Some Christmas Cheer

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

 

Hello and Happy Holidays dear Friends! 

Can you believe Christmas is almost here already?? I feel like I missed a lot the past week and a half due to our covid time out. But now that I'm back in the land of the living I'm trying to soak up the season as much as I can! It was actually kind of nice to be forced to rest and watch Christmas movies and get time with Matt and Annie in restful ways - instead of being crazy and rushed with the season. I'm trying now to be extra present to all of the Christmas moments. Thinking about the real reasons for this season, especially during my prayer and devotional time. 

And now my thoughts turn to family gatherings only days away. We have our first Christmas celebration on Saturday already! So this will be my last post until probably the New Year. I'm doing a fun baking day with my Mom tomorrow. Then some hospice work time to finish the week. A bit more wrapping, some last minute cleaning and prep....and then just enjoying time with my people. And of course to celebrate the Savior baby born all those years ago when we attend Christmas Eve mass. I hope the true joy and spirit of Christmas will give you all a very blessed Christmas ahead and a wonderful New Year! 

In honor of Christmas time here already,  I thought I'd share a few favorite holiday recipes that I have posted through the years on here. And then I'll share a bit of further festive cheer. :) 

To kick off the recipes, a favorite I've often made for bigger gatherings is this slow cooker full of "snow cocoa" You can go right to the recipe post by clicking here. It's white chocolate goodness and so creamy and you can stir your mug with a peppermint stick for added flavor. Or even add in some schnapps or bailey's if that's how you roll. 😉  

Another favorite is this crab dip that makes a wonderful easy appetizer to nibble while you wait for the main event. You can go right to that post by clicking here. I have been making this one for many years and it's always a hit! I'm trying out a new dip recipe this holiday that I'll share when I return if it ends up a keeper. But this crab dip is a sure thing! 😋 

A final yummy holiday recipe I wanted to share was for these holiday ham & cheese sliders. A lovely sandwich filled with ham, cheese and apricot preserves and topped with a yummy glaze before baking. You can go right to the post here.

I also thought I'd share some photos of our visit to a fun Christmas event called Bentleyville in our area. Annie, Matt & I went to it last night. It was their 20th anniversary and they even had fireworks at the end of the evening. It's filled with light displays, you can visit Santa, there are characters walking around you can take pics with, they hand out free treats and drinks. It's open free to the community but they do take good will donations if you like. It's filled with lights, music, lots of laughter, fire pits for warming and tons of Christmas cheer. We picked up some pizza after we were done and it was a wonderful night filled with Christmas spirit! 

Lastly, I know that I have often shared vintage images on here, as I love them so much. I usually find most of them on pinterest. I especially love vintage images of snowy Christmasy churches and of Angels. I thought I'd share a few for you here. 

They just bring me feelings of peace and good will. I hope they bring a peaceful feeling to you as well. I'm so grateful for you all! 🙏  The many thousands I see that visit here each week from all over the world. I appreciate you all so much...whether you comment, or just like to follow along with all I share here. I'm glad you're here and thankful for the visit. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2024! 

🎄 🌟 😇 ⛪ 🎶 ❤️💚 

xoxo