'Tis the season here at our house. Nope, not snowing yet — I wish! — but it is cookie baking frenzy weekend here. We'll be baking and cooling and frosting and such for the next coupla days. This is the weekend where I work myself into an insane cookie craze, exhausted and worn to a frazzle…and swearing that I will not do this again next year.
Until, of course, that moment where the desire to bake cookies comes around again and I start pulling my baking cookbooks and recipe cards and dreaming about what the next years' goodies will be.
Yep, I am a creature of cookie habit.
And, frankly, I just love the cheery looks on people's faces when they get a tin of yummy, homemade goodness. Last year, I did most of my cookie baking at night because The Peanut was very uninterested in the cookie part of things…but frighteningly intrigued as to why the oven was so hot when I opened the door. This year, though, I've gotten several shaker containers of colored sprinkles and glistening sugars and lots of smallish cookie cutters that are the perfect size for little chefs, and we are going to try our hands together at sugar cookies.
I predict that we make more of a mess than usual…but I bet that I have more fun. And I hope that she will as well. I'm going to take egregious' advice (I think it was egregious who suggested this, anyway…), and fill some muffin tins with individual frosting colors and let her make whatever mess she wants putting colors on the cookies. This should be quite amusing, and I'm sure they will be very artistic little masterpieces. (Nope, no momma prejudice here. Nosiree.)
Mr. ReddHedd has loaded the entire Smith family collection of Christmas music on the birthday iPod, and I can set it for random play — if I'm allowed to listen to music at all as we bake this year, since we've been on a constant rotation of Frosty The Snowman, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, and How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
If nothing else, maybe I can promise to sing Jingle Bells over and over again…we've been doing that a lot in the car lately, anyway.
And after this last sprint to the holiday finish, I can kick back and relax and munch on a tasty cookie or two with my warm mug of morning coffee cheer…and be thankful for all of the blessings that I've been lucky enough to have this year. I was thinking about that a little last night, and thought that might be a fun conversation for all of us to have this morning as well. So fill up your mug and let's talk about what we'll be doing for ourselves this week, whether we have any relaxation plans this weekend or at some point (hopefully sooner rather than later), and for what we are grateful — individually and collectively.
Let's talk about some comfort and joy this morning. Pull up a chair…
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Christie!
Merry Zed!
Morning all,
I did my first contributions to YouTube this AM. A short taste of some of Balrog’s Big Underwater Adventure.
Here and here.
HI Christie,
Running off to do two Messiahs and two Christmas Concerts, will be away til Mon so unless somebody has hi-speed up north, Merry cookie-baking to all and to all a good weekend.
Balgog, those are really neat. What are we looking at in the first one, is that an eel?
hpschd @
5
Actually two Moray Eels. McCain and Lieberman. I’ve never seen two at a time before that.
YouTube sure reduces the quality of the video. I suppose they have to to make the vid streamable. The Lobster clip is 89MB for only 23 seconds of vid.
I think I’ll go give money away(and maybe gifts) in the style of “Secret Santa”….I think you’ve all read about the man in KC who has given away almost $1.5 million to folks in need. He’d go to a thrift store and hand out $100 bills-or give $100 tips on a $5 meal…He’s a cool guy(I met him this week!), and he did this for years, all anonymously, making great effort to evade the press and others. Now he’s sick with cancer, and he came forward, hoping others would adopt his style/method. I can’t do it like he did, but I can do it….so can you. Just leave the waitress a big tip, or if you are in line at a fast food place, pay for the car behind you. Go to a laundromat and give everyone there a $10 bill, or a Target gift card….
Good cheer everyone. The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of hard, critical, complex international meetings about the same, coupled with related travel, and time away from home at a very busy time of the year. We have managed somehow to buy the tree and set it up in its watering pot in the living room, but it has sat there “naked” ever since. The Christmas cards we decided this morning won’t get out until the 26th. The kids presents are mostly all bought (we pick things up when we see them over the year for both birthdays and Christmas). Our easiest/best trick was one we invented about 7 years ago, wherein we hand off all the catalogues of goods we receive from October on, have the kids circle things they would love to have and rank order them. Around mid-November I’ll pick a few to order. Today the task is to get back from the basketball tournament our daughter is with enough time to clean the house, for the group of kids coming here to dress for the school’s winter formal. Plus decorate the tree!! It will get done! I think we can, I think we can!
I’ve been waiting for this thread for the past few days. Talking about getting our tree today. We go to cut our own with the kids and dogs along. The kids made decoration cookies yesterday, so they’re anxious. Nothing like Christmastime with a 4 & 5 year old.
Well, they’re both up now. The girl is in her usual morning grouchy mood.
Looks like another Christmas without snow around here unless things change quickly right before the day. Rain the past few days and temps in the 40s took out what snow we had last week. Grumble.
Good morning, Christy! Good morning, Esten!
I remember one long car ride with my son when he was two and he kept begging me to sing The Drummer Boy over and over and over and over. To this day I wince when I hear it on the radio!
That was a lobster? Not your everyday geocery store offering.
Greetings Everyone-
Been months since I’ve said hello, but have scanned daily…too much work! Like Richmond, our tree is naked in the living room. We’ll finally decorate today.
All is wonderfully complicated by the fact that my Peanut was born four years ago today. So no cookies for me; baking/decorating the birthday cake and party plans for the invasion of littles tomorrow.
Have fun at your house Redd!
HAppy Birthday Dairytmain Jr. Our tree is out in the backyard, still trussed up. Won’t get it put up until Monday :[.
I move to introduce a new tradition, ladies and gentlement, I propose the New Year’s Tree.
Oops, ben posting at the ‘unisex’ machine, still had Mr. HotFlash’s name hpschd up. Hi folks, it’s really me! OK, my turn for the shower, save me a cookie, please and thank you.
Bayh rules out White House bid in 2008
I’ve got both joy and comfort this morning! Since the last time I had a chance to comment on anything around here, I’ve had a second baby daughter. Joy! While recovering, my wife liked these banana pancakes (comfort!) which I reproduced from a place we’d had them this summer. They’re less work than the length of the recipe here might suggest–I was just trying to be very complete :)
I’m afraid that a fair amount of craft is needed, where I didn’t measure carefully as I went. The recipe is also slightly imprecise in leaving you on your own for the base mix. It really doesn’t matter, everything else you’re going to do here will overwhelm any small differences in mixes. For the record, I use Krusteaz waffle mix for my pancakes.
These are are best if the mix (without eggs) is made the night before, and the banana disc filling made the morning of just before making the pancakes.
Banana Pancakes
Pancake Mix Base
Standard pancake mix and ingredients it calls for, for 12 pancakes, but hold eggs out (see below)
1 banana
1t yeast
1/4 cup hot water
Held-out egg, whipped
Banana Disc Filling
1 banana, sliced into thin discs
Cinnamon sugar (mix with ratio roughly 1 part cinnamon to 6 parts white sugar)
1 T butter
Directions
Using a standard pancake mix, separate the wet and dry ingredients. Do not add eggs. (Typically, this will mean oil water for the wet, and the mix itself for the dry.) In addition to the called-for ingredients, put the yeast in hot water, let sit for 5 minutes, then add to wet ingredients. (Do not use boiling water, which will kill the yeast–use the hottest water that will come out of your tap.)
Put the wet ingredients into a food processor, and process with the banana until frothy and creamy. Add the dry ingredients in thirds to the wet mix. Then you’ll find you will need to add a little bit more dry mix than called for, due to the banana and yeast. Add in 1 T increments until the proper consistency is acheived, then add 2 more T (due to the egg to come.) Let sit overnight.
The next morning, whip the egg into a froth, doubling in volume. Fold into the pancake mix.
Just before making the pancakes, make the banana filling. Put the butter onto the grill, then sprinkle cinnamon sugar on it. Lay banana discs flat in the butter/cinnamon mix, and let grill about 2 minutes. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top, then turn the discs and grill about another 2 minutes. Bananas should get a nice brown, crispy skin on both sides, then they will be ready.
To make the pancakes, spoon out the mix onto the griddle. Immediately after doing so, place 3-4 of the grilled discs into the raw pancake on the griddle. (For bananas, I find this is generally better than stirring them into the mix.) Turn the pancakes when they are bubbly and the edges look dry. Once fully cooked, place the pancakes on the plate, with the banana-discs showing. Goes great with maple syrup.
Or, toast some coconut flakes and make pineapple syrup (by boiling the pineapple juice from canned pineapple with some sugar–I might use 3 T of sugar for the standard size pineapple can but it’s up to you…)
I should also note that having a bottle of cinnamon sugar around is great for making all sorts of things–the technique of sprinkling cinnamon sugar in butter on a grill also adds a lot to, for instance, French Toast.
Thanks hpschd! I’m with you on the New Year’s tree! We have already embraced the tradition of the New Year’s greeting card.
Oh, and just real fast about grateful, there’s lots and lots, but right here, hight now let me say I’m grateful for FDL — thank you Ladies — and for Nancy in da House.
Gotta run.
Hey all. Delurking for a moment to say that I love these Saturday morning threads – of course, I love the Lake, too, but you know what I mean.
My son who is in the Navy got leave for the holidays, and managed to get plane reservations on the 23rd, so we get to see him. He’s only been in since last January, so it would have been the first holiday without him. Glad I don’t have to face that til next year.
His twin brother, who is also in the Navy, is on a ship somewhere in the Persian Gulf, so we won’t have him, but I’ll have my guy and that makes me very happy.
So I’m grateful for that, and I’ll spend the day making the house look like the holidays, finally. Gotta get a tree up, and find some stockings, and baking is on my agenda too.
Good morning everyone!
Today the PA_Kids and I brave the basement to find all the Christmas stuff and put up the tree. We made a couple gallons of cocoa, pop popcorn, and light some candles before spending a couple hours (or more) pulling ornaments out and re-telling the stories associated with most of them.
hpschd @ 14: I like it!
Mornin’ all.
McCain & Lieberman hahahahaha. Which one has the tooth?
Saw Dickens last nite, A Chrismas Carol, which is an annual tradition with the Parental T-s.
We were hoping that the big Little T- might be ready next year, but Marley’s ghost is pretty intense at this production. Maybe we’ll do the Nutcracker instead.
Here’s a Christmas movie/music recommendation, Toys. It has a great message of good triumphing over the military industrial complex and it has a great soundtrack to boot. I’d say its appropriate for 5 and up because the scene where the toys fight the war toys is a little violent.
Cheers!
I saw a tree decoration idea on a decorating TV show – white pipecleaners – hold 4 together and twist at the middle, spreading ends out, making a pointy snowflake? star?
Prof – your wife is one lucky lady!
When I woke up this morning and got online, I discovered that Jessica had posted a picture of her family’s tree and menorah at Howard-Empowered People. She wrote in the comments:
Click my name to take a peek.
