- December 31, 2015
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A look into our home this Christmas in the post: Our Home for the Holidays
Every winter Deena gives herself some kind of goal to keep her entertained during the cold months. See what she’s up to this year in her post: Food Goals
Shaunacey shares a comfy and super cute winter go-to outfit in her post: winter go-to outfit - tunic, skinnies, vest and boots
Like squishy babies? So does Shaunacey, that's why she had another one this past July. Check out Oliver's newborn pictures.
Even though Christmas is over, come take a peek at how Sarah decorated her house for Christmas! Are you the type to take down on December 26th or sometime after the new year? Sarah is in the New Year camp if you wanted to know, enjoy the decorations as long as possible! Check out her holiday style in her post: Christmas Home Tour
Sarah decided she wanted to get out of her hair rut, so she's going to do her hair at least once a week for the entire year, hopefully as the year goes on, she'll get better. Come join me in my 2016 Hair Challenge!
Part of The Blended Blog blog hop, this was one of Katie's favorite posts this month because she so enjoy decorating her home and likes putting a few new touches on it year after year. See her post: My Home at the Holidays
Since Katie wasn't able to get her act together enough to recap her whole trip to North Carolina (her words) this Friday Five recapped her most favorite parts!! Check out her blog post: Friday Faves: NC Style
Leslie's review of a feel-good story for the whole year 'round. See her review post: TGIFTF: Thank Goodness, It’s Fairy Tale Friday, Holiday Edition
Leslie's family's take on the Shull's (Mix and Match Family blog) annual Jammy-Cocoa Christmas activity. Read her post: Shull Family’s Jammy Cocoa Christmas: Our Version
A big blanket scarf with a vest is a perfect winter outfit. See Alison's post: Blanket Scarf and Vest
Plaid and fur are an expected, but fun combination. Check out Alison's blog post: Plaid and Fur
What's my favourite Christmas memory? That's a tough one. It could be many things:
I spent 25 Christmas Eves at my Grandma Diehl's house where we celebrated in a very traditional French Canadian way: la messe de minuit, la réveillon, tourtière et les chansons en français. It was something I looked forward to every year. One of my favourite moments was after midnight mass, at the end of the Joy to the World, everyone in the congregation would stick around and hug, wishing Merry Christmasses. It truly felt holy, refreshing and new.
I think I loved our Christmas Eve traditions, mostly because my Grandma did an amazing job hosting. The entire basement was our play place for Christmas all year. The tree stayed up, the kitchen was right there and I would dream year round of that magical night. She somehow tirelessly hosted 30-50 people in that house and made it look effortless.
I loved it so much that I wanted a Christmas wedding so I could have my whole family back for Christmas.
Selfish, yes. Christmas lover, absolutely. One of my favourite events was the coming of Santa Claus at some point in the evening. I would spend my nights looking out the window, watching for Rudolph's nose or getting myself sick with anxiety looking forward to his visit. My Grandma had someone different play the part every year and as there were so many bodies in the house, it was impossible to notice someone missing. Tradition had the newest addition to the family had to take on the role. I can picture my Grandma in her moccasins coming down the stairs telling us excitedly that she heard bells.
That is why continuing that tradition is so important to me. Even when I knew the truth about Santa (sshhhhh, I won't tell) I still looked forward to that little bit of magic that was to be had.
After the Christmas Eve festivities, we'd drive the 20 minutes to my Grandma Park's house. Both Grandparents lived 20 minutes apart in small town Sask. How handy. Some of my favourite memories there was being with my cousins. Well that and the food. We'd (the crazy cousins) have a tradition of making Christmas buns, which consisted of us stuffing our entire Christmas Day meal into a homemade bun. It was delicious and something I still do. My Grams was also an incredible host and loved playing Santa. I can see her sitting by the tree, passing out gifts. My favourite was the year she made us all quilts.
Deena blogs at Shoes to Shiraz and is a regular contributor for The Blended Blog. Her passions include pretty shoes, big glasses of wine, reading books and playing ball. She lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on an acreage with her husband and two kids.
I spent 25 Christmas Eves at my Grandma Diehl's house where we celebrated in a very traditional French Canadian way: la messe de minuit, la réveillon, tourtière et les chansons en français. It was something I looked forward to every year. One of my favourite moments was after midnight mass, at the end of the Joy to the World, everyone in the congregation would stick around and hug, wishing Merry Christmasses. It truly felt holy, refreshing and new.
I think I loved our Christmas Eve traditions, mostly because my Grandma did an amazing job hosting. The entire basement was our play place for Christmas all year. The tree stayed up, the kitchen was right there and I would dream year round of that magical night. She somehow tirelessly hosted 30-50 people in that house and made it look effortless.
I loved it so much that I wanted a Christmas wedding so I could have my whole family back for Christmas.
Selfish, yes. Christmas lover, absolutely. One of my favourite events was the coming of Santa Claus at some point in the evening. I would spend my nights looking out the window, watching for Rudolph's nose or getting myself sick with anxiety looking forward to his visit. My Grandma had someone different play the part every year and as there were so many bodies in the house, it was impossible to notice someone missing. Tradition had the newest addition to the family had to take on the role. I can picture my Grandma in her moccasins coming down the stairs telling us excitedly that she heard bells.
That is why continuing that tradition is so important to me. Even when I knew the truth about Santa (sshhhhh, I won't tell) I still looked forward to that little bit of magic that was to be had.
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| Me @ 8 years old with Grandma and Grandpa, my brother on the right and my cousin Kelly (RIP) on the left. |
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| And there's anxious Deena...either worried about boys or where Santa was. |
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| Brother Rob, still believing. |
Look at those eyes, I'm pretty sure that's brother playing Santa, and also, that there isn't a kid under 13 in the house at this point. Yup, the tradition didn't end just because the kids grew up.
You know, in the end, when I try to think of my favourite Christmas memory, it all comes down to the people. It's that special, sacred time that you put aside for the ones you love. That time you forget about everything else going on around you and play games and laugh and catch up. It is the quality time that must be put in to make lasting and meaningful relationships and that, my friends, is my favourite Christmas memory.
Hope you had a fantastic holiday!
Dee
There are so many good Christmas memories locked forever in my mind. Like the years we visited my grandparents in California, and went to the beach on Christmas Day.
Or the first year my husband and I were married, waking up to a white Christmas.
Or Christmas 1997, when I had a two year old and a newborn. If I'm being honest, I don't really remember that one, due to sleep deprivation. But I'm sure it was magical, because children make everything even better at Christmas.
Which brings me to one of my best Christmas memories; the year my sister gave C a Tickle Me Elmo. C and I watched Sesame Street every morning, and while he loved Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and Ernie, Elmo was by far his favorite character.
In August my sister was shopping, saw a talking Tickle Me Elmo, and knew it would be the perfect gift for C. As the holidays got closer, Tickle Me Elmo became the "hot property" that everyone wanted for Christmas. People were waiting in hours long lines when new shipments came in, and soon buyers were willing to pay $300 or more for this $50 toy.
When a co-worker found out that my sister had one tucked away, she offered her $500. All of us encouraged D to sell Elmo. She could have used the money, and C would never have known the difference. But Aunt D wanted C to have it.
On Christmas morning I watched nervously as C ripped the paper off the gift. What if he played with Elmo for a few minutes and then cast him aside? I knew I would feel bad if he didn't love him as much as my sister was hoping he would.
C pulled Elmo from the box, and gave him a wary glance as he started to talk. By the time Elmo began laughing and shaking, C was smiling and giggling along. He went everywhere with C that day. Actually, they were pretty inseparable for years, to the point where I thought I might go crazy if I heard that high pitched voice one more time. Many nights Elmo's signature laugh would come from C's room when he rolled onto him in his sleep.
Tickle Me Elmo is still with us, packed away in a box somewhere. C has grown, and so have his toys. This year he got skis and tools for Christmas, and while they made him smile, there's nothing like that first special gift that holds a place in your heart.
Or your mom's.
Which is probably why I've kept Elmo all these years. Maybe I'll be able to pass him on to a grandchild someday, and recapture the sweet Christmas memory of that curly haired boy, so enthralled with a stuffed animal that giggled.
I hope that this holiday season has been full of new memories for all of you. Happy New Year!
Merry Christmas! I hope each and everyone one of you are enjoying the next few days off with family and friends. A few of us from The Blended Blog are sharing our favorite Christmas memories. While I can think of so many memories growing up, waiting up with my brother for Santa to come, all of the family gathers, the memory I am going to talk about is Baby Fox's birth. In case you didn't know Baby Fox is a Christmas Baby!
