole family and a few friends as gifts. He usually goes through 10 lbs. of sugar. I make the peanut clusters using a giant can of peanuts. We give those as gifts too. Card list has been paired down a lot over the years. Just close family and friends. So I send most day the week before finishing up loose ends and enjoying my favorite Christmas songs. Definitely less stressful than the past. Thanks to online shopping.

You can read the article below. She listed some very good ideas.

Take time to enjoy the season and your families.

But most of all remember "the reason for the season".

Rose.

                          10 Things To Not Give A Crap About This Christmas

We do our best.

I found this article so true. I think all of us have had doubts about our parenting from time to time. And even yet, we look back and wonder if we could have or should have done things different.

"Chances are you are probably sitting in a house thinking that you haven’t done enough. Or that you’re messing up your kids. Or you’re worrying that you should have done that. Or you’re kicking yourself for responding too short. Or you’re just feeling overwhelmed. Or stuck. Or like you’re failing.

But, chances are that you, just like me have done some pretty profound motherhood things." 

                                                        Read more by clicking on this link.                      

                                                                                   A mom that shows up

Have a great weekend and stay warm.
Rose.