Tuesday, January 01, 2008

My Christmas Favorites




Alright, everyone. I'm a little slow to get this figured out. Laura has started a Christmas favorite post for December. Every day there will be something new.
This post will remain at the top so don't forget to scroll down to check any other daily posts I make.

Dec. 1 - Favorite Christmas Song - O Holy Night


Dec. 2 - Favorite Christmas plant or flower - Poinsettia. Every year our church sells them. This year I bought one called Plum Pudding. Mine never live long but I keep on trying. It looks pretty good so far, right?















Dec. 3 - Favorite Christmas Smell - I love the smell of Christmas cookies baking. Every year, the girls and I take a Saturday to make up a bunch of Christmas food. I'm not sure when we'll fit it in this year, but I'll make sure to post when we do.


Dec. 4 - Favorite Christmas Decoration - Our Stockings
I wanted to say my tree but Laura has banned that, then I was thinking of lovely blue lights (which I think are pretty) but I have decided to go with the stockings. I have made all of our Christmas stockings. They are made of felt with sequins attached. Some people have had 2 made for them because they have gotten ripped and the holders have broken off. Now the kits have bigger stockings so they get more in them. The pictures show Chelsea and Shaelyn's.







































Dec. 5 - Favorite Christmas Color - I love any of the colors if they have the sparkles in them - black, red, silver, green. Just make sure they sparkle.



Dec. 6 - Favorite Christmas Drink - Egg Nog. This was a tough one. I love wassail too but I'll stick with egg nog. Wassail is somewhat like a hot apple cider, but better. If you want a recipe for wassail, go to Laura's.


Dec. 7 - Favorite Christmas Movie - This was a tough one. It depends on my mood. I love The Nativity Story for the true teaching of what Christmas really is but if I want to laugh, I'd have to go with
Elf.


Dec. 8 - Favorite of Santa's Reindeer - I guess I'll go with the obvious choice - Rudolph. Who can't help but love the underdog that saves the day?









Dec. 9 - Favorite Christmas Candy - Chocolate Truffles
If you like chocolate, you'll love these. They're so good and easy to make.
3 cups (18 oz) chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
Heat chocolate chips and condensed milk until chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla. Chill for 2 hours or until mixture is easy to handle. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in coconut, cocoa, sprinkles or whatever is desired. Sooo good.



Dec. 10 - Favorite Christmas Saying - Luke 2:7


And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. And she wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
I think I've always loved this because it was one of the first verses I memorized as a child and I loved being able to say it with the Christmas Story.


Dec. 11 - Favorite Christmas Ornament - My Reindeer Family

I got this ornament the year we adopted Shaelyn. This is a clay type ornament that can be personalized. Each reindeer has one of our names on it and I think it's just so cute!









Dec. 12 - Favorite Christmas Cookie
These are what we bake up every year.
2 sticks oleo
1 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 cup flour
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream oleo; add sugar in small amounts at a time. Add flour, milk and vanilla. Turn out on a board and knead for 30 seconds. Roll to 1/4" thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake on greased cookie sheet for 15-25 minute at 325 degrees. Watch closely. They should be almost white. Frost with a powdered sugar frosting and decorate with sprinkles or whatever desired.

I'm probably going to bake some of these up this afternoon with Chelsea and then the family will decorate them together on Sunday afternoon. (One of those traditions, you know)













Dec. 13 - Favorite Christmas Decorating or Style - I love the classy look of gold and silver with tinsel but for now my tree still has to be with the kids ornaments and the homemade things.

Dec. 14 - Favorite Christmas Animal/Creature - I'm really not too sure on this question. I guess for now I'm going to say reindeer. I love the lighted ones that are outside but I'm going to keep looking around. I might change my mind on this one!

Dec. 15 - Favorite Store at Christmas - Target.

I love this store during Christmas season and all through the year. No matter when I go there, I always find something to buy. They just have everything.





Dec. 16 - Favorite Christmas present ever received -
I have a felt nativity scene that I made. Somehow, my baby Jesus got lost. Last year, Chelsea and I made a new set. (You can see the baby Jesus here).














Chelsea was about 5 or 6 and she made a new baby Jesus out of paper and glued it onto a piece of wood. She wants to throw away her old baby Jesus, but I just love the thought that went into this one. Now we just have two of them!













It was such a cute thought.




Dec. 17 - Favorite Christmas present ever given -
I think last year when I surprised Dave with a new golf bag. His older one had the bottom falling out and I found this one on sale. I loved it because he didn't put it on his list and I came up with the gift all on my own.

Dec. 18 - Favorite Christmas Activity - It has to be spending the day shopping with my sisters. It's just great to be together and we have sooo much fun. Do you remember my post?


Dec. 19 - Favorite person to buy gifts for - It has to be Shaelyn because she's the youngest. There's so many things out there for a little girl; coloring things, any Disney princess items, dvd's... the list is endless. It just gets harder the older people get. Their wish lists get more expensive.

Dec. 20 - Favorite way to wrap a present - I love the look of presents with ribbons and bows but I'm just happy to get the paper on them. It takes a long time to wrap a lot of gifts and stockings. I never have enough boxes and my family won't let me use cereal boxes. (although they are allowed to use box from alarm clocks and other used things!)

Dec. 21 - Favorite time of Christmas - I love Christmas Eve when I am with just Dave and the girls. We have to go to Dave's side of the family first, but then we come home and do a birthday cake to Jesus, read from Luke 2 and open our own gifts.

Dec. 22 - Favorite part of Christmas Dinner - We always spend Christmas Day with my side of the family. Laura wrote about the raisin sauce that we have with the ham. It's absolutely "to die for" but I also love the rolls we get from Steenstra's Bakery. They are called Bread Ends and they have the best flavor.

