Gumdrop Lights

My trek to Christmas is often a two-pointed jaunt. First to the Ritchies, then home. It is the best way to make the journey. We made a string of gumdrop lights. Amy's theme was Vintage Christmas and she had a candy-themed tree. I took my strings of gumdrops down last night.

I watched this movie for the first time and made these for the first time. We hosted a Christmas tea for Taylor and Rachel Ritchie. They chose their own tea cups. We served sandwiches, Lindt truffles, Shirley Temples, cocoa, and a high number of bowls of goodies. I got a French nativity. A yoga top from someone; yoga pants from another. I love to give gifts. I feel mother embraced each gift I got for Father to give her. She also loved the sewing case and we have put it together together for her sampler class beginning in January. My sister is very easy to shop for. Today I'm presenting a crocheted fabric rug to Donn and Nancy. They arrive after Christmas. Amy wrapped my gifted treasures in fabric ties. Jeff sent the second half of my birthday gift: fabric for a quilt and a pattern.

As is our new habit, we host Christmas Eve and then go to Robin's for Christmas day around 10 am. The more Christmases the better; I'm sure you agree. We settled on brisket (Brian's request as it rhymes with biscuit). We used Jo-Jo's as the dessert base but I felt the word too willy-nilly for the menu. 

Christmas Eve Menu

Tomato Bisque with Toasts

Oven-Simmered Beef Brisket

Gratin Dauphinois

Simple Greens

Peppermint Oreo Dessert with Hot Fudge Sauce

Cookie Cutters

image from www.marthastewart.com

I am not into sugar cookies. I am drawn to their fanciful shapes and even more fanciful icing. They belong on the cover of magazines. Most often sugar cookies are tasteless, floury, and the frosting is too sweet. I take a bite and leave it. Plus, I avoid making roll-out cookies. My sister is my polar opposite in the sugar cookie arena. She loves to eat and make them. I don't know where she came from. She is constantly making new sugar cookie recipes. There have been one or two cookies I like enough to eat; I like the sugar cookies from Milton's. Often they are in the shape of dolphins.

I found this recipe earlier this week and was swayed by fresh nutmeg and the old-fashioned title. These women didn't mess around with fragile dough. I was encouraged and had a small amount of sour cream in the fridge from our chili night. It was a go. I made the dough and popped it in the fridge until today. This afternoon I rolled out without qualm and baked to good effect. I forgot to sprinkle them (my wrapped gifts have no bows or ribbons either.) The cookies are very nice. A good sugar cookie dough. Now, I will move onto frosting . . . .

A St. Nicholas Day Report

illustration by Norman Rockwell

Brian carried the Christmas CD charge for many years. Last year, I offered to relieve him since 2010 was quite a year-end for the fam. This year, mother chose other neighborhood gifties but I made another music CD for my friends. Last year's was highly inspired by Marta's merry mix. I even used her instrux to made CD cases. This year, I exercised self-sufficiency skills and here is my list.

1. in the bleak midwinter • erin bode
2. what are you doing new year's eve? • the carpenters
3. what child is this? (greensleeves) • sarah mclachlan
4. god rest ye merry gentlemen/o come emmanuel (feat. colette butler) • callie moore
5. it's beginning to look a lot like christmas • perry como and the fontane sisters
6. the christmas waltz • she and him
7. white christmas • bing crosby
8. carol of the bells • the bird and the bee
9. the heartache can wait • brandi carlile
10. o holy night • nat king cole
11. the christmas song • catherine feeny
12. we wish you a merry christmas • the brady bunch
13. auld lang syne • james taylor
14. the wexford carol • yo-yo ma, alison krauss, natalie macmaster

It is heavy on the plaintiff girl with a guitar. What can I say?

Cataloguing: Part 1

1My family receives a lot of mail, much of it catalogs. My mother orders from them. I think it is great fun looking at catalogs. I rarely order from them. So, when I visit the family, I browse the catalogs. I have been especially interested this month as it tis close to December and we are getting in the mood.

Today I came across a gift I can approve of, the personalized topographic jigsaw puzzle. There is also the satellite jigsaw which could be very beautiful, depending on your address. I like this gift for several reasons. The price is not outrageous. The gift is well, personalized. A potential heirloom. Of visual interest. It's a game. It's frameable. And, it could help you out of a scrape when you forget your address.

And while we're talking about games. There is the marshmallow shooter. Appeals to the toy and game aspect of Christmas gifts. The whimsy of Christmas past. For all ages and ideal for grown men. Again, the price is not outrageous. I am a big fan of the price not being outrageous.

Another useful treasure is the aluminum ice tray. Off-the-chart visual interest. Living as one's grandparents. The thwack of breaking ice. Freezing frozen metal. And, a set of two. This is a very tempting product friends.

For the high-ticket contingency, I found this nicely festive. Ideal frame for lovely tokens, one's own accroutrements. It would be such fun to arrange.

I guess this choice stems from loving fire and recently watching A Little Princess with the attic room candleabra. I love it. I envision a stark, dark dining room with a very grande candleabra.

Stockings, Not Nylons

The children have taken on the charge of mother's stocking these past years. It is very fun. I am a bit exacting toward the others. I insist on each finding a few items that are small, light, and her favorites. They hand them off to me before Christmas Eve and I keep them in a drawer in my closet. Despite our annual successes, I have run into a few snags with their offerings. Robin always buys mother a dish cleaner wand or other tall kitchen item that either takes up most of the stocking or sticks out of it unbecomingly. I like whatever sticks out the top to be either cute or festive. Brian often buys heavy-laden sacks of candy. They take up much of the space and weigh down the stocking. In fact, sometimes, a few items are forced to linger outside the stocking what with these choices I previously mentioned.

One year I hit the jackpot. An Eloise pencil box. I think it was her favorite gift she has received from moi. I will spend the rest of my years trying to top this. I read a few neato lists of stocking "stuffers" here. I dreamed up my own list for the joy and entertainment of my kith and kin.

1. doublesided tape
2. jerky and batteries, for the man in your life
3. pens and Sharpies
4. good paper scissors
5. handmade candy cane
6. box of spice
7. jewels, for the woman in your life
8. lip gloss, nail polish, emery board, foot file
9. See's chocolate chips
10. iTunes gift cards
11. Lindt truffles
12. car washes
13. new box of crayons
14. socks
15. Johnson's Creamy Baby Oil with Cocoa and Shea Butter (heavy but worth it!)
16. bubble gum or a favorite candy bar
17. small packages of a favorite cookie (for example, Santa will give me Nutter Butters if I am good. He will give Brian Lorna Doones.)
18. sunglasses
19. super cool matchbooks
20. money
21. hair bands
22. deck of cards
23. and the stocking within a stocking: elegant hosiery

Oh, What Do You Do in the Wintertime?

When all the trees are taken down, the carolers wrapped and stored, and the car loaded with donations for charity, it is time to recap our weeks of holiday. I have seen loved ones: Susie and Rachel at Victoria's wedding in Portland

Donn and Nancy traipsing through Snow Canyon

Brendan and Karen and some gingerbread men all in the warmth of home, as well as the usual players in St. George.

I quilted a dark-toned quilt for mother and father during five hours on December 22, sewed the binding in secret until time ran out, and wrapped it with its pins for Christmas morning. A plush white confection of a dress jacket for Taylor. A Snowy Day for Buddy. Among the goods at Christmas were a miniature Victorian book to write one's Christmas gifts, all of Shakespeare's sonnets, three cookbooks: Ten, Apples for Jam, and Falling Cloudberries with its dreamy cranberry sorbet cover, gift cards, a phone.

Our favorites foods were cherries glacés, lamb with mint chutney glaze, tomato bisque, and seven-layer bars.

At our house the talk for days of neighbor Louisa's birthday and her prospective gift.

I learned to play Mancala. We played 20 Questions, the board game, where I guessed Charles Darwin in one clue and could not guess Shoes after 20 clues. And, Taboo. We tastetested Heath vs. Skor. Heath won from all but myself. They complained it stuck in their teeth. I expect that from toffee. Hummphf. The talk of the houses was eggnog. Who likes it (the boys), who doesn't (the girls).

Our Sadie was put under to remove a mole on her paw. We showered her with TLC.

For the remainder, I plan to cook with barley, try to finish the large jar of Spanish olives, hang two gourds, buy bike shoes, and snap a million photos.

Between the Lines

My favorite lines of the Christmas carol season are these:

We'll have to muddle through somehow.
The ox and lamb kept time.
I gave my best for Him.

Johnny Old Saint Nicholas

Maysen played this piano song as a duet with his father.

Three favorites from the red velvet man's visit.


A line of Lego magnets. My mother bought some a few years ago (at Legoland) and I admired them. Unfortunately they were not sold when I visited Legoland this year. However, Santa ordered them from Lego and put them in my stocking. They are quite visually perfect. I'm not sure I'll take them out of the box.


The three smalls. Placed in a frame I purchased last week for occasions such as this.


A French cherry red roasting pot. I have long dreamed of a suitable soup or piece of meat to inaugurate the use. I have not come up with anything yet but share the image as it is fine as a stand alone. I also enjoy Le Creuset in Dune. I would make a meat soup in it.

What were your favorites? And, do you embrace surprise?