I am oddly comforted by how many of you don’t have your trees up yet! Last week I woke up with a severe chest cold. A few days later my partner came home with intestinal flu. Then I got her flu and she got my chest cold. The good news is we’re both doing much better, but we’re seriously behind on our holiday cheer! Tree today! Yay!!!
Mornin’ Christy and happy holidays to you and yours. Thanks for all you do. I have a piece of music (muzak?) that I called “Pull Up a Chair” that you can hear by clicking on my name. Once the player starts, you can come back here.
Congratulations Professor Foland!!!
December girls are alot of fun!
Morning everyone! We’ve been busy decorating the last of the house that wasn’t done — and then had to read Night Before Christmas a couple of times. Certain small peanuts have been looking all over the house for Santa…is cracking me up this morning. *g*
MLinNH at 11 — you know, I’m getting to that point with Jingle Bells. Mainly because the only part that she wants to sing is the chorus. lol
hpschd at 4 — hope the concerts go well and that you are pleased. Wish we could hear them!
Missouri Bird at 7 — Oh, I love that guy. :) I did a Pull Up A Chair on him a few weeks ago — one of our readers had sent me a link to a story about him in a local paper. What a wonderful idea he had — and that he followed through with it is the best part.
witchywoman @ 25: Glad you’re feeling better!
I never put up the tree until a week-10 days before Christmas, otherwise I’d be sick of the holiday long before Santa arrived. New Year’s Day is always spent taking everything down.
Richmond at 8 — I bet we’ll hear from you tomorrow that everything got done and then some. And if you don’t get the tree decorated until tomorrow, you can relax and do it over cocoa… :)
G’day Christy, no cookies for me as the scale gave me a reprimand this morning. Rushing around here in Northern CA to get ready before heading back downunder for Chrissy with the rellies-in law (yes they really do talk that way, we’ll exchange presies then go the beach and watch the surfies). Before I go I have do deal with a settlement conference, a trial readiness conference and a mediation – just the thing to get in the Christmas spirit. I’m sure you’ve had weeks like that.
I Wish all the Fire Pups a very happy holiday season.
Morning all.
Congratulations Professor and Mrs. Foland!
Also, congratulations to Grampa Oilfieldguy!
DairyMaid at 13 — lovely to see you! Happiest of birthdays to YOUR Peanut — hope you all have a wonderful birthday celebration today. :)
HotFlash at 15 — LOL “Unisex machine” — you are cracking me up this morning…
Prof. Foland at 17 — Oh, congratulations! I remember that tiny stage so well — where they sleep, nuzzled into your shoulder, content with the world. Enjoy it — I’m so happy for you. :)
leinie at 20 — oh, how wonderful for you and your family! So glad your son gets to be home with you for the holidays — what a joy! Do thank him for me for his service, and give him an extra hug on my behalf, won’t you? (Oh, and now that you’ve delurked, please don’t be a stranger!)
Congratulations to the Prof and his lady and the newest member of the family!
We started the week driving to work and took a 2 day detour at the local hospital…such is life with chonic illnesses. Hectic catchup thereafter, but looking forward to a cozy weekend at home.
Christy, years ago when my daughter was too old–in her mind–for cookie baking, I claimed my niece for a day each Christmas season and we baked multitudes of cookies. The standout was a first-year find, a frosted cookie with NZ origins, or so the real estate newsletter said. The best part was taking small amounts of food coloring and a teensy paintbrush to make green ivy leaves and cherry-bright berries on the white icing.
And amid this holidays season I’m starting to think of virtual Christmas stockings for people. For Chris Matthews, I’d fill it with steady patience to take good care of his diabetes…and cinnamon, because it’s touted as a diabetes preventer…and it just tastes yummy.
Happy holidays to you, too, petedownunder.
Congrats to Professor Foland as well — what’s the baby’s birthday? Explains why you’ve been so quiet! And I figured it was just the lack of movement in the Libby case…
Christy, you might also want to try loading some frosting in small ziplock sandwich bags for the Peanut; cut off a tiny bit of one corner, through which she can squeeze out frosting to write or more likely make squiggly lines. My kids love this, but unfortunately, they are now at the age where they will aim the bags at each other instead of the cookies.
My nine-year-old felt quite left out after his sister made the chocolate moose cookies last week, insisting he’s going to make sugar cookies and roll them out all by himself. We’ll probably tackle that this afternoon to keep him out of his sister’s face while she has a friend over. There will be sprinkles and frosting here, too.
Thanks PA Lady! I have to be disciplined about taking the tree down shortly after New Year (for fire safety!), but I always hate to see it go. I never get tired of shiny stuff. ;)
I’m going to experiment making a low-carb cheesecake today. If it’s successful I’m going to make one for our Yule ritual on the 23rd. We have lots of wonderful women coming to celebrate with us this year.
PA_Lady at 21 — that’s my favorite part of the decorating, all the memories and stories. Have loads of fun. Can’t wait until The Peanut is old enough for that to be the fun part, too. :)
Just in case anyone needs a last minute cookie recipe that hasn’t been covered here in the last few weeks
http://www.christmas-cookies.com
The Gingerbread Biscotti are really good. I made them last night.
Renee at 24 — My rheumatologist does the same thing in her family. We were giggling about a present someone had gotten her — a mechanical latke man, who twirls a whisk around and sings this ridiculously silly latke song — and sounds very much like Jerry Stiller. They put it out every year along with a similar Santa. Will go and take a peek at the tree & menorah.
Oh, and for all the readers celebrating Chanukah — last night was the first night, wasn’t it?
Blessings to all the parents and I wish you joy in your children. May they be safe and happy, and may they multiply the love in your lives many times over.
Not having any of my own, I like to borrow other people’s children this time of year. Sharing their wonder during this season is such a gift.
Prairie Sunshine @ 40: I can attest to the ‘cinnamon cure’. My step-dad was diagnosed with diabetes a year ago, and started taking cinnamon 6mos ago after my mom read about it. Since then, he’s not had a single reading above normal, and he’s managed to lose nearly 40lbs!
petedownunder at 34 — Oh man! I have SO had that week. Here’s hoping it all goes smoothly for you and things settle and you can relax a bit. (I was out in the wee hours one year on Christmas Eve trying to find foster care placements for some kids…for hours. It’s a very difficult job, being a lawyer this time of year…especially if you do criminal work.)
angie at 35 — oh, did oilfieldguy become a Grandpa and I missed the announcement? Yay, OFG!
Christy -
for The Peanut
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..mp;search=
Congratulations Professor Foland !
Christy -
I do civil, but it will be great to settle one these that’s set for trial early January, that way I can have a real holiday.
Best wishes to you and yours (and those cookies are tempting….)
Millinaryman at 44 — oooh, thanks much for that link!
Does anyone have a recipe for a chewy coconut macaroon-type of cookie? I had one this week that was totally yummy, but don’t have a recipe. I know we’ve done cookie recipes here already, but….
Thanks
Christy 45 — you would not believe the sales job the nine-year-old did on me yesterday to persuade me to celebrate Chanukah.
We’re recovering Catholics here, not exactly our cultural heritage, so the request seemed odd. But apparently one of his classmates’ mothers came to school with chocolate gelt to hand out to all the kids, also took the time to explain the significance of the holiday. Of course the idea of a week of presents and chocolates and game-playing appealed greatly to a third-grade boy; he asked for a dreidel almost as soon as he hopped in the car after school yesterday afternoon.
We’ve obviously got a lot of explaining to do, that religious observance is more than fun and games no matter what religion.
Pete at 51 — yeah, I figured with the settlement conference, it was that last ditch before tial sort of thing. *g* I was in private practice for a number of years before I switched hats to be a prosecutor, and during that time acted as a mediator in a number of those. Was one of my favorite aspects of practice, actually. Hopes yours goes well — a January trial is such an exhausting thing to have to deal with over the holidays…
Your’e welcome CHS, I was looking for some traditional cookies that my Mom used to make, and I found a couple there.
G’morning Christy…
Since I have been on the road working since Thanksgiving only home for weekends and will be leaving next Thursday to head north to have Christmas with the other half of my family…. I have a 5 day window… to buy All my presents!
The only think I have is the Christmas tree…
Christy– I was catching up on threads and found this:
Good morning.
Christy, it might have been me who suggested the muffin tins with different colored fronting in each. Altho I have probably forgotten who I got the idea from.
My kids loved this idea of ‘painting’ the cookies. Usually they enjoyed ‘mixing’ the color and we had some rather ‘mud’ looking frosting. But they loved it all the same. I tried rolling wax paper in a cone and putting a dallop of fronting in to make it easier (and neater) but my kids gave up and prefered spoons. Then when the frosting ‘missed’ the cookie it was easier to eat. :)
And thanks for the encouragement at the end of last thread. My son is truly lost after the death of his wife and is struggling. On the flip side, Cody is physically doing well. Unfortunately, with his mother gone and his father ‘lost’, he is showing the strain.
Question for our family is how long can my daughter deal with this 38 yr old lost soul while maintaining her hectic schedule with 4 children, dogs, cats etc. etc. She is also showing the strain. She has no experience with depression (other tha mine) and has trouble viewing how someone could be so listless and unfocused. My daughter is NEVER unfocused — ever.
brownandserve — I can’t get that link to work for me for some reason. Bummer! Anyone have any hints?
Christy Hardin Smith @ 55
Thanks, Christy. BTW, I can’t tell you how nice it is to be able to visit the Lake everyday and read all the interesting posts and comments. You and Jane and everyone have done a superb job. Many, many thanks.
Sorry Christy. Probably my poor instructions. You need to click on the blogamp icon to launch the player and then hit the play button.
Fern at 53 — unfortunately, I am horrible with macaroons. I tried to make them one year and they were so bad that I threw them out. So I am no help on that particular recipe. Hopefully, though, someone will have a fave macaroon recipe that turns out well to share. :P
I, too, am doing a lot of baking this weekend. Cranberry bars this morning, Russian teacakes tomorrow with the kids, who love to do the rolling in powdered sugar. They did the cutout sugar cookies on Tuesday and had a ball decorating. Not too much relaxing for me this week, until I get on the airplane on Friday. But then I’m at my mom’s for two weeks. No cooking, no cleaning, less babysitting, lots of fun and movies and running around. Not to mention presents! If I can just make it to Friday morning…
Fern — try this recipe, very simple, looks a lot like the one my mom uses. If my spouse didn’t hate coconut, I’d makes some myself.
Here’s brownandserve’s fixed link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCYwVVveK24
Too funny!
brownandserve at 62 — nope, that’s what I was trying to do. SIGH I am so hopeless with technology…
katymine at 57 — gift certificates are your friend. *g* (Been there, done that…) Or perhaps charitable donations in someone’s name. :)
Christy Hardin Smith @ 67
Costco Gift Cards…. Mom & Dad can pay for their prescription copays with it and buy gas. Donate to Dad’s Habitat chapter!