Christmas Eve, I woke up around 7am with a massive headache (which I had gone to bed with) and really high blood pressure, so off to Labor and Delivery we went to check on baby. They were worried about preeclampsia, so they monitored me for a couple of hours and released me around 10:30. We had just gotten home and I wanted to get some rest before my parents came. Of course about 11:30am I had my first contraction, it wasn't too bad and I tried to get some sleep but they were coming about every 15-20 minutes, sleep didn't happen.
We told my parents to keep coming and we'd still celebrate Christmas Eve dinner as usual. Throughout the day I was still have contractions every 15-20 minutes, but nothing to painful. We decided to skip church...just in case. We were going to open the gifts on Christmas morning, but my mom said, why don't we open them now just in case this is the real deal. I was convinced it wasn't, since my due date wasn't for another 10 days. Eventually my contractions were every 4 minutes and we decided to head to the hospital around 9pm. But first I wanted to take a shower, since I hadn't gotten a chance.
It was completely surreal, I grew this human, and he just came out of me. Just thinking, moments before this we were just two people and suddenly with one push, we were a family of three. We cried happy tears and had no words to explain the overwhelming emotion of becoming parents. Just typing this out, chokes me up a bit, I still can't believe that this little man made me a mom.
He could possibly be the best little boy that ever lived. His heart is so full of love, generosity, compassion and understanding it blows my mind.
He is the best big brother anyone could ask for. He always looks out for his sister and wants to play with her every second of the day, okay maybe not every second but pretty close.
I just had to post this one, during of family photo shoot, it was about 90 degrees out and between each shot we did this to keep him from completely breaking down into a flop sweat...best blue steel impression ever.
This guy up there is my favorite Christmas Memory, fairly certain nothing is going to top him :)
Merry Christmas Everyone! Stay safe and have a Happy New Year!
Sarah is a regular contributor of The Blended Blog. She is an engineer and Mom of 2 just trying to bring out her creative side through her blog, Foxy's Domestic Side.
Christmas Eve, I woke up around 7am with a massive headache (which I had gone to bed with) and really high blood pressure, so off to Labor and Delivery we went to check on baby. They were worried about preeclampsia, so they monitored me for a couple of hours and released me around 10:30. We had just gotten home and I wanted to get some rest before my parents came. Of course about 11:30am I had my first contraction, it wasn't too bad and I tried to get some sleep but they were coming about every 15-20 minutes, sleep didn't happen.
We told my parents to keep coming and we'd still celebrate Christmas Eve dinner as usual. Throughout the day I was still have contractions every 15-20 minutes, but nothing to painful. We decided to skip church...just in case. We were going to open the gifts on Christmas morning, but my mom said, why don't we open them now just in case this is the real deal. I was convinced it wasn't, since my due date wasn't for another 10 days. Eventually my contractions were every 4 minutes and we decided to head to the hospital around 9pm. But first I wanted to take a shower, since I hadn't gotten a chance.
The nurses told me the doctor would come break my water in the morning, so I decided I didn't want an epidural just yet. I wanted to be able to move around as long as possible, so I walked the hall with Mr. and my aunt (who is a baby nurse, and spent many years delivering babies). During a contraction I would just lean over on Mr. for support and breathe through it.
About 4:30am the contractions were getting stronger and I finally asked for the epidural. Once the epidural was in, labor progressed pretty quickly, my water broke on it's own, and about 20 minutes of pushing later, Baby Fox was born at 7:19am, weighing 6 pounds 9 ounces and was 19.5 inches long.
It was completely surreal, I grew this human, and he just came out of me. Just thinking, moments before this we were just two people and suddenly with one push, we were a family of three. We cried happy tears and had no words to explain the overwhelming emotion of becoming parents. Just typing this out, chokes me up a bit, I still can't believe that this little man made me a mom.
He could possibly be the best little boy that ever lived. His heart is so full of love, generosity, compassion and understanding it blows my mind.
He is the best big brother anyone could ask for. He always looks out for his sister and wants to play with her every second of the day, okay maybe not every second but pretty close.
