I am here on a Thursday because I feel the need to share with you that I finally cleaned out the toy box--and the children's room it is in--in time for the influx of gifts.
Today is our last day of school before our long Christmas break, and then I only have a couple of days before Christmas Eve. School--and work for me--running this close to Christmas this year has me feeling very unprepared. I managed to make all the bread I give to every staff member at school, but I haven't made any for our neighbors yet. I think that's going to be a belated Christmas/Happy New Year gift.
Many of our Christmas traditions are food-related, and of course, being me, I make all that food in pretty much the most labor-intensive way possible. But this year, I'm changing things up a bit.
I've already decided that I'm not going to make tamales for Christmas Day this year, which is what I have done for the past few years. I just don't have the half-day it takes to make them at the moment. So instead, we're going to have them on Epiphany. Technically still Christmas, and it falls during our Christmas break this year, so I'll have plenty of time to make tamales.
I am going to make Grandma Bishop's molasses cookies, though. My plan is to mix up the dough tomorrow morning before taking the post-surgical child to physical therapy, and then bake some when we get home in the afternoon.
I'm going to keep the rest of the dough in the refrigerator and bake some more the next day. We have Mass at 4 p.m. for our Sunday Vigil, but I have all the day before that to get some stuff done. Mostly kitchen things. We're almost out of bread. I've been giving so much away, we've been kind of low on it all month.
Our Christmas Mass is at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, so my plan is to make chili and cornbread for that day, with molasses cookies and eggnog for dessert. Christmas Day we don't have to go anywhere, so that's a better day for a bigger meal. This year, it will be ham, scalloped potatoes, and salad, with our usual chocolate roulade for dessert.
It's very satisfying to me that the eggnog uses exactly the egg yolks I have left after using only whites for the roulade.
Right now I need to wrap a few more gifts, and then prepare cheese and crackers for the elementary Christmas party.
How are your Christmas preparations going? Are you all done, or scrambling to get it all done? Or maybe somewhere in between, like me.
4 comments:
Makes me tired just reading all you’ve accomplished as well as what needs to be done! And I was concerned that I still haven’t made and delivered my sweet pecans. So minor a bake!
I'm not baking for neighbors this year - just don't have the energy. I did gift cards for the teachers. I'm mostly done with presents - need a few stocking treats. I'm having a Christmas meal on Christmas Eve as some of my kids must leave on the 25th. Luckily,vegetarian adult daughter will bring the entree for the vegetarians in the house. We did get the tree up; the kids added some decorations, but we'll go minimalist this year.
I think I will just live with what I have and make the best of it.
Other than cooking the turkey and ham for 40 people today for the community dinner at my senior apartment building, I am done with Christmas. Had family over for winter solstice party last night. Let 4 year old grandson open his gifts. It was wonderful. Now I can relax on Christmas day with a cup of tea and a good book. It's nice being an old lady with few responsibilities.
Happy holiday season to you! Enjoy these years while your children are young and close to you, they pass all to quickly.
no time to answer, but I guess that's an answer!
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