Pay for my youngest son’s car payment this month since Home Depot cut all their part time workers last week during college finals week… (way to go)
GrandmaJ at 59 — oh, sweetie, I am so sorry. Was thinking about you and your family the other day and wondering how things were. So sorry to hear that it has been so rough. If I remember correctly, though, this is the first Christmas since the horrible accident. Is there a survivor’s therapy group that he could get involved with in your area? Sometimes talking with folks who have been down the same path can help to open things up again. Although it can be tough to get someone through that door to start — and I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this on top of the pain of that loss. Hugs — wish I were there to help you out.
mmm, yummy coffee this morning, my wife put a little almond extract in the grounds. Morning everybody! As I’ve told you, my Xmas stuff has been up since the day after Thanksgiving. My wife went on a gingerbread bender yesterday, getting ready for a Xmas Eve decorating party. My parents came in from CT for their annual visit and we had a fabulous time, went for a carriage ride in downtown Indy. The lights were beautiful!
Thanks for the memory of little ones making their Very Own Cookies. My little baker is home now, she’s a little taller but still has a lot of fun in the kitchen. I think it dates back to the early days of cooking experiments.
Well, after seeing the TACSAT launch from my front porch this morning, it’s time to get moving. (Wallops is 80 miles away.)
Yesterday I brought the tree in, so we’ll let it sit a couple of days to let the branches spring back out before we decorate tomorrow. After that there’s the annual Christmas dinner and play at the local church hall. But for today, I need to make a couple of quick presents with some of the cherry out in the garage. Yep! Procrastinated again.
It looks like the cookie baking won’t happen until Thursday or Friday. But of course it WILL happen. Tradition cannot be denied.
So sorry about my bringing up family stuff when everyone is getting in the Christmas spirit.
So in that same Christmas spirit, I am making fruit baskets (4 of them) for family. I am going to include a loaf of pumpkin bread (a recipe I got from my ex-mother-in-law) and some pudding cookies. This is an easy recipe adding mini red and green M&Ms. My grandkids and son-in-law love them. It is pretty much a choc. chip recipe adding the pudding.
Also I finished all 10 pair of mittens for everyone and will fill them with some Christmas goodies and wrap them next week.
The other bright spot this season is my 5 yr old grandson has learned how to speed dial me and I get calls several times each day whenever he is bored talking about Santa. :) Makes my day brighter.
Ugh, I’d rather stay at the Lake, but I have to gird my loins and head out shopping. No Christmas shopping, fortunately, but unfortunately too close to the mall for my mental health.
Have fun cookie swapping!
OT, but worth the read to see how civilized people operate…war on Christmas? O’Reilly should be forced to read this…now if only right-wing Christians were as tolerant as the people mentioned in this article…
————-
‘Political correctness’ gone mad
Jews, Muslims unite to rip court’s tree removal
By KEVIN CONNOR, TORONTO SUN
Non-Christian organizations are leading the condemnation of a Toronto judge’s decision to have a Christmas tree removed from the lobby of a provincial courthouse.
Justice Marion Cohen ordered the decorated tree to be moved on Monday from the lobby of the Ontario Court of Justice at 311 Jarvis St. to an out-of-the-way administrative corridor on grounds it is a Christian symbol that alienates people of other creeds and traditions.
The judge’s move is contrary to Canada’s multicultural spirit, according to B’nai Brith Canada.
“In Canada, we are taught to celebrate our differences and whenever possible to reasonably accommodate our neighbours. The vibrancy of our multicultural society depends on us being exposed in positive ways to each other’s religious practices,” said Frank Dimant, executive vice-president of B’nai Brith.
‘CULTURAL UNIQUENESS’
“Canadians should be welcome to celebrate the religious and cultural uniqueness of their holidays and that ought to include, for example, Christmas trees at this time of year in public places, or menorahs being displayed during the Hanukkah season.”
The Muslim Canadian Congress also expressed dismay.
“This is stupidity and takes political correctness to new heights,” said Farzana Hassan, president of the MCC.
“We should ban political correctness, not the Christmas tree. The judge was creating an unnecessary issue and looking for problems where none exist.”
Hassan said the MCC has urged all Muslims to celebrate with their Christian cousins and light Christmas trees to send a message to the judge she is wrong on all counts.
http://www.torontosun.com/News/T…823916- sun.html
sorry for the length of the post, but I thought people should see this, plus it makes me proud to be Canadian
Grandma J at 59 has trouble viewing how someone could be so listless and unfocused.
First a hug (((((Grandma J and family)))))
You could explain depression to your daughter by saying its like having the flu. This is not a perfect analogy but it can convey the physical lethargy as well as the lack of blame. You just get the flu, usually it isn’t anything you do, it just happens to you.
Keep us posted on how you are doing. Sending love your way.
Rayne @ 54
How delightful that your son wants to try other religious traditions. As a pagan I believe that all paths may lead to an experience of the divine (minus the oppressive, controlling, one-true-way elements of some sects, of course). I always enjoy being invited to participate in someone else’s religious practices. I find it enhances my understanding immeasurably. My participation in an interfaith council has been invaluable in deepening my experience and improving communication among religious groups in the area. You would be amazed at the number of Christians, Jews, and Muslims who have stood in solidarity with Wiccans in recent years. I find it so encouraging.
Thanks for thinking of us. We are all trying.
