icnmgrjill
12-24-2008, 08:26 AM
THE HAPPIEST OF HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HANUKAH! HAPPY SOLSTICE!
Well... can you believe it? It's Christmas Eve. Hasn't this month just flown by?? I, like many of you, had a hard time catching the Christmas spirit. I think the news of the economy was just such a damper for us all...but in the past ten days or so, the holiday spirit is running through my house. I got my tree up a few weeks ago and the theme is snowflakes... it's just covered with them. I'm having a small Christmas Eve Turkey dinner tonight with my parents, brother and best friend. Then we're up tomorrow for a big family gathering up in Healdsburg barring illness!! These days, you never know how people are going to be feeling until that morning and my sis has a whopper of a cold right now.
Houses throughout my neighborhood finally have their lights on... and there are some great light displays that make a drive after dinner fun and magical. My outside decorations this year are icicle lights with a large display of Charlie Brown and Snoopy displays, along with a few lighted trees and a penguin.
We finished our baking last weekend when I had the great christmas bread calamity. I make an old family recipe of Swedish Christmas bread... usually make about 15 or so loaves and send them around the country. Last Thursday, I baked all day inbetween answering the ICN phones. Got up early Friday to wrap them up and send them out when I gave my dad a slice to sample. His first words were "Did you forget the salt?" Oh Gods.. not only had I forgotten the salt, but none of the spices could be tasted even though I did put them in. That's what I get for using year old cardamom. So, I donated all of those loves to a senior center with the caveat (make as toast and serve with salted butter) and then spent all Friday baking again!!! LOL!
In any case, I just wanted to take this moment to wish you all a lovely Christmas Eve and Day for those of you who celebrate this holiday. Of course, Happy Hanukah to my Jewish friends! Happy Holidays to everyone else... and to those atheists out there, I hope that you know just how much you are appreciated too!!!
If you're having a rough holiday season or an IC flare, just remember to treat yourself gently. I've missed a few Christmas dinners myself because I needed to stay home and care for my body. If you're having a bad day, just rest. There will be other days, other holidays and maybe you can enjoy a New Years dinner with family! Just let the stress go. If money is an issue and you can't afford gifts, just make cookies instead. It's really the effort that counts... and a plate of cookies is far more meaningful and enjoyable!
In any case.. let's just sit back, relax and enjoy the spirit of the day!!! And remember, you are not alone!!We're all here... and we care!
Jill :)
MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HANUKAH! HAPPY SOLSTICE!
Well... can you believe it? It's Christmas Eve. Hasn't this month just flown by?? I, like many of you, had a hard time catching the Christmas spirit. I think the news of the economy was just such a damper for us all...but in the past ten days or so, the holiday spirit is running through my house. I got my tree up a few weeks ago and the theme is snowflakes... it's just covered with them. I'm having a small Christmas Eve Turkey dinner tonight with my parents, brother and best friend. Then we're up tomorrow for a big family gathering up in Healdsburg barring illness!! These days, you never know how people are going to be feeling until that morning and my sis has a whopper of a cold right now.
Houses throughout my neighborhood finally have their lights on... and there are some great light displays that make a drive after dinner fun and magical. My outside decorations this year are icicle lights with a large display of Charlie Brown and Snoopy displays, along with a few lighted trees and a penguin.
We finished our baking last weekend when I had the great christmas bread calamity. I make an old family recipe of Swedish Christmas bread... usually make about 15 or so loaves and send them around the country. Last Thursday, I baked all day inbetween answering the ICN phones. Got up early Friday to wrap them up and send them out when I gave my dad a slice to sample. His first words were "Did you forget the salt?" Oh Gods.. not only had I forgotten the salt, but none of the spices could be tasted even though I did put them in. That's what I get for using year old cardamom. So, I donated all of those loves to a senior center with the caveat (make as toast and serve with salted butter) and then spent all Friday baking again!!! LOL!
In any case, I just wanted to take this moment to wish you all a lovely Christmas Eve and Day for those of you who celebrate this holiday. Of course, Happy Hanukah to my Jewish friends! Happy Holidays to everyone else... and to those atheists out there, I hope that you know just how much you are appreciated too!!!
If you're having a rough holiday season or an IC flare, just remember to treat yourself gently. I've missed a few Christmas dinners myself because I needed to stay home and care for my body. If you're having a bad day, just rest. There will be other days, other holidays and maybe you can enjoy a New Years dinner with family! Just let the stress go. If money is an issue and you can't afford gifts, just make cookies instead. It's really the effort that counts... and a plate of cookies is far more meaningful and enjoyable!
In any case.. let's just sit back, relax and enjoy the spirit of the day!!! And remember, you are not alone!!We're all here... and we care!
Jill :)