I know that everyone is busy and it amazes me how so many of you
are able to keep up with posting wonderful Christmas stories, pictures and recipes!
Your posts have caused me to think - what are our family's Christmas Traditions?
I found myself feeling sad that we don't really have too many
wonderful traditions like some folks have.
They change from year to year as situations change I guess.
What makes a tradition?
After uploading my pictures I noticed that there are actually a few
things that have become Christmas traditions of sorts:
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| Homemade Biscotti |
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| Cherry Cheese Tarts and Rheo Thompson Chocolates |
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| Nuts and Bolts - my mom's recipe |
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| Tete de Moine Cheese |
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| Jarlesberg, Applewood Smoked Cheddar, Brie cheeses and Garlic Stuffed Olives |
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| The back Porch "walk out" fridge - so thankful for this! |
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| Chilling with our friends and their growing family on Christmas Day! |
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| Visiting with Grandma Leis at the home - Oh how I wish I could tell her the good news! |
As you can see, the pictures I've taken this Christmas are mostly food related
because I have been dubbed the annoying family paparazzi - do you ever feel this way?
Perhaps I need to take a long and hard look at what things our family
can add to make Christmas more meaningful and to savour the moments
even more than the food!
Even though the moments are rare - they are the most important and much
more precious than any food or photos.
I want to be intentional about making 2015 meaningful and precious.
The Lord has blessed us as a family beyond anything we could have asked or even imagined
just as Ephesians 3:20 promises!
just as Ephesians 3:20 promises!
Till next time - HAPPY NEW YEAR dear friends ....
My husbands family used to make the nuts and bolts mix, and every once in a while he makes it. It always brings back fond memories for him. A lot of our traditions center around food too. Every Christmas Eve we have a birthday cake for Jesus. The looks on the children's faces as they sing is precious. I wish you a wonderful New Year, Rosella!
ReplyDeleteMy family has become so snarky about photos that I took not.even.one. photo of Christmas this year. I am not feeling so happy about it now. I'd rather "get the look." LOL! Your food photos are beautiful, but the things are never as beautiful as the faces of family.
ReplyDeleteThey might not appreciate the present moment of taking photos but 20 years from now they'll cherish those photos. Food was the only thing my parents could offer growing up so so many of our memories of wonderful times together are food oriented. You have some yummy traditions for sure! On Christmas day this year I didn't take any people photos. Things were just too busy. The day after Christmas we took more photos because Dan and Jamie needed some shots for their Save the Date announcement.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post...it's funny how we keep comparing...but that's how life is...but I think I have always been encouraged by hearing about other peoples traditions because I have adopted different ones along the way and dropped some that did not go over so well. So I think food is a big thing and it looks like you have plenty. Each year as members change and marry, divorce and have children, things change all over again. And I just keep paddling my canoe with Jesus as my life jacket. So keep enjoying and inspiring all of us with your beautiful words of encouragement.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed a look at your family's traditions Rosella. You have some lovely ones.
ReplyDeleteWe also grew up with the outside walk out fridge! Now I have to be careful because the neighbor's cats wander around. Food is probably one of our biggest traditions, too. Guess we all like to eat!
ReplyDeleteRosella, I think I hear what you are saying. You have me thinking anyways. It is hard to take photos of what is most precious...
ReplyDeletethe moments ... because sometimes, as soon as you make a point of taking a photo, it's not quite the same anymore. When you like taking photos, it is hard not to.
Having said all that, your food pictures are great pictures of your own special traditions. so many traditions do revolve around food. Now I have one question. What did you wish you could tell Grandma Leis?
I DO know what you're saying about the paparazzi! Although they hardly bat an eye now when I photograph a table setting or food or decor. Some of the grandchildren get a little skittish at the sight of the camera...some of them pose! :)
ReplyDeleteIt seems that you have some lovely traditions at your house!
As a new reader, I am wondering if I have missed something about "the news" for Grandma Leis?
I love your traditions, Rosella! Happy, happy New Year to you and yours! xoxo
ReplyDeleteLove the post...food photos & all (including the mysterious secret that Grandma Leis doesn't yet know)! Blessings to you and yours in 2015!
ReplyDeleteRosella, I love the peek into your Christmas time. I loved seeing your food and sensing your joy for the coming year.
ReplyDeleteThat cheese scraper is something I've never seen. Is there a specific name for it?
Happy New Year to you and your dear family.
Hi Lovella - the cheese curler is for this specific Tete de Moine Swiss Cheese and it's made by Swissmar (here is the link) http://www.amazon.ca/Swissmar-VA-1000-Girolle-Cheese-Scraper/dp/B0018JX1X0
DeleteThe cheese is very strong tasting but delicious and looks so lovely when curled - resembling carnation flowers of sorts . Apparently you can get a mold for chocolate which can then also be curled on this tool. We usually only have this out at Christmas time.
Food is life, love, family and memories. Everything we do revolved around food, so I think your family traditions are quite meaningful!
ReplyDelete