But I told Kris that it is up to us to make Christmas a wonderful time for all the kids. We hope to get My son’s 2 kids down here for Christmas. Children deserve only the best we have to give at Christmas, and that does not mean money gifts. It means giving them the memories to last them forever.
GrandmaJ at 73 So sorry about my bringing up family stuff when everyone is getting in the Christmas spirit.
Not to worry, you are part of OUR family and we want to hear how you are doing.
Rayne @ 41
Born Dec. 4th; 10 lbs 2 oz. That’s more than 10% of my wife’s pre-pregnancy weight! Luckily all are recovering well. As the nurse said, “You’ve just given birth to a two-month old baby!”
Thanks to all for good wishes, and congratulations to OFG!
Thanks for the heartening story, A.Political!
Good for these groups and yay for Canada!
Oh Shoot! Can’t do more than gulp last swig of coffee & wish everyone a Good Morning!
Strangely, given the thread topic, today is cookie-baking day here, & I’m late getting started.
Back later to savor all the comments. ;->
Prof. Foland, I got you beat by 1 Oz, my son was 10 lbs 3 oz. Biggest baby I’ve ever heard of!
A.Political @ 75 – Fabulous article. Thanks for sharing. See my post at 77. Our minds were obviously going in the same direction at the same time!
I’ll de-lurk long enough to say Happy Holidays to all of you FDLers! I’m off with my SO and his family to see a local production of Amal and the Night Visitor this afternoon.
My baking frenzy will begin in earnest next week. Peace on Earth, damnit.
Good Morning, all – who needs coffee?
Twisted Martini @ 83
Nine pounds, nine and half pounds, and nine pounds 13 oz. Speaking of things we are grateful for.
Also am grateful that so many people have been checking to see how my depression is doing, both online and in offline life. Have just sent out Christmas cards, a very small number to keep my MUST list down to a minimum. Presents arriving daily from ordering online. Made a huuuge construction paper chain yesterday. I need to try to keep calm and not panic that I am overlooking something.
That old saw about if everything seems to be going well I am obviously overlooking something? Nutshell.
OldCoastie @ 86
[cup]
Egregious – thanks for the hugs. My bouts of depression, and now my son’s, have proved difficult for my ex- and my 2 other children to understand. The ‘flu’ analogy is appropriate and I will try explaining it that way. I tried to use the cancer analogy because it can come back when you least expect it.
My son is going to therapy (both clinical and group) and is on Zoloft. The problem is he seems incapable of reaching out emotionally to his children at a time when they need him the most. So. Very. Sad. And as a mother I want to fix things but I cannot. This struggle is his, and we can only offer support.
Last comment on this. It is Christmas and by prayers and good thoughts, I am going to find happines in my grandchildrens’ smiles and the homemade gifts I give.
Christy, I love the picture of the snow-covered lamp post. Sooooo…..well Christmas-y. It’s supposed to be the way we look in Maine this time of year, alas it’s nearly 50 out today.
So wonderful to read all the comments and find out that people really DO still make cookies with the kids and sing silly Christmas songs over and over.
Hubby and I usually spend a quiet Christmas, but I DO bake the cookies and I do put up a Christmas tree with tons of old ornaments that bring back memories.
I’ve got my tree, it’s still in the barn, but we’ll get to it the next couple of days. Did anyone else have parents who put up the tree after the kids went to bed on Christmas eve? Mine did, and I wonder how they did it.
So, Greetings to all, and congrats to all the new parents/grandparents. And Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, here’s to families (of whatever strip)who still spend time on holiday traditions.
Christie, I wanted to mention that after reading this post I pulled out the Christmas pics from many moons ago of my daughter Melissa as a little girl. I’ll never forget her absolute delight during those magical early Christmas mornings.
You made reference to gratitude and I’m most grateful for the woman that she has become. She has just gotten engaged to a wonderful young man. They’ve been together for several years and will be tying the knot in June.
egregious @ 88
[pour]
Congratulations to the Jenkins family on the new engagement!
With a good-sized pride of house lions a tree is out of the question. Geez, these little guys can destroy a tree in a blink! To say nothing of trying to kill the light wiring-snake. Fried kitty not on my agenda. First things first, though. Missy, 21, needs her thyroid meds. Min, 18 and blind, needs her hypertension meds. Yang, 12, needs her insulin. Then the special diets for the senior trio. Now we can get started with breakfast for the rest of the pride. Make tea (black or oolong from China). Get out grandma’s cookie recipes – old fashioned depression-era South Carolina recipes. Not as flashy as the new stuff but delicious. She had the only recipe for fruit cake that is edible, now lost. Took two days to make it anyhow. About eighty percent fruit and soaked daily with bourbon for something like 10 days, dry only if left out in the sun for a week. Covered by a new dish towel and kept in an old cake tin. Hey, get that match away from the cake! Coupla slices and we’re off. Peace sign wreath in the window. My first attempt at a homemade wreath, made from pieces of tree bummed from the neighbors. Next year’s will be better, I promise. No homeowner association to give me a hard time. Break out the writings of D T Suzuki and Alan Watts and we’re all set. East meets West and my little world is at peace. Hope yours is too. Be good to yourselves and all other living things.
No Christmas caroling on Xmas eve, though. On the sidewalk outside the mall in my jungle cammies with an anti-war sign. Like John Prine said, “Jesus don’t like killin’, no matter what the reason for.” Let’s not forget all those in harm’s way.
Peace, Love, Light
GrandmaJ, if you are still around, my thoughts have been much with you and yours this season. Hang in there, dear, and come back to the lake for some solice when you can.