I just had to post this one, during of family photo shoot, it was about 90 degrees out and between each shot we did this to keep him from completely breaking down into a flop sweat...best blue steel impression ever.
This guy up there is my favorite Christmas Memory, fairly certain nothing is going to top him :)
Merry Christmas Everyone! Stay safe and have a Happy New Year!
Sarah is a regular contributor of The Blended Blog. She is an engineer and Mom of 2 just trying to bring out her creative side through her blog, Foxy's Domestic Side.
Well, ready or not, Christmas is here!! The most exciting time of the year!! And the most hectic. This week, a few of us Blended Bloggers are sharing favorite Christmas Memories. I've been thinking about this post forever!! It's really hard to pinpoint one specific Christmas memory. Rather, my memories are strung together like the lights around the Christmas tree. Over the years, Christmas has changed and grown...always for the better! The years have faded into one another, but it's always been, first and foremost, a day with family and celebrating the birth of Jesus!
When I was a little girl, Christmas Eve was always spent at my Nana and Pops' house, where they'd bring their big Santa sack out filled with gifts for all us kids.
Then we'd head out to Christmas Eve mass. For a few years we went to the most beautiful Christmas Mass at my sisters' high school. Before the mass, they had an hour of Christmas carols and hymns sung by students and alumni. I loved going to this mass. I have always wanted to go back there and unfortunately we never have! These days I'm the Christmas Eve hostess, so we go to my church, but I miss the big mass and that beautiful choir!
Christmas Day was always spent with my Nanny and Poppy at their house where we'd have a nice Christmas dinner and sing songs around their player piano! In yesterday's TBB post I mentioned that my family had burst out singing Christmas carols together last year, and how I never remembered that happening. I had forgotten about the singing with the player piano when I was younger. But it was never Christmas carols...it was usually traditional irish tunes and Bad, Bad Leroy Brown...HA!!
Christmas morning in a house of four little girls was filled with fun toys, lots of gifts and a big "something" taking up half the room...be it a bike, a kitchen, set, tents, etc. When we got older, the gifts changed but the mornings never did...it was always loud and fun!! With lots of wrapping paper basketball and Christmas music as our soundtrack. It was only when my three sisters were married, and it was just my mom, dad and I, that the mornings got quieter! But we added coffee and mimosas to our morning tradition!
As the years have passed, husbands, and kids have been added, and our immediate family is now 21 on Christmas day! So you can imagine how crazy and wild THAT is. But now my memories focus on the kids. There is nothing like seeing Christmas through a child's eyes! The smiles, the toys, the oohhs and aahhs, etc. With so many nieces and nephews to buy for, for the last couple of years, my sisters and brother-in-laws and I do a Secret Santa! What a trip! We always have give clues about our person before handing out the gift...and that gets silly! And another tradition we recently started, is wearing pjs all day on Christmas Day. I'm not kidding...this might be my favorite. LOL
I feel like Christmas day always flies by. It's such a build up and in a blink, it's over!! I wish sometimes I could stop time! But I always enjoy the day! It's a day of lots of laughs, reminiscing and just being together as a family!! I wish all a day that's much the same.
Have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy 2016!!
Katie is a regular contributor to The Blended Blog. When she's not blogging, she's laughing. She spends her days as a teacher-librarian to "her" 300 kids in her hometown on Long Island, New York. She enjoys online shopping, fun nights out with friends, or in, binge-watching Netflix and drinking wine. Follow along with her at The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life.
When I was a little girl, Christmas Eve was always spent at my Nana and Pops' house, where they'd bring their big Santa sack out filled with gifts for all us kids.
Then we'd head out to Christmas Eve mass. For a few years we went to the most beautiful Christmas Mass at my sisters' high school. Before the mass, they had an hour of Christmas carols and hymns sung by students and alumni. I loved going to this mass. I have always wanted to go back there and unfortunately we never have! These days I'm the Christmas Eve hostess, so we go to my church, but I miss the big mass and that beautiful choir!
Christmas Day was always spent with my Nanny and Poppy at their house where we'd have a nice Christmas dinner and sing songs around their player piano! In yesterday's TBB post I mentioned that my family had burst out singing Christmas carols together last year, and how I never remembered that happening. I had forgotten about the singing with the player piano when I was younger. But it was never Christmas carols...it was usually traditional irish tunes and Bad, Bad Leroy Brown...HA!!
Christmas morning in a house of four little girls was filled with fun toys, lots of gifts and a big "something" taking up half the room...be it a bike, a kitchen, set, tents, etc. When we got older, the gifts changed but the mornings never did...it was always loud and fun!! With lots of wrapping paper basketball and Christmas music as our soundtrack. It was only when my three sisters were married, and it was just my mom, dad and I, that the mornings got quieter! But we added coffee and mimosas to our morning tradition!
As the years have passed, husbands, and kids have been added, and our immediate family is now 21 on Christmas day! So you can imagine how crazy and wild THAT is. But now my memories focus on the kids. There is nothing like seeing Christmas through a child's eyes! The smiles, the toys, the oohhs and aahhs, etc. With so many nieces and nephews to buy for, for the last couple of years, my sisters and brother-in-laws and I do a Secret Santa! What a trip! We always have give clues about our person before handing out the gift...and that gets silly! And another tradition we recently started, is wearing pjs all day on Christmas Day. I'm not kidding...this might be my favorite. LOL
I feel like Christmas day always flies by. It's such a build up and in a blink, it's over!! I wish sometimes I could stop time! But I always enjoy the day! It's a day of lots of laughs, reminiscing and just being together as a family!! I wish all a day that's much the same.
Have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy 2016!!
A couple weeks ago, some of the Blended Bloggers sent in their favourites to some Christmas themed questions. Check out their answers below!
Sheila Lisa Deena Carrie
Katie Lana Shaunacey Christy
Favourite Christmas movie and songs:
Christy, Shaunacey, Deena and Katie say: Love Actually
Leslie says: It's a Wonderful Life tied with George C. Scott's version of A Christmas Carol
Lana says: Elf
Sheila says: The Year Without a Santa Clause
Carrie says: It's a Wonderful Life
Lisa loves all cheesy, romantic movies like A Christmas Kiss, 12 Men of Christmas and A Holiday in Handcuffs.
Christy says All I Want for Christmas is you
Leslie says Silent Night, she loves the part about "mother and child"
Shaunacey loves anything Michael Bublé
Lana loves Do You Hear What I Hear?
Sheila likes Good King Wenceslas
Katie likes a little known song...Christmas in New York by a New York Irish Band called Shilelagh Law. They wrote it after 9-11.
Carrie likes O Holy Night
Lisa likes Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant, So This is Christmas by John Lennon and All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey
Deena loves the Carol of the Bells, Home Alone version. But also Christmas Canon by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
You can listen to our fave songs here!
Favourite Christmas meals, treats and drinks:
Turkey Dinner (Christy and Shaunacey)
Whatever we are eating...generally ham AND turkey, and all the trimmings (Leslie)
Prime Rib and Twice Baked Potatoes (Lana)
Cinnamon rolls for Breakfast (Sheila)
Appetizers are more enjoyed than the meals, but if forced to pick a meal she picks ham (Katie)
Tortiere and Meatballs (Deena)
Traditional Norwegian (Carrie)
Lindt Chocolate Balls (Christy)
The cookies my daughters and I baked together over the years when they were growing up (Leslie)
ALL the treats. Cookies, squares, more cookies. Yum. (Shaunacey)
Iced Sugar Cookies (Lana)
Sugar Cookies (Sheila)
All the cookies my sisters and I bake each year! (Katie)
Lefse, Kringla (Carrie)
Caramel Marshmallow balls (Deena)
Christy loves hot chocolate and Bailey's
Leslie loves her daughter Lauren's ex-boyfriend's Mexican cocoa with chili powder.
Shaunacey would like to know if red wine counts?
Lana loves Spiced Egg Nog
Sheila loves Mulled cider
Katie loves pomegranate martinis, which she isn't sure is a Christmas drink but whatever!
Deena loves coffee and baileys.
What's your tradition with Santa?
Santa brings the stockings and maybe one gift. The big gifts come from Mom and Dad (Christy)
My parents always told a story about how upset my sister was when all of the Christmas presents we received as young children were from Santa. She cried asking why the people who were supposed to love her most of all didn't give her presents. From then on, my parents wrapped presents from them and Santa presents were unwrapped. I continued that tradition. Brennyn and Lauren would come get me in the morning. They would dump out everything in their stockings and inspect it all. Then they had to make their beds (yes, I know...mean mom) before they could inspect their Santa gifts. I think we would eat breakfast and then open the wrapped presents. (Leslie)
When the boys were little, we always tracked Santa on the computer on the NORAD website. Santa still visits our house, because we believe! (Lana)
Santa visits on Christmas Eve (Sheila)
Now that i am older and have no children of my own I guess I don't really have one! But I sure do get excited every year when Santa comes around (Katie)
Santa visits or drops off presents on Christmas Eve. Depending on where we are and who we're celebrating with. (Deena)
Do you remember your favourite gift growing up?
As a very young girl, I remember a year when my sister and I each got our own little cardboard houses. They were about 4'x4' with a ceiling high enough to allow us to stand up straight inside. When I was older, my parents gave me a rocking chair with the cutest little milking stool footstool and an alarm clock with an AM/FM radio. I remember pledging never to listen to FM radio because I was under the impression that only "druggies" listened to FM radio. (Leslie)
No. lol. I do remember we always opened a gift Christmas Eve and I found that so exciting. I also loved (and still love) opening our stockings Christmas morning. I don't know why, but they're my fav! (Shaunacey)
A Holly Hobby doll I got when I was in 2nd grade. I loved that doll. (Lana)
I remember the one I *didn't* get...does that count? Actually I remember two stuffed animals that I just loved. I was hoping to find a puppy in my stocking so these two were the substitute. (Sheila)
My very first cabbage Patch Kid...Humphrey Peter! Christmas 83/84...the first year they were super popular! (Katie)
Dolls and Barbies (Carrie)
A microscope and ice skating clothes. (There were these really popular and expensive practice leggings and zip-up jackets called Inga - and I was so excited to get them one year.) I always wanted a TV - but never seemed to get that gift. (Lisa)
A karaoke machine in the 80s....I wanted to be a rockstar. (Deena)
Favourite Holiday tradition:
Christy: Decorating the Christmas Tree
Leslie: As a child, my favorite tradition revolved around an annual box of assorted Whitman chocolates. Several days before Christmas, my mom would give my dad a large box of chocolates. Every evening after dinner, my dad would pass the box of candy around to each of us with much fanfare. We would be permitted to choose one chocolate each evening for days until the box was empty. To this day, I think of my daddy every time I see a box of assorted chocolates.
Shaunacey: As a young (or so I like to think) we're starting our own traditions. We have the Elf on the Shelf, which has been kinda fun (though we have a lazy elf who doesn't move a ton lol). We spend Christmas Eve at home, a special Christmas Eve gift for each child (pjs and something Christmas-y to do), and just lots of time eating yummy food and cuddling.
I also love, when the kids are in bed, enjoying a beverage (or 3) on the couch, in front of the fire and watching a Christmas movie with my hubby before Santa comes :)
Lana: On Christmas Eve, reading The Nativity and Twas The Night Before Christmas with the boys, and then moving baby Jesus to the Creche.
Sheila: Secret Santa. It's a secret. That's all.
Katie: Baking cookies with my sisters each year, our secret santa tradition and wearing pj's all day on Christmas, which is a relatively new one!!
Carrie: Christmas Eve night at my Grandparent's house
Lisa: Christmas Eve service. I have never missed a service, except for a few years ago when my husband ended up in the emergency room. Also, we always open our gifts on Christmas Eve, which we still continue today.
Deena: La messe de minuit (Midnight Mass) and la réveillon (means to wake up...you know, celebrate Jesus' birth and party!) We spent 25 years at my Grandma's house celebrating into the night. I can't wait to start doing this when the kids are older.
What's the most important thing about Christmas for you?
Christy: Being with family
Leslie: Remembering the birth of baby Jesus and honoring His life by trying to do good deeds, trying to be a blessing to others, trying to spoil my family just a little with gifts they might not buy for themselves.
Shaunacey: PRESENTS. Just kidding. Family and spending time with the people you love. That and now that I have children it's seeing it all through their eyes. It reminds me so much of the excitement and joy I felt as a child and there's nothing quite like the magic of it all.
Lana: Having my family around. Sometimes it's a big group, sometimes small. But I love them all!
Sheila: Family. Being together. Love that.
Katie: Just being with my family!
Carrie: Celebrating the birth of Christ
Lisa: Remembering the reason for the season. It is so easy to get wrapped up in presents and the busyness, and forget the true meaning of Christmas - the birth of Christ.
Deena: Creating new traditions for my kids, celebrating with our family and sharing the love and joy of the season.
Sheila Lisa Deena Carrie
Favourite Christmas movie and songs:
Christy, Shaunacey, Deena and Katie say: Love Actually
Leslie says: It's a Wonderful Life tied with George C. Scott's version of A Christmas Carol
Lana says: Elf
Sheila says: The Year Without a Santa Clause
Carrie says: It's a Wonderful Life
Lisa loves all cheesy, romantic movies like A Christmas Kiss, 12 Men of Christmas and A Holiday in Handcuffs.
Christy says All I Want for Christmas is you
Leslie says Silent Night, she loves the part about "mother and child"
Shaunacey loves anything Michael Bublé
Lana loves Do You Hear What I Hear?
Sheila likes Good King Wenceslas
Katie likes a little known song...Christmas in New York by a New York Irish Band called Shilelagh Law. They wrote it after 9-11.
Carrie likes O Holy Night
Lisa likes Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant, So This is Christmas by John Lennon and All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey
Deena loves the Carol of the Bells, Home Alone version. But also Christmas Canon by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
You can listen to our fave songs here!
Favourite Christmas meals, treats and drinks:
Turkey Dinner (Christy and Shaunacey)
Whatever we are eating...generally ham AND turkey, and all the trimmings (Leslie)
Prime Rib and Twice Baked Potatoes (Lana)
Cinnamon rolls for Breakfast (Sheila)
Appetizers are more enjoyed than the meals, but if forced to pick a meal she picks ham (Katie)
Tortiere and Meatballs (Deena)
Traditional Norwegian (Carrie)
Lindt Chocolate Balls (Christy)
The cookies my daughters and I baked together over the years when they were growing up (Leslie)
ALL the treats. Cookies, squares, more cookies. Yum. (Shaunacey)
Iced Sugar Cookies (Lana)
Sugar Cookies (Sheila)
All the cookies my sisters and I bake each year! (Katie)
Lefse, Kringla (Carrie)
Caramel Marshmallow balls (Deena)
Christy loves hot chocolate and Bailey's
Leslie loves her daughter Lauren's ex-boyfriend's Mexican cocoa with chili powder.
Shaunacey would like to know if red wine counts?
Lana loves Spiced Egg Nog
Sheila loves Mulled cider
Katie loves pomegranate martinis, which she isn't sure is a Christmas drink but whatever!
Deena loves coffee and baileys.
What's your tradition with Santa?
Santa brings the stockings and maybe one gift. The big gifts come from Mom and Dad (Christy)
I have two very little children (2.5 and 5 months) so we're starting fresh with all the Santa traditions and I won't lie, it's super fun! We do the usual visiting Santa at the mall and we also went and saw the parade and wrote letters (and Santa ALWAYS writes back!).
Santa sends his helper elf, Mr. Jingles, to make sure the kids are keeping in line (this year was his first appearance, I'll be sad to see him go). We'll leave out some yummy treats for Santa and his reindeer on Christmas Eve and then the magic happens. Santa will come and leave a few gifts for each of my littles as well as stuffing their stockings and devouring his treats (and likely enjoying a few glasses of wine - my kinda guy). When the kids wake us up, it's time (assuming it's after like 6) to see what Santa brought. (Shaunacey)
When the boys were little, we always tracked Santa on the computer on the NORAD website. Santa still visits our house, because we believe! (Lana)
Santa visits on Christmas Eve (Sheila)
Now that i am older and have no children of my own I guess I don't really have one! But I sure do get excited every year when Santa comes around (Katie)
Santa visits or drops off presents on Christmas Eve. Depending on where we are and who we're celebrating with. (Deena)
Do you remember your favourite gift growing up?
As a very young girl, I remember a year when my sister and I each got our own little cardboard houses. They were about 4'x4' with a ceiling high enough to allow us to stand up straight inside. When I was older, my parents gave me a rocking chair with the cutest little milking stool footstool and an alarm clock with an AM/FM radio. I remember pledging never to listen to FM radio because I was under the impression that only "druggies" listened to FM radio. (Leslie)
No. lol. I do remember we always opened a gift Christmas Eve and I found that so exciting. I also loved (and still love) opening our stockings Christmas morning. I don't know why, but they're my fav! (Shaunacey)
A Holly Hobby doll I got when I was in 2nd grade. I loved that doll. (Lana)
I remember the one I *didn't* get...does that count? Actually I remember two stuffed animals that I just loved. I was hoping to find a puppy in my stocking so these two were the substitute. (Sheila)
My very first cabbage Patch Kid...Humphrey Peter! Christmas 83/84...the first year they were super popular! (Katie)
Dolls and Barbies (Carrie)
A microscope and ice skating clothes. (There were these really popular and expensive practice leggings and zip-up jackets called Inga - and I was so excited to get them one year.) I always wanted a TV - but never seemed to get that gift. (Lisa)
A karaoke machine in the 80s....I wanted to be a rockstar. (Deena)
Favourite Holiday tradition:
Christy: Decorating the Christmas Tree
Leslie: As a child, my favorite tradition revolved around an annual box of assorted Whitman chocolates. Several days before Christmas, my mom would give my dad a large box of chocolates. Every evening after dinner, my dad would pass the box of candy around to each of us with much fanfare. We would be permitted to choose one chocolate each evening for days until the box was empty. To this day, I think of my daddy every time I see a box of assorted chocolates.
Shaunacey: As a young (or so I like to think) we're starting our own traditions. We have the Elf on the Shelf, which has been kinda fun (though we have a lazy elf who doesn't move a ton lol). We spend Christmas Eve at home, a special Christmas Eve gift for each child (pjs and something Christmas-y to do), and just lots of time eating yummy food and cuddling.
I also love, when the kids are in bed, enjoying a beverage (or 3) on the couch, in front of the fire and watching a Christmas movie with my hubby before Santa comes :)
Lana: On Christmas Eve, reading The Nativity and Twas The Night Before Christmas with the boys, and then moving baby Jesus to the Creche.
Sheila: Secret Santa. It's a secret. That's all.
Katie: Baking cookies with my sisters each year, our secret santa tradition and wearing pj's all day on Christmas, which is a relatively new one!!
Carrie: Christmas Eve night at my Grandparent's house
Lisa: Christmas Eve service. I have never missed a service, except for a few years ago when my husband ended up in the emergency room. Also, we always open our gifts on Christmas Eve, which we still continue today.
Deena: La messe de minuit (Midnight Mass) and la réveillon (means to wake up...you know, celebrate Jesus' birth and party!) We spent 25 years at my Grandma's house celebrating into the night. I can't wait to start doing this when the kids are older.
What's the most important thing about Christmas for you?
Christy: Being with family
Leslie: Remembering the birth of baby Jesus and honoring His life by trying to do good deeds, trying to be a blessing to others, trying to spoil my family just a little with gifts they might not buy for themselves.
Shaunacey: PRESENTS. Just kidding. Family and spending time with the people you love. That and now that I have children it's seeing it all through their eyes. It reminds me so much of the excitement and joy I felt as a child and there's nothing quite like the magic of it all.
Lana: Having my family around. Sometimes it's a big group, sometimes small. But I love them all!
Sheila: Family. Being together. Love that.
Katie: Just being with my family!
Carrie: Celebrating the birth of Christ
Lisa: Remembering the reason for the season. It is so easy to get wrapped up in presents and the busyness, and forget the true meaning of Christmas - the birth of Christ.
Deena: Creating new traditions for my kids, celebrating with our family and sharing the love and joy of the season.
The Blended Bloggers share their Favourite Christmas picture:
From Katie: That year when my family burst out in song!! This was just last year, and in all my 34 years on this earth that had never happened!! At first I thought what the heck?!?! Then I thought hell yeah!! We must of jammed a good half hour and everybody got in on the action! It's really one of my favorite things about Christmas 2014!!
From Lana
From Leslie
From Deena: My favourite part of Christmas Eve was singing in the choir along with my Grandma and Mom.
Do you agree with them? What are some of your favourites?
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
From Christy: Office Party 2015
From Deena: My favourite part of Christmas Eve was singing in the choir along with my Grandma and Mom.
Do you agree with them? What are some of your favourites?
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
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