The Library

[Jonathan]

December Library
Our Library Cafe is open 24/7; the Welcome Mat is always out.
Do come in from daily chores and spend some time with us.


Pull up your chair, bring your coffee or wine and tell us,
How You Celebrate the December Holidays
Note the "Topics for the Day" - We want to hear all about it.

And please, continue to share your library news in addition to these holiday topics.
Let's make the library a bustling place to be this month.

December 1-3: - Do you carve wood, knit, crochet or sew?  Have you spent the last year making things for your family? Share your talents with us!  How about a photo?
December 3: - The First Sunday in December, Advent begins - do you hang an Advent calendar or read from a special Advent book?

December 4-7: - Do you always have something special to eat on Christmas Eve?  Or Christmas morning? How about a recipe?
December 6: - Today is the Feast of St Nickolas - Do you do anything special for the day?
December 7: - Pearl Harbor Remembrance - Do you 'remember' anyone who died during WWII? Have you ever visited Pearl Harbor?

December 8-10: - What goes on at your home every year as you prepare for the holidays—what traditions take place-come heck or high water!

December 11-13: - Are you gifting someone a book this year? What was the best book you ever received? Do you have a favorite Book that you will give this year?
December 12: The First Day of Hanukkah - Will you be sharing a traditional meal? What is your favorite Hanukkah food? Is your Menorah a family keepsake or a newer one?

December 14: - Santa Lucia Feast day (Sankta Lucia in Swedish), Do you make and serve for breakfast Lucia buns?
December 14-16: - What's your favorite holiday sweet or your favorite holiday dessert? While reading are you in the habit of eating sweets? What story included characters eating a memorable sweet?

December 17-19: - What movies or TV programs do you never miss as Christmas approaches?  Tell us why it is so special for you!
December 19: The Last Day of Hanukkah - Do you have a family recipe for latkes that you can share? Do you remember when you were a child how your family prepared the meal to celebrate Hanukkah? Who in your family lite the Menorah candles?

December 20-22: -  What is your favorite book with a holiday theme that you must read every year? Did you find and read a new books with a holiday theme this year? Did you visit a Bookstore decorated for the holidays?
December 21: The First Day of Winter - The Winter Solstice - Do you do something to celebrate the start of more sunlight banishing the darkness of the past year?

December 23: - As a child was there an annual event you attended and do you still attend that event? What is your favorite Holiday Carol or Hymn or Song?

December 24-25: - Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - Will you still be wrapping or baking on Christmas Eve - is there a special meal you usually prepare and do you open gifts on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day? Are you home or visiting friends or family this year? Will there be a special Christmas day meal? What special thing have you planned for Christmas Day evening after such a full day?

December 26-28: - What Decoration did you see or make that you will best remember? What will be your best memory from this year's Holidays? Did you receive as a gift a book? Are you saving it for later or will you read it immediately? 

December 29-31: - When do you take down your decorations? Are you making a reading list for next year? Which book from your list will you read first?

Everyone is welcome! As the month of December goes on there will be additional topic question every couple of days - We start with our first topical question on Sunday, November, 26th through Tuesday the 28th - on the 29th we pickup and share the next topic and so forth.

During the month there will be special days that we will note as additional topics. Please do not jump ahead - the next nearly 2 weeks are shown so that y'all get the jest of what we are doing this year.

Again, the Library as usual continues with this Holiday/December theme an addition.


Rosemary, I have never heard of Chimamaanda Nogozi Adichie.  Here is a link of her speaking that tells much about herself.

https://www.npr.org/2013/09/20/186303292/what-are-the-dangers-of-a-single-story

Here is another link of her blog.

https://www.chimamanda.com/about-chimamanda/

She sounds very interesting, and I may give her books a try. 


Happy Hanukkah, to all who observe this glorious festival.

Hanukkah makes me think of cherry blossoms. In my mind's eye I see the cherry trees in full bloom around the Tidal Basin in Washington, at the Jefferson Memorial. It's long ago, in the past, and I've found an empty bench under a cherry tree, so I sit down to peruse my new book: Seasons Of Our Joy, A New-Age Guide To The Jewish Holidays, by Arthur Waskow. At the time when I was taking a college course in Advanced Yiddish. My retirement project. I was in the chapter on Hanukkah when a half-dozen cherry petals fluttered down and landed on the page I was reading. They've been there ever since - a bit faded, alas, but still very evocative of a wonderful feeling of celebration.