Balrog @ 3
Balrog!
Your undersea youtubes are awesome. Highly recommended.
More please.
I went shopping for Christmas trees with my 10 year old nephew. It was ruined by some lurking, lecherous creep wearing a “My name is M. Crichton” name-tag who kept exposing himself to all of the children at the tree farm.
-GSD
And remember if your Christmas cards go out late, just call them Russian Orthodox Christmas cards. They celebrate it 2 weeks later.
My personal ?best was February. That was a tough winter. So I just called them Valentine cards.
GSD @ 97
you funny, GSD!
egregious @ 98
You would bring that up. I haven’t even started yet and so no way it will happen on time. Christmas in July?
Russian Orthodox Christmas? Yeah, that’s the ticket;)
twolf1 @ 16
*ilson will be crushed. Where the heck is he anyway?
egregious @ 102
It’s not necessarily a bad thing, his seat would almost certainly be taken by a Thug, maybe Mitch Daniels.
argh! Jane’s storm is making its way down here – I’m going for a quick bike ride and make the dogs jump around before it hits…
catch you in awhile and HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!
psst Mods, am posting under a different name to protect the innocent
comfort and joy ? not so much. but s’okay
after years of passing flirtations with mental illness, my SO has finally taken the plunge and gone ’round the bend (clinical term egregious) stepping off the reality based path and away from us. leaving me a suddenly single parent. along with the attendant anxiety and despair, am somewhat embarrassed to find myself heartbroken romantically at this late date (spare me the Co Dependent No More links, I can cite them chapter and verse)
but,
along with knowing my Esten is healthy and that I am not a parent struggling in Darfur or Baghdad, I know it will find me – the spirit of the season. I can hold my hand up towards the tree and yell at Christmas to STFU, that would prove fruitless – sooner or later it will find me, the warmth and joy will settle upon our house as it always does – and my darling boy and I will go on
may that same spirit visit all your homes this season
izzatxeaux?!– many blessings to you.
{{{{{hugs}}}}}
egregious at 102 — he was having computer difficulties, and I’m not certain they’ve been resolved. Next time RBG is on, ask him — I think they’ve been in touch, although I’m not certain how recently. The election was exhausting for everyone, and that apparently included *ilson’s computer. SIGH
e.Greg, I love the idea of Valentine cards! I’m employed again for the first time since, well, actually, almost 10 years now and am in a panic since I still haven’t figured out the me time from the their time from the what time is it already, oh dear I’m late. Christmas cards?
I’m so behind we’re not even having a tree this year since we go to NE soon to visit family. THe kitten is just the perfect tree-climbing-and-destroying size right now and we’re leaving them to the tender ministrations of our kitty sitter. She doesn’t need to worry about the tree, too.
This year, tho, I’m going to Stats for the post-Christmas sale and am picking up the perfect fake tree. Never thought I’d say that, but with the temps hovering in the low 70’s every day, it doesn’t feel like Christmas anyway. Might as well.
Merry Happy, everyone. By the way, check out the Daily Howler for the last few days and keep checking. He’s so great at picking out the nit-picking narratives of the corporate press and highlighting our pushback. We gotta start NOW for 08, cuz they are
izzatxeaux–
We’re here if you need to talk.
You sound very brave. Good to focus on your son.
((((izza))))
btw, gang, fresh thread is available, for those who would like a change of subject. Otherwise, Pull Up A Chair will be open all day. :)
Teaching the little one the cookie baking tradition insures more cookies for generations to come when she teaches her daughter the importance of cookie baking. I never have much patience for cookie baking but rely on the town bakery and the farmers market ladies who bring their special cookies with the vegetables…like dark chocolate covered marshmallow cookies and the ones made with walnut flour…yum
spiderpaws at 111 — the walnut flour cookie concept intrigues me. Please, tell us more…
And I’m glad it’s open all day, since I got here late this morning.
Hugs, if I may, to all suffering from depression and loss and anxiety this season. GrandmaJ, you can make a big difference in your grandsons’ lives by being there for them right now. Your son’s depression is perfectly understandable.
I never put up my tree till the Solstice, and it comes down on New Year’s Day. Though I’ve given up on trying to buy one that late, and have a very nice tree sitting in water in the garage right now. Also, of course, No Artificial Trees!
Thanks for the cookie talk…I’m not baking this year, but enjoy hearing about other people’s fun.
My friend Wendy and I made colored paper chains but twisted the paper so each link would be a Moebius strip.
Math nerd humor :)
izzatxeaux?!, hugs all ’round and lots of light and friendship to you. Missed you lately, glad to see you back. Add us to your list of peeps to help you through this. And love the monniker – it’s seaux eaux! Truly, hugs, honey and Merry Christmas.
Hi spiderpaws (waving several legs)
egregious @ 114
Love it! Live with a math nerd! Always interesting to see math in holiday life!
egregious at 114 — a recent Time cover had a DNA strand on the front, and The Peanut had to know what it was. So we’ve now learned how to say both “DNA” and it’s longer spelled-out-entirely version, which comes out a bit like “doxyriboacid.” Nobel prize in medicine…here we come. *g*
Christy Hardin Smith @ 118
Yay for the Peanut! Genius at work :)
My cousin who is a biology prof at U. Michigan has a coat rack in the shape of DNA.
How about impeachment cookies? I made these beautiful, delicious Austrian Peach cookies 30 years ago when my children were little.
