Tag: holidays

December Daily Day 17

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Spirit

When I was younger (not that I am ancient now, but less experienced) I used to complain about the fuss over Christmas. All the stops we would have to make and people I would complain about seeing. I would think about how taxing all of this was instead of recognizing the love that was expressed on this day. I was immature and ungrateful. Time has a cruel way of revealing the truth. I look around now on Christmas and I am so thankful for my family and for the opportunity to show how I love them and spend time with them. It isn’t until members of your family start to disappear that you understand their importance in your life.

Growing up I was fortunate to have both sets of grandparents and a network of extended family. These people helped to shape me in to who I am today. Now I look around and their numbers have dwindled. Time has taken them away. I believe the old saying “youth is wasted on the young”. Wisdom and appreciation arrive with experience and it is sometimes too late. There are times I wish I could go back to years that I wasted thinking about what an inconvenience it was to spend time with my family. I know now that the only thing that I can change is the present. Live in the now and show thanks for what and who you have. Sometimes the present is the present.

sometimes the present is the present

December Daily Day 16

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Heritage

Wigilia Dinner

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2017 Wigilia Tablescape My mother keeps it classy while providing fun for her grandchildren.

One Christmas Tradition that our family observes every year without fail is Wigilia dinner. Our family is of Polish and Slovak descent, so this tradition Christmas Eve Dinner is a practice that has been occurring for generations. My mother has been the host for as long as I can remember. She always sets the most beautiful table complemented by the Christmas flowers my father sends her each year. Prior to the meal we break bread called Oplatki. This tradition is meant to symbolize the unity of the family. It also symbolizes forgiveness and reconciliation which can be particularly important this time of year.

This dinner is meat free and typically begins with mushroom soup. Although this dish may not be a favorite of everyone, we still eat it because tradition, right? Additional

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2017 Wigilia Family Dinner

dishes include shrimp, fish sticks, pierogies, and pagach. It is very carbohydrate friendly. Often times my grandmother will make homemade nut roll for dessert. Which is delicious, particularly warmed and smeared with butter.

Wigilia dinner is a great tradition. Though we celebrate our family with weekly family dinners, Wigilia is special, and it feels special.

December Daily Day 15

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Ornament

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Ornaments with our initials

I cannot say that I have a favorite ornament. Though I very much enjoy looking at the ornaments that my sisters and I created when we were kids. I think it is heartwarming that my mother continues to save and place those ornaments on the tree. I have my own daughters ornaments on the tree and I see how her eyes light up when she pulls it out of the box. The ornament sparks a memory within her, “I remember when I made this.” She smiles and proudly places the ornaments on the tree.Ornaments1

This prompt really made me look at my ornaments. I realize they tell our family story. There are ornaments marking many milestones in our lives such as our first year of marriage, babies first Christmas, dog and cat ornaments. The also chronicle our likes; baseball and Philadelphia Phillies ornaments for my husband,

Halloween orOrnament 2naments and birds for me, Elsa and Disney characters for my daughter. As I take the ornaments out and place them on the tree I am reminded of our life and family. It is a visual representation of us.

December Daily 14

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Memories

Christmas Doll
Victorian Girl with Doll Courtesy of the Graphics Fairy

My earliest Christmas memory is coming down the stairs to find a cabbage patch doll! I loved these dolls and was so happy to get it! My sister got a brass vanity that year and I believe this may have sparked my love for desks! My Christmas memories are happy. Christmas was spent with family. We would have breakfast at home, lunch at my grandmother’s house, she lived just across the street. We would stop at a relatives house to visit on the way to dinner at my other Grandparent’s house. And the last stop of the evening would be time to have fun and play at our cousins house. There were many stops and always lots of laughs. At dinner, my father would talk about his childhood memories with his brother, sister, and parents. Those stories were never dull. Particularly the time he crashed the car! I hope these memories never fade. I also hope that I can fill my own daughter’s mind with fond memories like these.

 

December Daily Day 11

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Cookies

My favorite Christmas cookies are my mothers. She makes two that I love. Peanut butter kiss cookies and butter horns. Butter horns are her specialty. She makes them for the holidays but also for special occasions at her craft shop. Butter horns are sweet and crunchy. They are a classic holiday treat. I have included her recipe here.

Butterhorn recipe

December Daily Day 12

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Tree

I love the smell of a real Christmas tree. There is nothing like it in the world. Though I

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Display from Berwick Christmas Boulevard

will admit that I use an artificial tree! This is not due to preference but necessity as my husband is allergic to pine! I do miss the fresh scent of an authentic tree as well as it’s imperfect shape and structure. I love the look of lopsided trees and sparse trees and fat little trees. Artificial trees may look real but they are too perfect. The great thing about artificial trees is their lifespan and lack of needle shedding. My husband puts our tree out the day after thanksgiving and there it sits giving off it’s warm glow until the new year. If you find you miss the scent of the real deal, they make candles for that.

December Daily Day 10

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Santa

I still believe in Santa. Though I am sure that he is not a person, he might have been at one time. I believe that Santa is an idea. This time of year I feel that the word Santa is synonymous with Santa?the magic of generosity. Though it is unlikely for you to find a magical gift left by this legendary elf, the real gift is much more subtle. The gift is the feeling you get from giving to others and helping those in need. This does not have to be reserved for Christmas time. You can promote this feeling within your heart any time of year.

December Daily Day 8

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GiftGiving

My favorite act of giving during this season is to provide a gift to a child from an “Angel” or “Giving” tree. Knowing that I have the ability to bring joy to a stranger at during the holiday seasons allows me to practice my gratitude through giving. I am extremely  grateful that I am able to give to others. I enjoy being able to give gifts and I understand that this is a privilege. I feel it is my duty to pay my good fortune forward.