Come to think of it, my Yiddish has turned a bit rusty, somewhat like the cherry blossoms in my book.

l'chayim

[bellamarie]

Callie, I know what you mean about having to work around dil’s families.  Luckily, my one dil does Christmas Eve during the day time, then they all meet us at our church for 5:30 Mass. My other dil does not celebrate with her family since her mother is Jehova Witness. 

Barb, I am so sorry you will be alone for Christmas.  When will you and your family exchange gifts?  Were you able to get the Christmas socks finished?  You need to post a pic of them, I would love to see them. 

Jonathan, what a lovely visual, I can actually see you on that bench in D.C. under the cherry blossom tree.

Nlhome, your girls get together sounds like fun.  I wish I could convince my four sisters who live nearby to have a lunch, but it never seems to work out.  Aren’t grandchildren the best!!  All your family foods sound yummy!  Can you share the homemade salsa recipe?  My nine year old grandson Zak and I build a snowman bird feeder this week-end.  Zoey was not in the mood for snow, and my hubby was not feeling well.  Zak of course engaged me in a snowball fight, which I might say I think I held my own.  ⛄️ ❄️. Our snowman turned out great! 

[bellamarie]

Here is a pic of the snowman bird feeder Zak and I built, we used black stones for the eyes, hydrangea for the nose and hydrangea branches for the arms.  Placed the Happy New Year's hat on his head and ribbon scarf around his neck.  We put bird seed in the other hat at the base of Frosty!!  Sad to say....... three days later, he has already melted away.

[BarbStAubrey]

How much fun Bellamaria to have a snow man in your yard - that is the stuff of dreams for many here - best is having the photo to bring back the  memory years from now - and the bird seed - terrific - I guess the squirrels will not gobble up all the seed before the birds even know it is there. Our squirrels are so fat this year - either a bumper crop of acorns or piling it on because they know something about the winter ahead that we do not know. 

Nice links Johnathan to Chimamaanda Nogozi Adichie. The name of her best known book was very familiar and I thought I read it but then the review did not sound like what I read till I had to go back a few years on my Amazon purchases and bingo, found it, it was not Half the Yellow Sun but rather, Half the Sky that I read. I did remember reading a book of short stories that all take place in Africa that Oprah featured and was published around this time 2010. Now I cannot find that book or remember the name - looks like after the holidays I really need to sort and organize my books - I thought I had them fairly well organized by subject and the novels by the nation of the author but this year I was putting them wherever I could find room.

Looks like you had a clean slate Callie after you married to create Christmas without much family tradition to keep alive. I never have figured out which is more fun - to create from scratch or to keep memories and attachment alive by re-creating all the traditions.

Been thick thick fog here for two days - cannot even see the street from my front windows and only about a third way deep into  the backyard - everything is so muffled and this morning after waking and going to make my coffee I actually heard the kitchen wall clock ticking - unbelievable!

Happy Hanukkah / Chag Sameach!

[CallieOK]

Barb,  One "growing up" tradition was to have the Christmas tree chopped into pieces the week after Christmas and then "send it back to Santa" by burning the pieces in the fireplace on New Year's Eve.  We made a resolution each time we put a piece in the fire.  My parents and I did that until I was old enough to have a regular baby-sitting job that night.

My own family did that during our Colorado years when we had a live tree.  However, they would never have agreed to oyster stew on Christmas Eve, which was the traditional supper at the home of my grandmother/aunt before the church service.

 I have always had the crèche figures that belonged to my grandmother and may have been brought from Germany by my great-grandparents.  Sons always helped put out the crèche.  One year, #2 son decided the cow should trade places with the angel on top of the manger.  Older brother, of course, fussily put them back in their proper places.  Then it became a contest with #2 quietly making the switch again whenever his brother "complained".
Doesn't happen every year - but they're now both in their 50's and occasionally....... 

I'm adding book titles to my library e-book Wish List almost every day - and beginning to look forward to "hibernating" for a while.

 

[nlhome]

Bellamarie, yes, grandkids are the best. I'm lucky to have 4, ages 10, 3 1/2 (2 ) and 18 months.

My sister with the huge garden makes the salsa, so I don't have the recipe. Sorry. I'll see if she will share it when we get together this coming weekend.

[BarbStAubrey]

Funny with the cow and the angle - kids... 

I used to love to play with the creche - I can still hear my mother calling out, 'leave the stable alone'. Mom would be in the kitchen but she knew... to me the tree lights shining on the ornaments was magical and I loved laying on the floor either playing with the creche or on my back looking up at the lit tree.

My cousin's Dad's people were from Switzerland and they had this enormous Bethlehem village that took days to erect - there was a whole platform built that sat on their dining room table and took up most of the dining room - each year the family back in Switzerland sent them a few more figures - there were houses and mountains and of course the stable with a small town that included a bakery and a chocolate shop - they had evergreen trees around their house and they decorated them rather than have a tree inside the house.   

What a unique tradition to cut the tree up and throw the pieces on the fire - talk about warming the house so that the tree did not go to waste - but it sure adds to the idea of Christmas representing a new beginning and then the tree continues to be the symbol for actual resolutions that start after the New Year - Its been years since I made any resolutions and when I did it lasted if I was lucky a couple of weeks - I think I was unrealistic and also made too many resolutions - I'm thinking of doing something this year and maybe make a completion chart - I remember my friend gave herself a gold star every day on her calendar if she did not fall - I thought it was silly but never said anything - now I can see how, even though you did not consciously do anything to cause or not cause a fall, the idea of a reward makes you feel good, successful... 

A couple of years ago I was going to walk and increase my steps every day for 90 days - I created a blog and kept track of the time of day I walked, the weather, how many steps and how much time - I lasted 75 days and lost a couple of days that broke the chain and I did a few more days but never actually completed the 90 days - again, I think it was too elaborate - just a star on a calender so that if I miss it is not the end of the world and I can pickup just adding stars.

[rosemarykaye]

This time last year (as every year) I resolved to do more personal writing. Have I ever? Of course not. Lots of reviews for an online news site, lots of comments on various book blogs - but zilch of what i would call my 'own' writing. Maybe this coming year will be the year...

I love all your Christmas traditions - I wonder if you have more because your families all originally came from somwhere else? My family has been in London for as far back as my mother has been able to research, and I don't think they have any traditions really.

Tomorrow my youngest daughter and I are away up to the Highlands. My husband, my mother and my elder daughter will join us on Saturday, and my son and daughter-in-law on Boxing Day. No snow forecast, but it'll still be good to get away and stop worrying about all the stuff I haven't got done.

But at the moment, I'm still list-making, review-writing, cat tray cleaning, hair washing, present wrapping, grocery shopping.... why do we do it?!

Rosemary

[BarbStAubrey]

December 20-22: -  What is your favorite book with a holiday theme that you must read every year? Did you find and read a new books with a holiday theme this year? Did you visit a Bookstore decorated for the holidays?

December 21: The First Day of Winter - The Winter Solstice - Do you do something to celebrate the start of more sunlight banishing the darkness of the past year?

[BarbStAubrey]

Rosemary do you serve a Christmas cake? The Christmas cake made with such care seems to be included in nearly all the stories I have ever read about Christmas in England - all except Dickens, his story was all about the big fat goose and the dancing when Scrooge was a young man.

I notice on the Baking show with Mary Berry, she is doing a Yule log which I always associated as a French Tradition for Christmas Eve - it's been years since I made one having been at my daughters all these years, she had created her food traditions. I think that is how we get all cattywampus over celebrating Christmas - it happens during the time when our children are grown but not yet either married or if married there are no children - so much of the excitement and traditions are the extra effort we put into everything when there are children involved - I notice my grands are now all in the mid-twenties and their parents, my children, are trying to walk through the swamp of what to do and how to make the day special. 

[mabel1015j]

Some of you were around, long ago, when we read much of Ariel and Will Durant’s “History of Civilization” i think we went on for 6 or 7 years ( that doesn’t seem possible, but I believe I’m right on that. Robbie??? Help me out)
I actually learned about what became Seniorlearn because of that discussion. I was teaching a course on Western Civ and googled something and the discussion came up. Robbie did a yeoman’s job facilitating it for us and it was such fun to be able to see the links of all sorts of things related to early civilizations i.e. art, architecture, etc. I assume the discussion is in the archives, I haven’t looked.

Some comments about that series of books is in a discussion “The lessons of history” offered for free on the Learnoutloud site. It was mentioned in their end of year newsletter.

https://www.learnoutloud.com/Free-Audio-Video/Philosophy/History-of-Philosophy/The-Lessons-of-History/3841?utm_source=FROTD&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Free%2BResource%20of%20the%20Day

Jean

[rosemarykaye]

Barb - my mother always made a Christmas cake, and I did too when i was first married, but now I just buy one without the icing, lace it with whisky once or twice over a 2 week period, then my husband adds the marzipan and the royal icing. This year we are all so busy I suggested I just bought a ready-iced one, but he was not happy with that idea!  The shop Christmas cakes are so good these days that I really can't see the point of making your own - apart from anything else, the separate ingredients are so expensive, and the cooking time is very long. I make all our other cakes throughout the year, as I was brought up to bake, but I can't face making the Christmas one any more (I don't even like it!). I also buy the Christmas pudding, then we set it alight with whisky (traditionally brandy but no-one likes that).

We do, however, make a chocolate log - my (grown up) children have always liked that better than the traditional cake. It is definitely not a British thing - as you say, more French - and my mother would never have even heard of it when I was a child - but I think it's becoming increasingly popular.

I actually enjoy Christmas more with my adult children than i used to when they were little. It's good to see them, and to do quite peaceful things such as going for a long walk (without anyone complaining!) or wacthing a DVD. We always have a quiz for which we each choose a topic and concoct 10 questions. When they were little it all became so fraught with over-excitement. Now we often go to the cinema over the holidays (though you need to book - just about everyone in Edinburgh seems to be desperate to get out of the house by 27th December). The one thing I do not want to do is shopping - my husband never goes near a shop all year, but still believes that he can get all his clothes in the so-called sales after Christmas. I remember my parents waiting for these to come around, but nowadays things are on sale almost all the time. I can't bear this post-Christmas orgy of spending so soon after the pre-Christmas orgy of spending, but I am sometimes reluctantly dragged along to give my opinion. All i want to do by then is read my books!

Rosemary

[nlhome]

I don't reread any particular Christmas-themed book. However, I try to read a couple of books related to Christmas. This year, due to eye surgery, I'm not reading, and I'm impatient about listening to a book, or I fall asleep. However, I've listened to a couple of Anne Perry's little Christmas novellas. A Christmas Garland was the first. Now I'm "reading" A Christmas Grace. Last year I bought a collection of Christmas short stories, and that was a lot of fun to read.

[BarbStAubrey]

The Shortest Day - Winter Solstice So the shortest day came, and the year died, And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world Came people singing, dancing, To drive the dark away. They lighted candles in the winter trees; They hung their homes with evergreen; They burned beseeching fires all night long To keep the year alive, And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake They shouted, reveling. Through all the frosty ages you can hear them Echoing behind us - Listen!! All the long echoes sing the same delight, This shortest day, As promise wakens in the sleeping land: They carol, feast, give thanks, And dearly love their friends, And hope for peace. And so do we, here, now, This year and every year. Welcome Yule !

[bellamarie]

Christmas books.... I am sad to say I have had NO time at all to read since Thanksgiving.  I have been bombarded with extra days with the grandkids, family health issues with my brother in law ,and my daughter, not to mention a teen grandson going through some issues.  I miss the time I could just cuddle up with a book.  I hope the New Year brings me more calm in my life.  I did attempt to do an online study with the book Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado.  I really enjoyed it, and they even included a few daily videos of Max speaking to us about the anxiety, and how to deal with it by reading scripture, especially Philippians.

All of your posts have been so fun reading.  I feel like I have been a part of your traditions from you all sharing them.  I especially love the burning the Christmas tree making resolutions.  I don't make resolutions any more because I never stick to them.  Just to be a better person is what I aim for each year, and yes, to write more on the book I have begun.  I'm convinced I will never finish this book, until I hibernate in a small cabin all by myself, with no phone or internet. 

[Jonathan]

Phillipians, eh? For anxiety. I would never have thought of looking there for some reassurance that everything is going to be alright. I find all the assurance I need in the Psalms. When I'm really desperate I sing Amazing Grace to myself. Out of curiosity I got out Dad's old bible (which I inherited) and looked for the epistle. A very short one. Before I could start reading, my attention was caught by a marginal note in the previous book, the epistle to the Ephesians. Verse 33, in Chapter 5:

'Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverences her husband.'