Dec. 23 - Favorite Christmas Celebration - I like being with my immediate family on Christmas Eve. We first go to Dave's side of the family but then get to come home and do our own. We read the Christmas story and have a birthday cake to Jesus. Then we sing "Happy Birthday" and open our own gifts.

Dec. 24 - Favorite Christmas Place - I love being downstairs with a fire going and watching it snow like crazy. There's nothing better than being snuggled up in a blanket, all toasty and warm and watching a good old-fashioned snowstorm!

Dec. 25 - Favorite Christmas Verse - I've used this as my favorite saying, but here it is again, "And she brought forth her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:7

Dec. 26 - Favorite Christmas Tradition - This is a new tradition that was started a few years ago. My side of the family gives out Santa letters to people who were kind of naughty this past year. I know it's hard to believe, but I have been the recipient a few times. This year, Katelyn received one for acting like a blonde, Andy got one for not informing Santa of his new address and Ann & Dad got one for having to run off and getting married so quickly. These cause plenty of laughter!

Dec. 27 - Favorite Christmas Lights - I love blue lights. We have plain white on our tree but I like seeing the outside of houses with the blue.

Dec. 28 - Favorite Christmas Memory - Last year, when we got together with my side of the family, Laura received a stuffed opossum. She had planted a dead squirrel on Cheri's van in October, so Cheri went to EBAY and found an opossum to give in return. It was so hilarious! This year, she got a stuffed squirrel.

Dec. 29 - Favorite Christmas Leftovers - We always have ham for Christmas dinner. At night, we have buns with the ham. They always taste good - if we're still hungry after snacking all afternoon.

Dec. 30 - Favorite time to take down the decorations - We always do it the day after Christmas. By that time, I'm ready to have my house back to normal and looking clean again.

Dec. 31 - Choose your own topic - I think Laura pretty much covered everything there is to say. Thanks Laura for hosting this. It was fun!!!



28 comments:

LeslieW. said...

What a great idea! I was thinking of doinf a Thurs 13 of that...I like yours much better! Mmmmm, can't wait for the cookie smell!

Laura said...

Hey! You got it up! Cool - thanks for playing along. And wow - you've got a movie of your favorite song and everything! And your poinsettia is looking good!

Mari said...

I love "Oh Holy Night" too. It is hard to come up with a favorite for that. I put mine in my sidebar - you are showing me up again with the pictures and video's!

Kim said...

That Piontsettia looks beautiful. I do not keep ANY live plants in my house b/c they ALL die, even if they are hard to kill, if you want it to die, send it to my house.

Knit-Wit said...

Oh Holy Night is one of my favorite songs to sing for special music in church. The words are so powerful and it is a great vocal piece.

Cheri said...

Oh Holy Night is my favorite too.
Great post.

Dena said...

LOVE pink pointsettias! So fun!

Unknown said...

Wow, you and Laura are wizards at posting your favorites, I don't have pictures, just the side bar thing. I love the stockings...

LeslieW. said...

Beautiful stockings! That is so special that you made them! I am very crafty but didn't make ours...funny. They are pottery barn. I did make the dog's one year...he used to be the baby.

Laura said...

The stockings are cool - and they're even more special since you made them and the girls can cherish them forever! :)

Dena said...

those stockings sho is cute!

Anonymous said...

You made the stockings!? I love them----maybe you could teach me.

O Holy Night is a great song. Can't wait to read more of your favorites!

Anonymous said...

Those are the cutest stockings I have ever seen! We don't do stockings, but yours sure make me want to start.

LeslieW. said...

Wassail, huh? We have a mix they sell in boutiques here that you add to apple cider to make it taste like what I think you mean. I like that stuff a lot too. Sounds like a lot of work though!

Cathy said...

Well, you are the 3rd. person I've heard say O Holy Night is their favorite, including me. :o) That version of it was lovely. It's neat the way you are posting favorites.

sharon brobst said...

Thanks for stopping by and entering my giveaway!

I love O Holy Night also! It's my favorite! But my absolute favorite is when my husband sings it! It usually brings tears to my eyes when he does!

Zaankali said...

I can't wait to see what y'all make Saturday. We still need to do cut-out cookies. I totally forgot about them on Saturday. Opps!
Smiles!

Dena said...

More good stuff!

Brandi said...

Super idea! I love Christmas and have been doing a lot of Christmas posts, so I don't know if I will have time to do this or not. I will check back to view your favorite things, though. I came here from Karolee's blog. I love reading her posts, so I thought I would check out some of her links!

Anonymous said...

I like the reindeer ornament too. Personalized yet whimsical too!

~~Deby said...

love how you did this with all the links...might have to try the truffle recipe,,,,,
IF could just NOT sample things as I went..you know what I mean.
Deby

Laura said...

Oh! Your reindeer is really cute! 2004? Goodness that seems like forever ago!

Anonymous said...

"yep, yep, and YEP!" Everything on your list is "a good thing." That poinsettia is beautiful - almost pink. And I love the smell of cookies baking, too... divine.

LeslieW. said...

Amen on Target! It could actually be one stop shopping if you were really adament!

Anonymous said...

Do you know it takes me a couple of seconds every time to realiz that I already read the beginning of this post? :) You're throwing me off here----it's also 30 mins after midnight too.
I like the felt nativity----my Megan would love to make one of those I'm sure. I'll have to share the idea with her.

Sheri said...

Merry Christmas to you too! Great post!! How fun!!!!

Ally said...

Wow Terri, this was an amazing post. A real feat! Congratulations! I enjoyed reading it. Blessings toyou for Christmas!

The Birds Nest said...

What a cool post!! I love it!! I hope you and your family have a very Happy New Year!!