We had Christmas at our home after the holiday. My children and my granddaughter Allison, Taunte Jill, Stan and I celebrated a gastronomical event that I spent 2 days making. I had a blast. Christmas dinner is the only meal I really spend time cooking and I love the "sameness" of the menu. I learned this year the the sweet potato casserole was back in vogue as it is now a pregnancy "super food" according to my daughter. I sent almost the whole thing home with her. The only hitch was that I over cooked the meat. $170 of rib roast and I cooked it about 20 minutes to long. Oh well. If I was perfect I wouldn't be so very lovable. I decorated the table cleaned the crystal and we chowed down. Afterwards we opened the stockings and the few presents that I had purchased. I cannot stand a bare tree skirt. Something has to be sitting on it and under the tree. I took our family on a cruise again this year and that was their Christmas gift but I still had to have stocking stuffers and very few other little things. I know that this year I wasn't as "into" it as I normally am. Part of the problem is that we went on a cruise over Thanksgiving and that is my prime decorating time. When I got home Jill and I put up the tree, got the lights on and put a few items around but I wasn't feeling the spirit. I had to work the next few days and then I got sick and was down for the count for about 5 days. I just didn't get up the energy to put everything out. Next year will be different. I will have two grand babies to enthrall with my decorations and things that move and sing. I will start the middle of November and open all the boxes, put out all the nativity scenes, put batteries in all the animals that sing and it will look like a wonderland! This year Allison, carried by her great Taunte Jill was shown the few singing animals that I had out. I have to say that she seemed fascinated and did not cry ( that is because she is very appreciative of all things Christmas) this bodes well for future years of visual delights!
I spent two weeks prior to our holiday baking cookies for gifts and attempting my mother's fudge recipe. How hard can it be to combine 3 cups of sugar, 3/4 cups of Hershey's cocoa and milk. You stir it till it boils, then let it boil unattended for about 30 minutes . All that is easy, the tough part is watching the temperature and getting it to the "soft ball" stage at about 234 degrees. You let it sit and then after it cools you stir it till it loses it's gloss. What ever that means. All I know is that between one stir and the next you pass from fudge straight to cement. I wasted a lot of sugar to bring the memory of my mother's fudge to the table. I expected my children to swoon in appreciation. Not so much. They are into creamy fudge and I like the kind that has a grainy quality.
It is important to me to continue with traditions. I want Allison and future baby Garrard to be excited to come to grandma's house. I will raise them on their Great-grandma Ina's fudge and not let them get ruined by that creamy stuff. I want to live long enough to pass things on to them that I hold dear to my heart. I want my traditions to mingle with those that their parents will start so that they will hold the best of both inside their hearts. I look forward to telling them about the baby that was born in a manger in Bethlehem. I want them to grow knowing that Jesus is the reason that we celebrate the Christmas season.
To all of you from the Higginbothams, Harts, Garrards, and Forbes we wish you a very merry belated Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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