It is going to be a white Christmas.
Snow, snow, snow, we are getting more snow.
Now before I go shovel, it is time for the Hodgepodge.
Joyce asks the questions.
We answer the questions.
1. Do you struggle with the commercialization of the holiday season? What helps you keep your focus when the season’s busyness and commercialism start to take over?
I do not struggle with commercialization of the holiday season. We have a Christmas account, and that is what we can spend. We are careful to not go over budget. I would not be honest if I said, sometimes that can be difficult.
We do a daily Advent reading, that really helps keep everything in focus.
2. What's one small thing you want to savor before the year ends?
I want to read a few of our Christmas books that we would read aloud to the boys when they were little. I asked my husband if he would mind if we read a couple of our favorites aloud to each other, he said "that would be fun."
3. December 9th is National Christmas Card Day. Do you still send Christmas cards? If so does yours include a photo or is it a more traditional card, or maybe homemade? How do you feel about the tradition of exchanging cards at the holidays? If Hanukkah is the holiday you celebrate in December do you send cards to mark the occasion?
Yes, we still send out Christmas cards. We create a Christmas photo card and I write a newsletter sharing a bit of the year with everyone.
I love receiving Christmas cards and letters. I hope the price of stamps does not make the tradition fade away.
4. What's your least favorite holiday related task? What's your favorite?
It is taking all the decorations down and taking down the Christmas tree. We wait until after New Year to take it all down, it is just so pretty and I love all the twinkle.
I love to decorate the Christmas tree.
5. Let's do a little holiday this or that?
baking or decorating .. decorating
eggnog or wassail .. eggnog
real tree or artificial .. real tree
turkey or ham .. turkey
white lights or colored lights .. colored lights
ugly sweaters or matching pjs .. matching pj's
peppermint or cinnamon .. peppermint
presents Christmas Eve or presents Christmas Day .. Christmas Day
I love the poem at the end and really, all of your answers! Taking down the tree and all of the decorations is a bit sad and a ton of work so it is not something that I look forward to :). I love that your husband is on board for the read aloud. Have a great day!
ReplyDeletePutting it all away is not nearly as fun (or simple) as getting it all out. We leave ours up into the new year too. I really enjoy the week between Christmas and New Year and we tend to really relax then and enjoy the tree. I still love cards too. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteYou posted a beautiful random thought Carla. I think it is so neat how you send out a letter with your cards, reflecting on the past year. We had a lady in our church who always did this and it was such a joy to receive her letter each year. So Neat!!
ReplyDeleteEek to the snow but it is so pretty!
ReplyDeleteAww! Reading the Christmas books sounds lovely and I always get so sad about taking the Christmas decorations down, I make my fella do that job.
A white Christmas! That sounds lovely!! We are expecting some snow as well, but right now it's just frigid outside. I am not a fan. I love that you and your husband are going to read the Christmas books aloud. There are definitely ways to keep that childlike wonder around and this is one of them!! Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteWow! I can't imagine a white Christmas -- how lovely. Now I want to find our Christmas books I read to our kids . . .love your idea!
ReplyDeleteI love too that we are having a white Christmas this year. Then it can all go away lol! Have a great week. Hugs. Kris
ReplyDeleteDear friend, I love ❤️ your snow ❄️ photo. We are getting a lot of snow here in Montreal and I love it. A white Christmas 🎄 is very heartwarming for me.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who left her decorations up until epiphany. Which I think is around Jan. 16th maybe. I never heard of National Christmas Card Day!!
ReplyDeleteNo white Christmas for us here in So CA. I like the poem at the end. I know I have heard of it before. I am reading a book on the story behind a few Christmas songs like O Holy Night. Then there is a devotion for the week to read each day. I am super busy, but I do make time to be still.
ReplyDeleteI drove to work this morning in snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain. What a mess. UGH It continued on with this pattern driving home as well. finally has just stopped doing anything now. Shhh...don't tell anyone, but I sometimes keep a few Christmas trees up until February with just the lights. I like listening to religious Christmas songs this time of year. Janice
ReplyDeleteA Christmas account is such a good idea! And I like the idea of reading classic Christmas stories aloud as well. Sweet and nostalgic. Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteI love Christmas Cards! I miss it!
ReplyDeleteBjxxx,
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I love that poem at the end. Your snow looks so pretty. How fun to read the books with your hubby. That's a great idea. I have some of our favorites but they are more of a decoration these days. I need to read them again! I hope you're having a great week!
ReplyDeleteSnow! How spectacular. I've lagged on the shopping - I need to get on that. Savoring, well my first thought is the Christmas cookies hahaha. I don't enjoy putting all the stuff away afterwards, until it's done and the house looks tidy. Enjoy the snow.
ReplyDeleteI love these hodgepodge posts so much! :D We always keep our Christmas decor up until Twelfth Night, but then the very next day we decorate for Mardi Gras (carnival) and I don't like the color scheme, but Trip is from New Orleans, so what can I do? It's my least favorite time of the year for me.
ReplyDeleteI want to know what books you are reading to each other. AND I received your Christmas card today!!! :D
Even though I'm late I enjoyed reading your answers to the Hodgpodge! I should of remembered that I'm not of fan of taking down Christmas, too. Love your random thought!!
ReplyDeleteI definitely need to change what we spend on Christmas. We did lower the amount of money we give to the out of town people. However, I spent $150 to mail them today. I know that each year we seem to get less and less cards. Enjoy reading the books with your husband. We wait until after New Year too and I need to downsize what I have. I enjoyed your this and that. Loved your random too. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading all your answers. I love how you love Christmas. How sweet that you and your husband will read the books together. That is really special.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your answers to the Hodgepodge ... and I like the poem at the end.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan