christmas wrap up

I know Christmas has been and gone, and the New Year is about to begin, but I just wanted to share with you some things we made for Christmas.

This is a gingerbread star tree, it looked lovely on the table and was thoroughly enjoyed the next day.

The gingerbread house.

We only really manage to make one of these every second year.

This year we cheated and used a pre-made one from IKEA.

I actually bought one to use last year but B2 dropped the box and smashed all the pieces.

Even this year there were some broken bits even though it hadn't been dropped.

We glued these back together with icing.

B4 loves this tradition and ended up being the only one that did it with me.

Here are some things I made for gifts.

I did a lovely basket of goodies up for my MIL as she loves home made relishes.

Zucchini relish made with golden zucchinis from our garden.

I had some of this on a ham sandwich yesterday and it was delicious.

Mango Chutney

Fruit Chutney made with tomato and onion from the garden.

Gingerbread stars for nieces and nephew.

Shortbread snowflakes, these are cinnamon ones that were dusted with cinnomon and sugar prior to baking, but I did ones covered with snow (icing sugar) as well.

We made some other delectable treats, gourmet rocky road, peppermint bark, and mini Christmas cakes but I didn't take any photos.

And before you think I spent weeks prior to Christmas in the kitchen cooking, these were very last minute. The mango and fruit chutneys were made on the Monday and the rest on Christmas Eve while the children tidied and cleaned the house around me.

christmas traditions

Our family traditions have evolved over the years and have remained fairly much the same for a number of years.

I already talked about our Christmas readings.

Food plays an important part in our traditions as well.

Tonight is Christmas Eve and we have some special traditions here.

Christmas Eve is a special family night uninterrupted by extended family.

We always have roast pork with crackling and apple sauce, baked vegetables, and a nice dessert- usually a trifle or though I have occasionally made cheesecake.

After we wash up, the children set out their sacks (we don't do Santa) near the Christmas Tree and hopefully now it is getting close to dark (around 8pm) and we all hop into the car and drive into town to look at some Christmas lights.

The little ones will be asleep by the time we get home and then the children are off to bed.

VCH and I then get out their presents and put them in the sacks.

On Christmas morning we are usually up early to open presents.

Then we head off to Church at 8am before either having brunch at VCH sisters place or hosting it at ours. Unfortunately this year as well as two years ago they decided to change Christmas Day service to 9am which is when we start brunch so we were unable to go.

Lots of people in the congregation are unhappy about this change so hopefully it will be back to normal next year.

We head home just before lunch quite full so we might just have a few prawns and fruit.

After lunch is time for a swim, sleep, rest or quiet play with presents.

Then in the evening we catch up with the rest of VCHs family at either his sisters, brothers or our place, I hosted last year, VCHs sister is hosting this year, we either have a light tea of cold meat and salad or just some finger food.

My mum usually comes along for the ride and is this year coming on Christmas Eve and staying overnight and Christmas Day and we will take her back in the evening.

We usually have Christmas with my sister on the Saturday or Sunday just before Christmas, as she is often away at Christmas.

This year she was in Europe and only got home on Tuesday so we will do something after Christmas this year.

Another tradition is one of baking things to give as presents, often biscuits, cakes and other goodies.
This year we will be including some zucchini relish, gingerbread stars and a rich fruit cake.

advent at our house

This year we are reading through Jotham's Journey during advent.

We own all three books in this series and have read all of them it the past, we have done something different for a couple of years but have included it again this year.

We are also doing  a Jesse tree, I made the felt ornaments last year but I started late and we didn't quite get through all the readings last year, but we are being more diligent this year.
 Right is a close-up,  left is a distant view - we still have a few to go until Christmas Eve.
The children sit as quietly as they can to listen to the bible passage and get picked to put the decoration on the tree.

Our Mary and Joseph are slowly making their way to Bethlehem.

Some years we don't do much for advent as I am too tired.
It is the end of the school year and we are trying to get school finished and it is so hot that it drains your energy.
I am planning to do some cleaning at the end of the week and then next week I will cook some biscuits, cakes and other things for gifts.

sundaes on sunday

This week our ice cream sundae consisted of a waffle cone with Neapolitan ice cream and chocolate fudge sauce as seem here dripping down my hand.
Yummy!!

Sundaes on Sunday

This week our Sundae was left over Cassata that B1 made for our Italian night on Thursday with the last of the chocolate fudge sauce. Very Yummy!

sundaes on sunday

Every Sunday afternoon around 3 or 4 pm we have a special treat.
We have Ice Cream Sundaes.
We have done this for a few years now and it is a firmly established Family Tradition.
They don't have to be fancy- although a nice glass dish helps to make even plain ice cream seem special.
Last week was a special week when we had deep fried ice cream, this week was a little more ordinary with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce and a Kit Kat in each.
Some weeks it might be fruit and ice cream, or a banana split.
Over winter we have been having some warmer treats, apple and rhubarb crumble with ice cream or waffles and ice cream and fruit sauce (frozen berries warmed through with some sugar to sweeten)
Most weeks it is just some ice cream and topping, or ice cream and fruit.
It is something that is special and welcome because we rarely have dessert except when visitors come to tea or the kids make something as part of their studies.