The Eve of December 5th

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The eve of December 5th.  An exciting night around here I'll tell ya!  My Mother who was born in the Netherlands, carried over the tradition of Sinterklaas when my brother and I were growing up.  For those of you who are not familiar with Sinterklaas, well here he is ....

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Sinterklaas visits good little Dutch boys and girls on the eve of December 5th and brings them ....

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goodies!  Candy and fruit is the norm and maybe a few coins.  Being that it was such fun and helped to pacify us until Christmas Eve, I carried on the tradition with my son when he was little.

Each December 5th, Lucas would put his wooden shoes (yes, we each have our own pair of wooden shoes) by the door with a carrot gently placed inside (for Sinterklaas' white horse of course), hoping to find something in them in the morning of the 6th.  If he had been naughty that year, he knew that he could expect a lump of coal (from Sinterklaas' helper Black Peter instead).  

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Now Black Peter must have made quite the impression on my Mother when she was a child as she still recalls hiding behind her Mother's skirt when Black Peter and Sinterklaas rode by in the parade back in the old country.  Apparently Black Peter was black from dirty chimneys that he was expected to slide down when delivering the lumps of coal to the bad children each year.

So my brother and I and now my son must all be pretty good as none of us ever received that lump of coal.  What fun it was!  Even though we are older, all of us still find wrapped under the Christmas tree each year one of these ....

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the favored chocolate letter of our first names.  These letters have to be the BEST chocolate I have ever tasted!  Some years, I even steal hubby's "B" and eat it!!!  Now this year, Sarah will find wrapped under the tree her first Dutch chocolate letter .... and so the tradition will continue.  

Do you have any fun or different holiday traditions in your family?  Ones that are carried over from years past ... maybe from before you were even born?  I would love to hear about them.  

Let's hope no one wakes to a lump of coal in the morning!  Remember to give your loved ones a hug.

Tuesday's Tip

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'Tis the season to have a roaring fire burning in the fireplace.  Keeping your toes toasty warm with a puppy or kitty by you while sipping a cup of hot chocolate is such a lovely time but fireplaces can also be dangerous.  
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So to keep your chimney clean, throw a handful of salt on the fire.  This does not replace the yearly chimney cleaning that is recommended but it does cut down on the length of cleaning that will need to be done each time.

Enjoy your fire and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

December ..... the planning and holiday month

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Where oh where did November go?  Time slips through my fingers oh so very quickly.  Soon the holidays will be upon us.  I need to sit down and write out a plan ...... soon!  My baking, shopping, decorating plan.  My writing the Christmas card plan, mailing parcel plan, my picking up Lucas and my Mom for the holidays plan.

This holiday season will be a little different.  Lucas has decided to stay with Sarah this Christmas.  Sarah is unable to cross the U.S. border and through customs due to her nationality and her Chinese passport.  We did not realize the paperwork involved for her just to enter the United States for a visit.  Oh me, oh my.  What a disappointment for us all.  My son Lucas has taken the caring/loving/protector role and will visit with us for a week soon and then return to her and they will spend the remainder of the Christmas break together in their little apartment.

When I drive Lucas back, I have plans of a small artificial Christmas tree finding its way into the trunk of my car along with the gifts that they will open on the 25th.  I made Lucas promise that they will at least pick up a  rotisserie chicken from the supermarket on the evening of the 24th and enjoy that with some potatoes.  He promised.  It saddens my heart to think of these two young adults spending the Blessed holiday alone .... but they are together and together they are making their own memories.

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Again, time slips through my fingers oh so very quickly.  I remember when Lucas was only a year old...celebrating his first Christmas.  Soon Bob and I will be in rocking chairs on the porch watching grandchildren running through the yard..  That, however. will come all in good time.

For now I reminisce of Decembers past while I sit at the kitchen table with a hot bowl of cabbage and ham soup, catching up on some reading and admiring the pine cones I gathered during my morning walk.  After I am done lunch, I will quickly wash up the dishes and get started on some projects that need to be attended to now that it is December.  With the snow beginning to fall softly outside my windows, maybe some Christmas cookies are in order this afternoon.  How are your plans for December coming along?  Are some of your traditions being adjusted as children grow and family members change their plans or will your holidays look like holidays past?

December is upon us.  The holidays are here.  Enjoy each day as it unfolds as soon these days will be only memories.  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Sunday's Blessings

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this week I loved the .....

smell of :  gingerbread cookies baking

sound of :  the plow trucks

taste of :  a cup of chai tea

sight of :  snow

feel of :  a full tummy after a big dinner prepared by hubby

this week I am thankful for .....

-  free long distance, oh so nice

-  Christmas craft sales

-  you, my readers!

Have a blessed Sunday and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Saturday's Snaps

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Have a wonderful Saturday and remember to give your loved ones a hug!