This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
Sadly, I've never volunteered anywhere around the holidays. My schedule is always so hectic (all year, not just in December) that I can never commit the necessary time to volunteer work. So my charitable work generally comes in the form of a donation.
I often participate in a Christmas Cheer Board hamper. They are often organised by schools and workplaces, and everyone brings in some food, a toy, or a cash donation. This year, I'm organising the hamper for my department at work, which is a first for me. It's really great to think about how, through these donations that are so easy for us to make, we'll be making the holiday season special for one family who otherwise couldn't afford to do much celebrating.
If you have more than you need this holiday season, I really recommend donating to a Christmas hamper, or to a local homeless shelter. It can make a huge difference in the lives of those who have less.
Showing posts with label Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 11: Other Traditions
This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
Whoops! I didn't realise this topic was coming, and already wrote about Yule for a grab bag topic. So, since I've already told you what Yule is, now I'll talk a bit about how the traditions are mixed in my household.
This only really applies to this coming holiday season, since a young adult living with her parents has little to no control over how holidays are celebrated in the house. Now that I live with Jonathon, I can fully celebrate Yule, while he celebrates a secular Christmas.
As I mentioned in my post about Yule, Christmas and Yule share a lot of symbolism and traditions, so there isn't really a lot of clashing of our celebrations. We open presents on Christmas morning, not Yule, because we were both raised that way and I have no desire to change that. I think I'll probably always be happy celebrating a sort of Yule and Christmas mixed together as one holiday. You can see my holiday shining through in the pentagrams hanging on the tree, and the books of Winter Solstice stories lying around the apartment.
Whoops! I didn't realise this topic was coming, and already wrote about Yule for a grab bag topic. So, since I've already told you what Yule is, now I'll talk a bit about how the traditions are mixed in my household.
This only really applies to this coming holiday season, since a young adult living with her parents has little to no control over how holidays are celebrated in the house. Now that I live with Jonathon, I can fully celebrate Yule, while he celebrates a secular Christmas.
As I mentioned in my post about Yule, Christmas and Yule share a lot of symbolism and traditions, so there isn't really a lot of clashing of our celebrations. We open presents on Christmas morning, not Yule, because we were both raised that way and I have no desire to change that. I think I'll probably always be happy celebrating a sort of Yule and Christmas mixed together as one holiday. You can see my holiday shining through in the pentagrams hanging on the tree, and the books of Winter Solstice stories lying around the apartment.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 10: Christmas Gifts
This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
I think my family's Christmas gift tradition was pretty typical. When us kids went to bed Christmas Eve, there were a few presents under the tree, and when we got up Christmas morning, there were a whole bunch, including the ones from Santa and more from Mom and Dad, along with a huge, very full stocking for each of us.
One tradition we kept for a long time was the La Senza bear. Each year, La Senza comes out with a new teddy bear for Christmas. I don't know if they still do, but they always used to name them after composers. My first one was Schubert. We must have gotten those bears every year for about a decade. I still have them all. I wish I had a picture to share of them! I'll have to dig them out some time and take one. The bears were never wrapped; we would come out to the living room and see them right away sitting on top of the presents. I was always so excited to get my new La Senza bear!
As for my favourite gift now, it's definitely books. Whether actual books or gift cards for a book store, there's nothing I like better!
I think my family's Christmas gift tradition was pretty typical. When us kids went to bed Christmas Eve, there were a few presents under the tree, and when we got up Christmas morning, there were a whole bunch, including the ones from Santa and more from Mom and Dad, along with a huge, very full stocking for each of us.
One tradition we kept for a long time was the La Senza bear. Each year, La Senza comes out with a new teddy bear for Christmas. I don't know if they still do, but they always used to name them after composers. My first one was Schubert. We must have gotten those bears every year for about a decade. I still have them all. I wish I had a picture to share of them! I'll have to dig them out some time and take one. The bears were never wrapped; we would come out to the living room and see them right away sitting on top of the presents. I was always so excited to get my new La Senza bear!
As for my favourite gift now, it's definitely books. Whether actual books or gift cards for a book store, there's nothing I like better!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 9: Yule
This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
Today's blog prompt from the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories is a grab bag, meaning I can talk about whatever holiday topic I want! So today I thought I'd write a bit about Yule, since I keep mentioning it and a lot of people don't know much about it.
It can be a bit confusing since the word Yule is often used in relation to Christmas, but Yule is actually a name for the celebration of the Winter Solstice. I'm a Pagan, so the holidays I celebrate throughout the year mark the changing of the seasons, often called the Wheel of the Year.
In ancient times, before people knew about the movement of the planet and other bodies in the solar system, the Winter Solstice could be a cause of some worry, because it seemed that the Sun had been moving farther and farther away, and people didn't know for sure that it would come back. So they would practice rituals involving fire to try to bring back the Sun. These rituals have always continued in various forms, becoming traditions we recognize today, such as the Yule Log.
Nowadays, we know that the Sun is going to come back, but this is still a time of celebrating the return of the Sun and the start of the lengthening days. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, so we celebrate the fact that for the next 6 months the days are going to keep getting longer and longer.
Because of how much time Paganism and Christianity spent side by side in Europe, as the continent was gradually converted, Yule and Christmas share many traditions and symbols. The evergreen tree, the colours red, green, white, and gold, and the giving of gifts are all a part of both winter holidays. So I'd like to take this time to celebrate both the similarities and differences, and wish everybody a happy whatever-winter-holiday-you-celebrate!
Today's blog prompt from the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories is a grab bag, meaning I can talk about whatever holiday topic I want! So today I thought I'd write a bit about Yule, since I keep mentioning it and a lot of people don't know much about it.
It can be a bit confusing since the word Yule is often used in relation to Christmas, but Yule is actually a name for the celebration of the Winter Solstice. I'm a Pagan, so the holidays I celebrate throughout the year mark the changing of the seasons, often called the Wheel of the Year.
In ancient times, before people knew about the movement of the planet and other bodies in the solar system, the Winter Solstice could be a cause of some worry, because it seemed that the Sun had been moving farther and farther away, and people didn't know for sure that it would come back. So they would practice rituals involving fire to try to bring back the Sun. These rituals have always continued in various forms, becoming traditions we recognize today, such as the Yule Log.
Nowadays, we know that the Sun is going to come back, but this is still a time of celebrating the return of the Sun and the start of the lengthening days. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, so we celebrate the fact that for the next 6 months the days are going to keep getting longer and longer.
Because of how much time Paganism and Christianity spent side by side in Europe, as the continent was gradually converted, Yule and Christmas share many traditions and symbols. The evergreen tree, the colours red, green, white, and gold, and the giving of gifts are all a part of both winter holidays. So I'd like to take this time to celebrate both the similarities and differences, and wish everybody a happy whatever-winter-holiday-you-celebrate!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 8: Christmas Cookies
This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
Every year, my mom makes fruitlet cookies (which I love) and shortbread cookies (which the rest of the family loves). When I was a kid she used to make sugar cookies, but stopped because it was so much work. So this year, Jonny and I decided to try our hand at sugar cookies. I can understand why she stopped.
It was the most frustrating thing I'd ever attempted. The dough stuck to everything, so you'd flour everything to stop the sticking, but then the flour would incorporate into the dough and the dough would crumble. It was awful. But oh my goodness, the cookies tasted so good I could almost forget how annoying the dough was.
The sugar cookies are quite thin, and cut with these plastic cookie cutters that are more like an actual mold, so you don't just get an outline, you get the lines etched on the cookie. Then we sprinkle them with that crystalized sugar stuff. So good!
Every year, my mom makes fruitlet cookies (which I love) and shortbread cookies (which the rest of the family loves). When I was a kid she used to make sugar cookies, but stopped because it was so much work. So this year, Jonny and I decided to try our hand at sugar cookies. I can understand why she stopped.
It was the most frustrating thing I'd ever attempted. The dough stuck to everything, so you'd flour everything to stop the sticking, but then the flour would incorporate into the dough and the dough would crumble. It was awful. But oh my goodness, the cookies tasted so good I could almost forget how annoying the dough was.
The sugar cookies are quite thin, and cut with these plastic cookie cutters that are more like an actual mold, so you don't just get an outline, you get the lines etched on the cookie. Then we sprinkle them with that crystalized sugar stuff. So good!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 7: Holiday Parties
This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
Every year, my dad's side of the family all get together for a party. When I was growing up it was always Christmas Eve, but so many people had to leave early for other family get-togethers or for Midnight Mass that we eventually moved it earlier. Now it's always on the last Saturday before Christmas.
It's been held at a few different houses over the years, but for last few years it's been held at my parents' house (which, until this year, was my house too). My mom makes all kinds of hors d'oeuvres, as well as her popular meatballs, and other people bring their specialties as well.
The annual Christmas party is the only time I see a lot of people in my family, so I always look forward to it. I love seeing my younger cousins (1st cousins twice removed, technically) grow up from year to year.
Every year, my dad's side of the family all get together for a party. When I was growing up it was always Christmas Eve, but so many people had to leave early for other family get-togethers or for Midnight Mass that we eventually moved it earlier. Now it's always on the last Saturday before Christmas.
It's been held at a few different houses over the years, but for last few years it's been held at my parents' house (which, until this year, was my house too). My mom makes all kinds of hors d'oeuvres, as well as her popular meatballs, and other people bring their specialties as well.
The annual Christmas party is the only time I see a lot of people in my family, so I always look forward to it. I love seeing my younger cousins (1st cousins twice removed, technically) grow up from year to year.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 6: Santa Claus
This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
I don't really remember when I stopped believing in Santa Claus. I never had a traumatic discovery of lies. :) It's like I just gradually came to an understanding of Santa as more of a concept and a tradition than an actual person (oh dear, I sound just like Neil on The Santa Clause). And I was OK with that. Even though Christmas is no longer my primary winter holiday, I still see Santa as a very important part of my holiday celebrations.
Oh, and when I have a kid, I will most definitely tell them there's a Santa. I don't get this idea of parents telling their kids there's no Santa right away for the sake of "honesty". I don't personally know anyone who resents their parents letting them believe in Santa Claus. Come on, people!
I don't really remember when I stopped believing in Santa Claus. I never had a traumatic discovery of lies. :) It's like I just gradually came to an understanding of Santa as more of a concept and a tradition than an actual person (oh dear, I sound just like Neil on The Santa Clause). And I was OK with that. Even though Christmas is no longer my primary winter holiday, I still see Santa as a very important part of my holiday celebrations.
Oh, and when I have a kid, I will most definitely tell them there's a Santa. I don't get this idea of parents telling their kids there's no Santa right away for the sake of "honesty". I don't personally know anyone who resents their parents letting them believe in Santa Claus. Come on, people!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 5: Outdoor Decorations
This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
My family was never real big on outdoor decorations. When I was a kid we had coloured lights around the edge of the roof, but the switch for them was kind of finicky, and eventually my parents just stopped putting them up. The one thing my mom still puts outside is the garland and ribbons on the railings of the front steps, and a wreath on the door.
That minimal outdoor decorating was pretty standard in my neighbourhood, but there are a few households known for going all out. There's one house a few blocks away from the house I grew up in that looks positively ridiculous for months around Christmas. They have a huge manger scene, reindeer and Santa's sleigh on the roof, more lights than you can comfortably look at, and lately some of those inflatable rotating snowmen that I find less than charming. Lots of people stop their cars in front of that house to take pictures of it every year.
Now I live in an apartment, so outdoor decorations are a bit more tricky (I don't think I even have a plug on my balcony). We do have these pretty little white lights hanging in the living room window, though, and our tree is in front of the window too, so if people were looking up to the sixth floor from the park that my windows look out on, I imagine it would look pretty. :)
My family was never real big on outdoor decorations. When I was a kid we had coloured lights around the edge of the roof, but the switch for them was kind of finicky, and eventually my parents just stopped putting them up. The one thing my mom still puts outside is the garland and ribbons on the railings of the front steps, and a wreath on the door.
That minimal outdoor decorating was pretty standard in my neighbourhood, but there are a few households known for going all out. There's one house a few blocks away from the house I grew up in that looks positively ridiculous for months around Christmas. They have a huge manger scene, reindeer and Santa's sleigh on the roof, more lights than you can comfortably look at, and lately some of those inflatable rotating snowmen that I find less than charming. Lots of people stop their cars in front of that house to take pictures of it every year.
Now I live in an apartment, so outdoor decorations are a bit more tricky (I don't think I even have a plug on my balcony). We do have these pretty little white lights hanging in the living room window, though, and our tree is in front of the window too, so if people were looking up to the sixth floor from the park that my windows look out on, I imagine it would look pretty. :)
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 4: Christmas Cards
This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
My family's never been really big on sending cards, but we do exchange cards with a few cousins that have moved out of town, since we don't see them at the family Christmas party anymore. Cards that my parents received are propped up on the piano for the rest of the season for people to look at.
I would like to start sending more cards as a small way of showing people I don't keep in touch with very well that I am thinking of them. Even though I like the benefits of e-cards both economically and environmentally, I find they don't quite make the same statement that "I've been thinking of you even though we don't talk enough, so I went to the effort to mail you this card". E-cards are perfect for friends you see all the time, though. So there's my two-cents on that!
Now that I've started getting in touch with more distant cousins that don't live in Winnipeg, I look forward to sending more cards each year. I love the way genealogy can bring people together who live so far apart!
My family's never been really big on sending cards, but we do exchange cards with a few cousins that have moved out of town, since we don't see them at the family Christmas party anymore. Cards that my parents received are propped up on the piano for the rest of the season for people to look at.
I would like to start sending more cards as a small way of showing people I don't keep in touch with very well that I am thinking of them. Even though I like the benefits of e-cards both economically and environmentally, I find they don't quite make the same statement that "I've been thinking of you even though we don't talk enough, so I went to the effort to mail you this card". E-cards are perfect for friends you see all the time, though. So there's my two-cents on that!
Now that I've started getting in touch with more distant cousins that don't live in Winnipeg, I look forward to sending more cards each year. I love the way genealogy can bring people together who live so far apart!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 3: Christmas Tree Ornaments
This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
Most of the ornaments on our tree when I was growing up were crafts. My sister and I were both Girl Guides, and we also bought crafts from other Girl Guides at a giant annual craft sale called the Caddy Lake Tea.
My mom does have a set of heirloom ornaments that she often doesn't even hang on the tree, for fear of a child knocking them off and breaking them. They're great big coloured balls, and they belonged to my great grandmother.
Nowadays my ornaments are changing a bit. We still have lots of snowmen and reindeer and whatnot in celebration of the secular Christmas that Jonathon and I both celebrate, but added to that are pentagrams made of pipe cleaners, and symbols of the Sun (because Yule celebrates the rebirth of the Sun). Although, many of our decorations have actually stayed the same, since so many common symbols used at Christmas are Pagan in origin, so they're the same ones used at Yule, including the evergreen tree.
Most of the ornaments on our tree when I was growing up were crafts. My sister and I were both Girl Guides, and we also bought crafts from other Girl Guides at a giant annual craft sale called the Caddy Lake Tea.
My mom does have a set of heirloom ornaments that she often doesn't even hang on the tree, for fear of a child knocking them off and breaking them. They're great big coloured balls, and they belonged to my great grandmother.
Nowadays my ornaments are changing a bit. We still have lots of snowmen and reindeer and whatnot in celebration of the secular Christmas that Jonathon and I both celebrate, but added to that are pentagrams made of pipe cleaners, and symbols of the Sun (because Yule celebrates the rebirth of the Sun). Although, many of our decorations have actually stayed the same, since so many common symbols used at Christmas are Pagan in origin, so they're the same ones used at Yule, including the evergreen tree.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 2: Holiday Foods
This post is part of a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
My family has Christmas dinner every year, with just the immediate family. It's basically your typical turkey dinner. Since I went vegetarian a few years ago, it's become slightly more complicated, in that there are two stuffings (one that was actually stuffed in a bird, one that wasn't), two gravies (one that involves meat drippings and one that doesn't), and stuffed acorn squash.
My extended family on my dad's side also gets together on the Saturday before Christmas. It used to be Christmas Eve, but people were so busy we decided to move it earlier. On that night I see all my aunts and uncles and cousins, many of whom I don't see the rest of the year. Most of the meal consists of hors d'oeuvres that are soooo yummy.
And that's not even getting into the cookies... those are for another day!
My family has Christmas dinner every year, with just the immediate family. It's basically your typical turkey dinner. Since I went vegetarian a few years ago, it's become slightly more complicated, in that there are two stuffings (one that was actually stuffed in a bird, one that wasn't), two gravies (one that involves meat drippings and one that doesn't), and stuffed acorn squash.
My extended family on my dad's side also gets together on the Saturday before Christmas. It used to be Christmas Eve, but people were so busy we decided to move it earlier. On that night I see all my aunts and uncles and cousins, many of whom I don't see the rest of the year. Most of the meal consists of hors d'oeuvres that are soooo yummy.
And that's not even getting into the cookies... those are for another day!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 1: The Christmas Tree
This is the first post in a series for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. See all my posts in this series.
Growing up, my family always had the same artificial Christmas tree. It's about 6.5 feet tall, and fairly bushy. It loses pine needles all over the carpet every year, but somehow it still looks good and full. Every year, usually some time in November, my dad would drag the tree out of the back room and set it up. I think my sister and I did most of the decorating, with my mom helping to make sure we "did it right". Oh, moms. The decorations are a combination of some storebought ornaments and a whole lotta crafts made by Girl Guides.
That tree is still the one at my parents' house, but my sister and I recently moved out, so we've got our own trees, now. This is our first Christmas away from home. Jonathon and I bought our own artificial tree. It's 7.5 feet tall and unbelievably wide. When we started to set it up in the apartment we were afraid it wouldn't fit, but we eventually figured it out.
My mom let my sister and I each take some ornaments from the family collection that are special to us, so we won't be starting out with nothing on the tree. We'll probably buy a few things each year to add to it, and one day we'll have a kid who can make crafts to hang on it. And so the cycle continues.
Here's Jonathon putting the angel on top of the tree last year:
Growing up, my family always had the same artificial Christmas tree. It's about 6.5 feet tall, and fairly bushy. It loses pine needles all over the carpet every year, but somehow it still looks good and full. Every year, usually some time in November, my dad would drag the tree out of the back room and set it up. I think my sister and I did most of the decorating, with my mom helping to make sure we "did it right". Oh, moms. The decorations are a combination of some storebought ornaments and a whole lotta crafts made by Girl Guides.
That tree is still the one at my parents' house, but my sister and I recently moved out, so we've got our own trees, now. This is our first Christmas away from home. Jonathon and I bought our own artificial tree. It's 7.5 feet tall and unbelievably wide. When we started to set it up in the apartment we were afraid it wouldn't fit, but we eventually figured it out.
My mom let my sister and I each take some ornaments from the family collection that are special to us, so we won't be starting out with nothing on the tree. We'll probably buy a few things each year to add to it, and one day we'll have a kid who can make crafts to hang on it. And so the cycle continues.
Here's Jonathon putting the angel on top of the tree last year:
Monday, November 28, 2011
Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2011
Regular posts will continue pretty much as usual, but perhaps a bit less frequently what with all the Advent Calendar posts. I don't want to flood your feed reader, after all!
If you'll be participating in the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories, feel free to leave links to your posts in the comments of mine, so I can read them. If you celebrate something other than Christmas (as I do), I'd be especially interested in learning more about your celebrations!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)