That's not fair to the wife. Could we get the Pope to look into it. Perhaps something was lost in translation.

Good luck with your book in the New Year. And just go on being the wonderful person you are, for your family, your friends, and here on seniorlearn. God bless you.

I'm planning to spend my Christmas at Blenheim Palace. Thanks to Marian Fowler and her Biography of a Palace. The home of Sarah and John, of Marlborough fame. We get to take in a performance of Dryden's All for Love, partake of a lavish dinner, and walk over and pay our respects to Winston Churchill buried a mile away. He was born in the palace.

I also have Mom's old bible. How often I saw her reading it. She certainly had it working for her. I realized that later. I'm sure she's smiling in heaven. The six of us have all made it into the 80's and 90's. God be praised.

[BarbStAubrey]

Sounds like you have done some traveling Jonathan - unless I am wrong I thought  you lived in Canada and your post talks about Blenheim - do you have family in England or did you just decide to spend Christmas there?  Antony sure laid his life down in his love for Cleopatra didn't he...

Like you Bellamarie I have not done near the reading of my Christmas book collection this year as I have in past years however, it will not be Christmas with my reading Miss Read - The Christmas Mouse - Christmas at Fairacre - No Holly for Miss Quinn

I started Christmas at Thompson Hall but my knitting project took over my waking life and so I will have it to look forward to reading on Christmas night.

The Christmas Carol is getting yet another version - what I have never read is the Pickwick Papers that I believe there is a impromptu Christmas dance included in the story - I need to find a good annotated version - I did so enjoy the annotations in my copy of Barchester Towers that my expectation bar is now set     

[bellamarie]

Jonathan,   Ephesians. Verse 33, in Chapter 5:

'Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverences her husband.'
[/color]

That's not fair to the wife. Could we get the Pope to look into it. Perhaps something was lost in translation.

Oh but Jonathan my dear friend, you missed the fact that, if the husband loves his wife even as himself, and the wife reverences her husband, then in fact, she is loving herself, as much, as he loves her.  Pretty spectacular if you ask me, it's twofold.  Nothing lost in that translation.  It appears our Pope has taken on more than necessary, with involving himself into politics, and wanting to make changes to the great prayer "Our Father."

The solace intended in using Philippians for anxiety is 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!   

We need to stop worrying about our problems, and concentrate on the good things in our lives.  Rejoice, and give thanks to God for what is good, and trust He has things in control.

[BarbStAubrey]

  how much fun is he...

[BarbStAubrey]

Temperature just dropped in the last two hours from 79 to 46 - all day yesterday in Tshirts and now we bundle up - Found this and it is just too perfect for us - in fact this norther settling in may be telling me to stop and cozy up with a Christmas book

[mabel1015j]

Love both of your pictures Barb!

[CallieOK]

Barb, love the mug  and the goose - but especially the mug 'cause that's me almost every night!!!!! 

Family Christmas here tomorrow because granddaughter from NYC has to fly back Christmas afternoon and Christmas Eve is always for the other grandmother.

Wishing Each SeniorLearn Friend A Very Merry Christmas

[bellamarie]

Cute pics Barb.  I’m all about that mug too. 

Enjoy your family Christmas Callie.

[BarbStAubrey]

One of my favorite Quotes that can come in handy this time of year...

“The best thing for being sad,’ replied Merlyn, beginning to puff and blow, ‘is to learn something. That is the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in you anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then – to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags in it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the thing for you. Look at what a lot of things there are to learn – pure science, the only purity there is. You can learn astronomy in a lifetime, natural history in three, literature in six. And then, after you have exhausted a milliard lifetimes in biology and medicine and theocriticism and geography and history and economics – why, you can start to make a cartwheel out of the appropriate wood, or spend fifty years learning to begin to learn to beat your adversary at fencing. After that you can start again on mathematics, until it is time to learn to plough.” ― T.H. White, The Once and Future King

[BarbStAubrey]

December 23: - As a child was there an annual event you attended and do you still attend that event? What is your favorite Holiday Carol or Hymn or Song?

[bellamarie]

When I was in high school, I was in the choir, and we always had a Christmas pageant.  Now, I attend my grandchildren's Christmas pageant, which was absolutely beautiful this year.  My favorite Christmas Carol would have to be a tie between O Come All Ye Faithful and Silent Night.  The more fun songs I love hearing throughout the season are, Hey Santa by Carnie Wilson and her sister, Jingle Bell Rock by Brenda Lee, and It's Gonna Be Warm This Winter by Connie Francis. 

I just finished making a new recipe this morning, and have to share it with all of you.  It takes minutes to make, with three simple ingredients: 

1 bag of chocolate chips  (melt in microwave, spread on wax paper lined cookie sheet, freeze for 20 minutes)
1 bag of white chocolate chips  (melt in microwave, mix in half of the crushed candy canes, spread on chocolate layer, freeze.)
6 crushed candy canes  (sprinkle remaining half on top of white layer before placing in freezer)

Break into barks and enjoy!!

[BarbStAubrey]

Just love how festive your kitchen counter looks Bellamarie - is that a thermos that looks like a snow man with a blue scarf.

My favorite carol is the last we sang at Christmas Mass when I was a child - either midnight mass or the following morning during 9:00 High Mass - Gesu Bambino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdxHSDU_6gU

Another favorite is, In the Bleak Midwinter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0aL9rKJPr4

And finally, Go Tell it on the Mountain However, I do not like at all how must folks sing Go Tell it on the Mountain - it is as if a sing song something - their beat is all wrong - they do not hold certain words long enough - just terrible

Here are two versions that sound familiar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nPFUh4j2OM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ruGHkSWX84

[mabel1015j]

If you want some nice quiet, relaxing music to go with your book and coffee/hot chocolate and you need a respite from Christmas music, this is my favorite - it’s titled Pachelbel in the Garden.

https://youtu.be/UzDVZzIIcy8

Jean

[PatH]

Barb, I think you don't follow Don's music discussion on our sister site, but he posted the identical performance of In the Bleak Midwinter.  I wasn't familiar with it; it's lovely.

[BarbStAubrey]

Ah Jean yes, Pachelbel, a prelude to Bach They both played and composed when Church music was the menu du jour - actually I get too wrapped up in most classical music and the book drops into my lap - but yes, seventeenth century music has a predictable rhythm which is a good background for most readers - I'm better with some good gospel music. Often, it is funny I am reading and singing at the same time to the same beat - again it is the rhythm that is perfect for reading especially difficult passages.

They did something to change the other senior site Pat and I have not been able to get in for at least 2 years now... Isn't his name something Read and didn't he marry one of the participants? Seems to me he also had a Sunday radio program - after a bit I backed off - he was so adamant in his dislike of and dismissive about the skills of those who play country western, blues and rock - even considering how I do not care for certain types of music I just could not imagine being dismissive of any musician's skill and talent - well I guess I am as bad giving my opinion here about how to react to music -   

I've several Cds of Christmas music sung by choral groups from England. Wales, Germany and France - the ones from England are from various Cathedral groups of mostly boys with high Soprano like voices before their voices change - and then groups from monasteries in France and Germany - only one Christmas Cd from Italy - actually the ones from France and the one from Italy are filled with Advent music.

In my collection I have the Nine Lessons and Carols from Kings in Cambridge - that is what will be playing all afternoon tomorrow, Christmas Eve - Ended up not doing much decorating but I have so enjoyed my knitting and then I made citrus strips so that I feel the house is more like a workshop this year and I have two jars of those Yankee candles that are scented like Balsam, one near the kitchen and the other in my bedroom along with loads of cut rosemary in just about every room and so I feel satisfied with a smile on my face.     

[BarbStAubrey]

December 24-25: - Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - Will you still be wrapping or baking on Christmas Eve - is there a special meal you usually prepare and do you open gifts on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day? Are you home or visiting friends or family this year? Will there be a special Christmas day meal? What special thing have you planned for Christmas Day evening after such a full day?

[Mkaren557]

In the midst of the mixed feelings I am experiencing on this Christmas Eve day, I decided to take Ginny's advice for putting depression and anxiety at bay.  I am sitting at my sunny kitchen table translating Caesar.  Accompanying this from long ago the Carpenters Christmas album.  Gradually I have relaxed enough to begin the next busy days.  I hope all of you have a peaceful, loving Christmas.  Thank you all for the wonderful posts this advent.  This is a tradition worth keeping.

[mabel1015j]

I’ve treated myself to Youtube Red- no commercial videos! It’s only $10 a month and I decided to give myself a Christmas present, so I’ve had nonstop Christmas, or some other relaxing music going most of the time when I’m not watching tv. 30 yrs ago I couldn’t have imagined having ALL THAT music being available all the time.

Actually, I think one of the treasures we have available to enhance our senior yrs is the internet. It has offered me the ability to prepare the women’s history programs I present at the library without leaving my house and allowed me to do something that gives me much joy. I probably would not have considered putting together those programs without the internet. An additional bonus is all the pictures available for the powerpoint displays. I love the serendipitous surprises that come up and I can share those surprises with the participants. It provides one of the joys of my life at the moment.

Of course there is also the joy of being in touch with other family members and friends, and having discussions like this one, and reading ebooks, not having to trudge to the library when the weather is bad. Don’t get the wrong idea, I still have about a half-dozen hard copy books in progress!  .

So the bottom line is I love, love, love the cyber world and maybe especially this time of year.

Jean

[bellamarie]

Phew...... I finally can sit for a few minutes after awakening at 6:00 a.m. and preparing for our family Christmas celebration tonight.  Our tradition is always at my house after 5:30 p.m. Mass.  I put the spiral ham in the crock pot in the afternoon and let it go til we get back from church.  I also do the green bean casserole.  Summer sausage, cheeses and crackers are a must.  My dil will bring the Rosemary potatoes and buffalo dip, and the other dil will bring taco platter and cheesecake dessert.  We have so much food it's a bit overwhelming to be honest.  We let the little grandkids open their presents after we eat, then the adult children, then my hubby and I open ours from the kids.  Oh Christmas Day my hubby and I open our gifts from each other once we wake up and have our coffee, then go to my son's house for breakfast.  We,  wear our sweats & sweatshirt or pjs, bring all their stockings with candy, and a small toy for the little ones, and lottery tickets for the adult kids.  Then we hang around, play games and go home to crash.  Later it's over to the other son's house for dinner.  Ughhh.... a long day for us, but we enjoy every minute of it.

Barb, you are so well versed in such wonderful music.  I need to appreciate it more.

Jean,  I am with you, I love the internet, and all it has to offer me at my age as well.  I have reconnected with high school friends, and we have a special group that meets for a lunch once a month, we just chat and laugh ourselves silly.  It would never have happened without social media.

MKaren, I envy you, it sounds so serene sitting at your sunny Kitchen with Caesar.  It has begun snowing here in Ohio, and we are expecting anywhere from 3 - 5 inches.  I love our white Christmas, but not going to like shoveling, or driving in this.

Well, my break is over, so I must hurry and finish up so I can shower for Mass.  You all have a wonderful, Merry Christmas!   From my home to yours!!

Here is my beautiful granddaughter Hayden's Christmas song.  I cherish her singing at our church.  It may take a few seconds to load.
 https://www.facebook.com/marie.patterfritzreinhart/videos/10208584724518957/

 

[Frybabe]

Have a wonderfully Merry Christmas everyone.



Sorry, Bellemarie, I don't do Facebook so I couldn't see your granddaughter.

[PatH]

The best of holidays to all of you.  Stay warm, safe, and happy.

[mabel1015j]

I just heard “Oh Christmas Tree” and i decided that’s one of my least favorite Christmas songs. I think it’s just the repetition of the tune, it gets boring for me. Of course with the right arrangement it could be more interesting.  There aren’t many that I don’t like. I just heard the St Thomas choir sing “I Wonder as I Wander.” I like that one, the melody is so pretty.

Off to Christmas Eve service with the family.

Merry, merry everybody, or at least a pleasant day doing whatever it is makes you feel good.

Jean

[bellamarie]

Frybabe, you don't have to do Facebook to view the link. 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

[Frybabe]

Sorry, Bellemarie, the link takes me to the login and says I must log in before viewing. I don't see any other option.

I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday. I spent my afternoon with my sister and her husband for dinner and a movie. Sue if very picky about stuffing, always making a traditional bread stuffing. I was surprised to find that this time she got adventurous and made a sausage/chestnut/sage stuffing, and she talked about trying an oyster stuffing next.

[ANNIE]

From my experience, oyster stuffing is delicious and easy to make! 🤓👌