Saturday, December 10, 2005
My Christmas Tradition Growing Up
Christmas tree – Currently a small artificial tree that goes on a table. Before we get our little one (or two) we’ll get a large artificialal one! Growing up: We had this 6ft artificial tree. We didn't have much money, so our ornaments were a mix of hand me down ornaments and homemade ornaments. Mom saved almost every ornament me and my brother made in art classes. I can't wait until my little one (or two) makes us their ornaments. I'll make sure they make a few extra for their grandmothers.
Mom says I wasn't too excited about decorating the Christmas tree when I was little. My fascination was with bubble lights. They look like candles on a stick, but the candle part had colorful liquid in them that bubbled when they were turned on. I found bubble lights a few years ago and HAD to buy them. Hubby tapes them on the window sill. To this day, I can still stare at them for hours.
Favorite classic holiday movie– Not a classic, but I think it will be someday -- Elf with Will Farrell. Favorite line: With great excitement "SANTA!!" and then softer "I know him !!"
Favorite holiday classic on TV– Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. I cry when they don’t let him play those reindeer games! How mean! Just because he's different. It is those differences that make him save the day.
Favorite holiday drink – Mexican Cinnamon Cider (in Spanish it's called Canela). Very Easy. Mom, would make this during those cold days:
Pour into a large mug. Yes, there may be cinnamon stick floaties, but it added to the taste. You can also pour through a sifter to take out the impurities.
I don’t know if it is Mexican, but I’ve never seen my friends from other ethnic groups make this.
Favorite Christmas cookie – sugar cookies with colored sugar crystals and silver and gold sugar beads.
Favorite Christmas candies– homemade pecan la leche (milk) candies. Sadly, I don’t have this recipe.
Main course for your Christmas dinner – Homemade Tamales. All the women and girls in the family get together a few days before Christmas (in the case of this year, one week before Christmas). It is a great bonding moment. You get to find out that your Aunties are just as crude in thought just as you are !!
Favorite holiday story to read to the kids – How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Favorite Christmas story – A Christmas Carol
Favorite Christmas carol– Mine is a rock song. All I want for Christmas is You.
Most memorable holiday tradition from your childhood: My family (on mom and dad’s) would celebrate Christmas Eve. We would go to mom’s family early. Then we would got to dad’s family. Dad's family knew how to celebrate Christmas. Two of the men in the family would always be chosen to play Santa Claus and an elf to pass out gifts. So what the family would do is gather all the kids and read a holiday story or sing Christmas songs while the chosen Santa Claus would get dressed. Then the elf would knock on the door and one of the younger children gets to open the door. The elf would announce Santa parked his sleigh on the roof with the reindeer. {This is pretty funny, considering we don't get snow in central Texas except once every two years in late February}. Out of the darkness Santa would appear with a bag of selected gifts from under the tree. Then Santa would call out each name on the gifts from the bag and under the tree. When he was finished handing out gifts, he would say he has other families to go visit. Growing up, when I realized there wasn’t a Santa Claus, I would try to figure out which family member was playing Santa and the elf.
By the way, I speak as if this tradition in the past, but this tradition still continues. Grandma is 92 years young and it is so exciting to see her giddy as a school girl with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren surrounding her with love. We can never start eating until Grandma shows up.
Mom says I wasn't too excited about decorating the Christmas tree when I was little. My fascination was with bubble lights. They look like candles on a stick, but the candle part had colorful liquid in them that bubbled when they were turned on. I found bubble lights a few years ago and HAD to buy them. Hubby tapes them on the window sill. To this day, I can still stare at them for hours.
Favorite classic holiday movie– Not a classic, but I think it will be someday -- Elf with Will Farrell. Favorite line: With great excitement "SANTA!!" and then softer "I know him !!"
Favorite holiday classic on TV– Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. I cry when they don’t let him play those reindeer games! How mean! Just because he's different. It is those differences that make him save the day.
Favorite holiday drink – Mexican Cinnamon Cider (in Spanish it's called Canela). Very Easy. Mom, would make this during those cold days:
- 2.5 quart pot of water – bring to a boil
- 4 whole cinnamon sticks
- 1 cup of sugar (I use splenda) less or more to your taste of sweetness
- Large fresh orange peel
Pour into a large mug. Yes, there may be cinnamon stick floaties, but it added to the taste. You can also pour through a sifter to take out the impurities.
I don’t know if it is Mexican, but I’ve never seen my friends from other ethnic groups make this.
Favorite Christmas cookie – sugar cookies with colored sugar crystals and silver and gold sugar beads.
Favorite Christmas candies– homemade pecan la leche (milk) candies. Sadly, I don’t have this recipe.
Main course for your Christmas dinner – Homemade Tamales. All the women and girls in the family get together a few days before Christmas (in the case of this year, one week before Christmas). It is a great bonding moment. You get to find out that your Aunties are just as crude in thought just as you are !!
Favorite holiday story to read to the kids – How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Favorite Christmas story – A Christmas Carol
Favorite Christmas carol– Mine is a rock song. All I want for Christmas is You.
Most memorable holiday tradition from your childhood: My family (on mom and dad’s) would celebrate Christmas Eve. We would go to mom’s family early. Then we would got to dad’s family. Dad's family knew how to celebrate Christmas. Two of the men in the family would always be chosen to play Santa Claus and an elf to pass out gifts. So what the family would do is gather all the kids and read a holiday story or sing Christmas songs while the chosen Santa Claus would get dressed. Then the elf would knock on the door and one of the younger children gets to open the door. The elf would announce Santa parked his sleigh on the roof with the reindeer. {This is pretty funny, considering we don't get snow in central Texas except once every two years in late February}. Out of the darkness Santa would appear with a bag of selected gifts from under the tree. Then Santa would call out each name on the gifts from the bag and under the tree. When he was finished handing out gifts, he would say he has other families to go visit. Growing up, when I realized there wasn’t a Santa Claus, I would try to figure out which family member was playing Santa and the elf.
By the way, I speak as if this tradition in the past, but this tradition still continues. Grandma is 92 years young and it is so exciting to see her giddy as a school girl with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren surrounding her with love. We can never start eating until Grandma shows up.
