#52 Stories: Story #13

What are the most memorable and treasured gifts you have received in your life?

The year my dad wrote a poem and hid the pieces to a trampoline was a favorite Christmas memory. It was so unlike my dad...I still don’t know if my mom put him up to it or if he did it all himself, but it was amazing.  I knew that he went to a lot of trouble that year and I have always appreciated that—especially as I have gotten older.

My favorite gift I have given came in Christmas 1994 when Genius Golfer and I gave our parents a special gift...we wrapped up a tiny diaper and used a special poem to tell them that we were expecting Jill.  They were surprised, but thrilled.

#52 Stories-Story #12

What different occasions do you celebrate each year?

We celebrate birthdays, Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, 4th of July and Valentines day.  When the kids were little we made a bigger deal out of the lesser holidays--but Genius Golfer and I still exchange little gifts on Valentines Day and our wedding anniversary.

#52 Stories: Story # 11

Which of your childhood holiday traditions have you continued into adulthood?

This was a good question.  I don’t think that I had many family holiday traditions. But I guess we still make and eat blueberry muffins on christas day.  THat w as something I did as a child that always felt special for the holiday—though we also did that for General Confernece Sundays and we usually still do that too.

We still usually set up a Christmas tree.  The kids each have a set of personal ornaments that they chose each year—that they will be  able to take with them to their own homes when they are ready to have their own trees some day. I usually decorate with Christmas decorations and play Christmas music.

We exchange gifts.  I make treats that we only have at Christmas time. I suggest something to give our neighbors.  All that was done as I was a child too.

I remember my mom trying to give away the alcoholic gifts that their vendors at work, or even customers who didn’t know they were not drinker would give them—usually to the garbage man or the used oil guy that picked up their discarded oil.  I have tried to remember those that serve our family—like the mail man and the garbage collector—even though Genius Golfer thinks I am crazy to do it. I usually just given them a box of Christmas goodies that I made so something, rather than alcoholic gifts, but they always seem surprised that anyone would think of them and that they “are just doing their job”.

All of the traditions that I say we “usually” do, I say usually because as the kids have grown up and are away for college in other places, it is harder to do the traditional things because it is just us at home for most of the holiday season and sometimes it seems like too much work.  Maybe when the kids bring grandkids home to see us that might change, but for now we are the ‘less is more’ kind of holiday keepers.

Irreverent Traditions?

Each Christmas eve, at least when the kids were small, we would include a special dessert to help the kids remember that we were really celebrating the Savior's birth.  we'd have "birthday cake for Jesus".

I didn't realize that the kids noticed this "tradition" much less, as The Girl said, "It's my favortie thing we do."

Whether its because we love cake, or because she loves Jesus, I don't know but I'm glad she liked it enough to remind me to do it.

 She looks unsure of the whole idea here.

And here she looks more than normally awkward.

THERE we go.  That's a more normal girl. 

When she got it out of the fridge, she mimicked in her best Nacho Libre accent "Dees are de Lord's Cheeeps."  Then added gher version, "Dees iz de Lord's cack."

It was funny, if you were there.  And if you'd seen Nacho Libre lately.

Traditions

 

It is General Conference weekend, and part of that mean we are eating Blueberry muffins.  I am not sure why this tradition began, but I think we've had blueberry muffins for conference at least since I have been married--they were a luxury at first, so we could only "afford" that kind of treat twice year--but my kids now sort of expect them.  The funny thing is I usually make Betty Crocker's mix muffins on Sunday morning, but since the kids--especially The Boy--eat so much more than they used to  I have gone to Jiffy brand muffins on Saturday.  So I made three boxes of Jiffy muffins this morning, with a BC box waiting for tomorrow.  All just part of the otherwise lazy, uplifting and home-bound weekend plans.

Time Keeps On Slippin'...Into the Future

I came downstairs yesterday after trying to nap (while Genius Golfer watched a golf tournament and kept talking to the TV golf announcers--oh well for that idea) and found The Boy watching a Back To The Future marathon.  He was halfway through the second movie.

I sat down to watch with him.

First, I don't remember the language being that rough when I saw it before.  That may be a recognition when you watch it with your kids kind of thing.  Secondly, I forgot how much I enjoy Marty McFly and Doc Brown together.  And thirdly, what a crazy, imaginative, Inception-like layered story!!  I watched the rest of the trilogy with him.

The whole afternoon made me think, I wonder what films my own kids will be watching in 25 years with their kids on a Sunday afternoon.  Maybe they will be watching the movies we love to watch together now--The Princess Bride, A Christmas Story, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Back to the Future.  I hope so.  They are classic for a reason.

For the Love of Cranberries

My morning was spent today making pumpkin pies and my favorite Thanksgiving dish Cranberry Relish.  It is something that I will bring with me, even if the hostess--usually Grandmama, for this family--doesn't ask me to.  I make it for me.  And I'll eat all of it over the course of the week, even if no one else has any.

Luckily Grandmama has taken a shine to it, and this year I have two friends who wanted to try it too.  So my regular double batch won't last as long for me, but perhaps I can bring to life a love of cranberries in these other two friends.

When Genius Golfer and I first married, the first Thanksgiving we spent with his family they served cranberry straight from the can.  It even had the indentations from the metal can still on it.  They just slid it out and laid the poor thing on a plate.  Pathetic.  I'm not sure I even knew cranberries came that way.

That is because I was spoiled to always have fresh cranberry relish for Thanksgiving.  Actually I had the option of a cooked cranberry sauce too, but I prefer the relish version.  But my mom made both, as they were each my grandmothers' recipes.

It is funny how certain family traditions can be ignored, until the holidays roll around.  Then it feels like the celebration itself would suffer should we not resurrect that special dish.  So my Grandma's Cranberry Relish is made and chilling for tomorrow's feast.

All is right in the world.

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Ed. Note---Lovely Friend Peggy made a good point in the comments: I should have left you all the recipe for this delish dish.  So here it is, probably too late for this year's celebration, but keep it around for next season!!

FRESH CRANBERRY RELISH

1 small package of raspberry or cran-rasp flavor Jell-o
1/3 C very hot water

Mix the water into the Jell-o to beginto dissolve the powdered Jell-o.  Chop the following (until like a salsa consistency) in your food processor or grind them all together with the grinder attachment to your mixer:

1 pkg fresh cranberries (find them bags in the product section of the market)
1 peeled orange
1 cored apple
Then add about 1/4 C sugar, to taste, just to make the relish as sweet as you like. 

Chill the entire mixture in the fridge overnight if you have time.  The Jell-o will set up and the flavors will even out.  It is so yummy.  Trust me.

Take It Easy

Last night was the tree setting-up activity for our family. For seventeen holiday seasons I have collected and amassed ornaments and decorations for our tree. Each year, thus far, the kids have also selected an ornament that represents what they were into that year--with the hopes that someday they will have a little collection of their own to begin their adult lives with for their own tree.

In the process of putting things up last night, The Boy insisted on these bright blue LED lights--which are very pretty, I agree--but they are icicle lights. You know. The kind that hang three or four little lights from the eave of your house, or in a windy place might end up with three or four little lights in your rain gutter. These even have white, very bright white, cord and wires. There is no gentle or subtle blending in here. They are shockingly white wired, bright blue LED icicle lights on my tree.

Then, The Girl insisted that we only use the store bought annual collectible ornaments this year. The quantity while they are still loaded in the crate looks like we have tons of these ornaments, but when they shed their protective boxes and wrappings there are 12 for The boy, 14 for The Girl and Genius Golfer and I each have 17. 12 plus 14 plus 34...so...60 total ornaments. Our fakey tree us large enough for easily three times that many. It looks pretty naked, but for those white lights draped all over it.

Finally, the decision to put the tree in the basement family room was made the democratic way--by a majority vote. Two short people voted for it to go there because they wanted to sit on the couches when they open presents. One guy abstained and I was out numbered. Now the front room is still decorated, but I love driving into the garage and seeing the Christmas tree in the bay window of the front room. Very presentational, and much more formal. I even suggested we could bring the couches upstairs on Christmas day. Still outvoted.

I realize all of this makes no difference as to why we celebrate. And the reality of our tree location and decor is not a major factor in our celebration of the Savior's birth. But these kids sure seem to have strong opinions and no hesitancy in expressing them about family traditions they see as wrong.

What is a mom to do? Give in and take it easy, I was told. I'm working on that.