This year I am not eating white-type carbohydrates, but I collected dozens of gorgeous Christmas cookie images and images of cookie cutters from the internet. In fact, Christy, your Christmas cookie images serveral weeks ago inspired this. I filled my weekly letter to my 83 year old mom with these images in lieu of baking. I fed our minds . . . “visioins of sugar plums danced in their heads.”
Thanks for this thread, Christy – I’m home sick with the last dregs of bronchitis/sinusitis so can read in “real-time” for a change.
The cookie links just led me through some interesting click-throughs on baking, and reminded me:
My favorite collection of fool-proof Christmas cookies is “Rose’s Christmas Cookies”, by Rose Levy Birnbaum. Won’t be baking myself till I’m not contagious, but love her recipes and detailed instructions. Some energetic years we’ve done a dozen or more different ones, from lovely decorated sugar cookies to plain and chocolate meringue cookies.
Hope you and the Peanut have a blast today.
My mom is not a cook, but we did always do the Christmas cookie and birthday cake baking thing, and I still love it. Great bonding times. Can you believe my poor deprived (but talented cook) DH had never licked batter off a spoon?) (mmm, more for me…)
katecontinued @ 120
Oh, katecontinued, what a great idea! My 88-y.o. mom is 2000 miles away and no longer bakes – wonder if she would like that, too? Thanks!
Here’s some christmas cheer, off to a moveon party tonight and I’m bringing white chocolate cheesecake bars and calling them “Polar bars”. smile. Also I stumbled on THIS site Dave’s snowflakesand have been making the most amazing snowflakes in a not at all compulsive manner. You gotta try this…
Hey – and don’t forget James Brown “Santa’s Got a Brand New Bag” (Rhino Records)with the classics – Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto and Let’s Make Christmas Mean Something This year – Christmas Music you can dance to – D
egregious @
98
I stopped the Christmas Card writing many, many years ago. Ironically I was a new convert to the Eastern Orthodox Church at the time (not the reason for my choice). Instead, it was my first rebellion against obligatory cheer. I maintained (and still do) that a loving note to someone is most welcome in the depths of winter when there are a lull in holidays.
Rayne, thanks for the recipe – that looks like it is very close to what I had.
Does “Jeff Gannon” know about this?
>JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN INTERNATIONAL U.S. AFFAIRS EDITOR: You know, it sounds as if they are pretty sensitive about having a police force from another country come in and do something in their country. And that’s probably some of that Russian pride, and, also, as was pointed, their laws, you know? So, they will have to deal with that.
>The question, I think, now is, is it possible to get to the bottom of this? Because, as Nikolas and everybody else has been pointing out, it’s extremely complex. And where would you get this substance? And how would you get it to the person?
>And, then the ultimate question: Why Litvinenko, and why now? There were a lot of people who obviously wanted to kill him. He had a lot of information. You know, back when he was a KGB officer, his specialty was corruption. He was looking into corruption. So, he probably had the goods on a number of people. And I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who would want him dead.
>ZAHN: Sure.
>DOUGHERTY: So, it’s — you know, where do you go?
>ZAHN: Well…
>DOUGHERTY: There are a lot of people.
>ZAHN: … including reports, Nikolas, that would suggest that people wouldn’t be surprised if Vladimir Putin wouldn’t want him dead, after he went public with allegations that Mr. Putin was having sex with men.
>GVOSDEV: Yes. I mean, that’s certainly been put forward as — as one of the theories.
Hi Christy,
I’m a lurker here at this site but mostly because I’m reading it at the end of the day (like now).
This evening I compiled a Christmas “party CD” of mostly slower tempo classical favorites. I still have my original CD player from the 80s with a single tray so this cuts down on the switching out CDs.
My selections would go better with snow. Unfortunately we’re still in the 40s here in Boston, MA.
Some CDs people might want to sample:
Chanticleer’s “Sing We Christmas” (Chanticleer is an American all male chorus, singing a cappella in perfect unison and perfect pitch a variety of songs spanning from the Renaissance to the 20th Century. Unbeatable is their rendition of M. Praetorius’ Es is ein Ros entsprungen (aka ‘Lo How A Rose’), “In the bleak mid-winter”, and “In dulce jubilo”
On the Decca/London label “Christmas Adagios”. It’s a 2-disc collection with over 2.5 hours of music from Palestrina, Bach and Vivaldi to Britten and Berlin, sung by opera stars and famous choirs. In particular, it contains a hauntingly beautiful Romanian(?) song “Iubi-Te-voi” (trans. I will love thee, O Lord) sung by soprano Angela Gheorghiu with the Romanian National Chamber Choir “Madrigal”.
I also like soprano Kiri Te Kanawa’s rendition of “Panis Angelicus” by composer Franck.
Philips CD: Handel’s Messiah with conductor Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony, especially track 10 on disc 1 “For Unto Us A Child Is Born”
Also by Decca, “The #1 Christmas Album” 2-cd collection contains a fast and witty rendition of “12 Days of Christmas” and Brahms’ “Child In A Manger”. There is some overlap of songs with the above Decca/London compilation.
And finally soprano Kathleen Battle’s “A Christmas Celebration” CD. I think her voice is by far the best for the famous “Ave Maria” by Schubert and the other “Ave Maria” by Bach-Gounod. Also her “Mary Had A Baby” is amazing.
Merry Christmas.
PA_Lady @ 47
–HELLO. I HAVE TWO DEAR FRIENDS WHO SUFFER DIABETES. IM HOPING YOU HAVE A LINK OR REFERENCE I CAN FOREWARD TO THEM? THANKS IN ADVANCE. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPY NEW YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS –