It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...which brings us to this week's RevGalBlogPals' Friday Five:What was one of your favorite childhood gifts that you gave?
I think I was more young teen than outright child when I gave it, but...one Christmas I bought my parents a Hallmark ornament -- they were much less blingy back in the day -- a ceramic Snoopy and Woodstock on Snoopy's doghouse. It didn't exactly fit the Old World esprit de ornaments of our family tree, but it was one of those first Christmases when I started thinking beyond myself and what I wanted, to our family celebration as a whole. If that makes any sense.
What is one of your favorite Christmas recipes? Bonus points if you share the recipe with us.
One of my faves is my mom's honey spice drop recipe, which she cut out of a 1965 wall calendar. They are pleasantly chewy, with a subtly exotic mixture of flavors that please and intrigue people who've tried them. And I'd love to share the recipe, except that I'm at work where I don't have it on hand. But when I do I'll post it.
What is a tradition that your family can't do without? (And by family, I mean family of origin, family of adulthood, or that bunch of cool people that just feel like family.)
I have to have the tree, and I have to open at least some of the presents on Christmas Eve. It's a German thing.
Pastors and other church folk often have very strange traditions dictated by the "work" of the holidays. What happens at your place?
I can't speak for my pastor...but in these increasingly secularized times it's often hard to explain to friends that we can't just up and run over to their homes for impromptu get-togethers during the holidays because we're doing church. They seem befuddled by the concept that our church is a community, one that we commit ourselves to, and not a series of discrete worship events that we approach with an easy-come, easy-go attitude.
If you could just ditch all the traditions and do something unexpected... what would it be?
I've never spent a Christmas away from home. Christmas in a cozy cabin up north, enjoying a crackling wood fire while the snow gently falls outside...hmmmm...that might be an enjoyable experience one of these years. But this year we're spending it at Cold Comfort Cottage, sans crackling fire (please, dear God!) but with any luck cozy in its own way.
6 comments:
Thanks for your comments on church folk. Very well said.
Have a great Christmas!
can I play too? Your answers sparked so many similar memories for me...
What was one of your favorite childhood gifts that you gave?
For me too it was when I was old enough to begin to put myself in someone else's shoes and figure out what they would like. My late dad, in particular, was notoriously hard to shop for. One year I chanced on the idea of coffee mugs, which he absolutely loved-- almost inexplicitly, exuberantly so. It was a delight to hit on something he enjoyed.
What is one of your favorite Christmas recipes?
Snowball cookies. Sort of like Mexican wedding cookies but rounder and w/o the anise. Just made a huge batch to give to my newly-married daughter.
What is a tradition that your family can't do without?
Every year-- dinner at a certain "woodsy" restaurant, followed by driving around looking at the Christmas lights in an area of town known for their Christmas decorations. In fact, we're doing that tonight. A favorite tradition.
And of course, the advent wreath, which we do with some ritual/ceremony every Sunday after dinner, w/ homemade Christmas cookies of course.
Pastors and other church folk often have very strange traditions dictated by the "work" of the holidays.
Christmas eve is the crunch time for Presbyterians, since we traditionally don't have Christmas day services. So our accomodation was/is a quick pasta meal on Christmas eve-- made with red and green bowtie pasta. Easy and quick, so able to be enjoyed in the break between the early and the midnight services.
If you could just ditch all the traditions and do something unexpected... what would it be?
I can't imagine. I LOVE the traditions.
This year we are having Christmas away from home-- over my objections-- to please my mom. She's getting on in years so it's worth the effort.
One of my new holiday traditions is mole. (The Mexican food, not the mammal or the chemical measurement.) FT's kids and extended family love Mexican food, so when they're home for the holidays FT makes a big pot of chicken mole.
I think I am going to begin a new BIRTHDAY tradition, on the 26th...I have requested sushi, and am going to be taken out for that...mmmmm! When I stop and think that my grandparents' favorite winter dishes included such things as pickled herring and spiced cream of fish soup with heads included -- oh, yes -- sushi doesn't really seem that exotic.
I've had enough snow this year, so tho the cozy cabin sounds nice for Christmas...no more snow. No More!
Ah, bless you Lutheran Chick, for telling friends that you can't do the holiday drop by thing because you are going to church...oh that it were so in my neck of the woods. Sadly, it seems to be the opposite, and I will never understand that. And could they perhaps invite said buddies to church instead. Nope. This is a pet peeve for me, so you earned LOTS of points for that wonderful answer.
Sorry about Cold Comfort Farm. Perhaps "Big Business" will be there. But stay away from the woodpile!
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