As I told the RevGals, I have debated with myself for weeks about today's Friday Five.- Self 1: It should be deep and theological.
- Self 2: But it's almost Christmas, it should be fun and warm and sweet.
- Self 1: But your last Friday Five was sort of silly. You should show your more serious side.
- Self 2: You worry WAY too much!
So after consulting with Soda Chicky, I went playful, pals o' mine! I love stories, so I hope you'll tell some about your favorite Christmas memories.
- What was one of your favorite childhood gifts that you gave? It wasn't really a childhood gift, more of a young adulthood gift. I made some water color note cards for my mom. I knew it was a good gift when she rationed them out for only very special notes.
- What is one of your favorite Christmas recipes? Bonus points if you share the recipe with us. One of my favorite Christmas recipes is something Mountain Mama makes called, "Sandwich Cookies." I think it came from some really basic cookbook. You make dough the consistancy of pie crust with flour, butter and cream. After rolling the dough out, you cut little circles, flip them in granulated sugar and prick with a fork so they don't puff up too much. Mountain Mama uses an old teaball to cut out the circles. It works best. After baking the cookies you make sandwiches with great frosting: butter, powedered sugar, a little cream and a tiny drop of color. When they're all done, you find that they are best eaten in one bite. If you try to bite them they crumble all over your clothes. They are the best. Papa Joe once left them as a "tip" for the housekeeper when we were having Christmas on the road. They're that good.
- What is a tradition that your family can't do without? (And by family, I mean family of origin, family of adulthood, or that bunch of cool people that just feel like family.) Many years ago, Mountain Mama got tired of writing "Love from Mom and Dad" on the gift tags of presents given to me and my sibs. (We didn't do Santa Clause at our house.) Instead she would put down the names of fairy tale characters, tv people, movie stars, book characters... Some times the names were clues: Miss Goody gave a pair of two shoes; Pele gave a soccer ball; Julie Andrews gave the soundtrack to "The Sound of Music." Sometimes the names were just silliness. The Chick is adament that the tradition continue. And really, I hope I get at least one gift from Billy the Brownie!
- Pastors and other church folk often have very strange traditions dictated by the "work" of the holidays. What happens at your place? When we were still a parish pastor's family, the tradition was that all three of us went to church on Christmas morning. (It is still my favorite service.) Bug Man would always vacuum. Soda Chicky would help with ushering or acolyting. I found that this quieter, smaller service was the time when I could most tune in to the joy that really is Christmas.
- If you could just ditch all the traditions and do something unexpected... what would it be? I think it would be truly glorious to go to another country and experience the week around Christmas. What's it like in Paris on Christmas Eve? Or Jerusalem on Christmas Day? Or London on Boxing Day?
Blog Pals, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
19 comments:
My five is the same as your five, but I suspect for different reasons.
Pretty nifty.
You're probably right. Your location is very different from mine right now. I hope your Christmas is a safe one!
I really think #3 with the names on the gift -- that's cute.
However, #4 really sounds peaceful and serene to me and I need that.
My dad used to do the name thing on presents! That is so fun.
And Paris at Christmas would be really nice.
Presby Gal! Could we be secretly related?
I love the fun names on the tags!
The name tags are really great.
the name tags thing sounds fun, but i especially love your #1; have a very blessed feast of the nativity, and thanks again for posting F5 so early!
Sadly, Boxing Day in London would be a huge disappointment - for too many people that's when Christmas is over, some even throw their trees out and the madness of the January Sales begins.
But if you came slightly earlier, you could come to church with us on Christmas Day...now that would be fun!
great idea for name tags!
and I would like to go somewhere else some time for Christmas, too.
Thanks for sharing the dip tip- that sounds great, and so do your sandwich cookies! My mom gets into the gift tag cleverness as well, thanks for reminding me about that!
I love Mom's idea! That was clever. And the Christmas Eve service is my favorite of the year for the same reason. And Christmas in another country...oh yeah! Thanks for this fun F5!
There's a gift under our tree from Mickey Mouse (our favorite stuffed toy). The note says he found the gift while searching for cheese...shhh don't tell Little Sprout but dominos do look a bit like Swiss cheese.
wonderful post! it was truly beautiful and inspiring to me.
all terrific answers and ideas! you are amazing!
fantastic friday 5!
merry christmas!
Paris on Christmas eve sounds lovely. I wonder if it is?
Lots of fun to read your play...thanks for hosting it too!
I would have never thought of putting other names on the tags. I guess my family are sticks in the mud. Sounds fun.
I am with you on your answer to number 5. I have been in Mexico for Christmas and it was fun.
And I thought I was so original -- #3 is something I do from time to time -- this year someone is getting alpaca yarn from "llaMA and alPAca". Have a lovely Christmas!
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