Snow!!! We woke to wind blowing and temperatures well below what we are
used to in Greenville, but the inch or two of snow was welcomed with snow pants
and gloves! As we enjoy this time with
family and take advantage of our unexpected luck with the weather, I wish every
one of you success in your final preparations and the ability to sit back and
enjoy the holiday season!
Friday, December 21, 2012
On the first day of Christmas, a festive song
“On
the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me….”
I will
be continuing our day-by-day count to Christmas, but I will also be joining in
a blogging challenge, the Twelve Days of Christmas, and so the countdown starts
anew.
Starting
the 21st, each day has a topic. Day one is “A Festive Song,” and as
this is the “Twelve Days of Christmas” challenge I find “The Twelve Days of Christmas”
quite appropriate. Each day has taken us one step closer to the holidays
with Christmas tasks checked off the list, the 21st marks a turning
point of sorts as the festivities begin. Although I’m getting ahead of myself.
I’ve
been documenting our preparations for Christmas this December, some days in a
little more detail than others. From the
Greenville Poinsettia Christmas Parade and picking out our tree, to decorating
the house and enjoying the lights and sights downtown, we’ve been busy
preparing for our first Christmas as a family of four. This last week was no
different.
Day
17: “… a Playmobil advent calendar”
We’ve
been tremendously enjoying the advent calendar that vecmamma Inga sent the boys. Growing up it was a family tradition
that our godmothers (and sometimes grandmothers or other family members) would
send us advent calendars to help us count off the days before Christmas. Often
it was a nativity scene with Christmas images hidden behind little doors, or if
we had been really good a chocolate. What makes the boys’ calendar so fun this
year is that there is a toy for each day, together forming a set complete with
Santa, a reindeer and elf, even presents for the sleigh and a naughty/nice list
for Santa to check twice.
Day
18: “… two behaving boys and a Playmobil advent calendar”
Last
minute shopping finished! And two stockings finished! Well, one I just put some finishing touches on, but Mikus has been a good boy this year and wanted a sock of his own to hang...
Day
19: “... three more pans of piparkūkas, two behaving boys and a
Playmobil advent calendar”
Somehow
it seems to take longer and longer to use up all the dough each year! The
traditional Latvian Christmas cookie, the piparkūka, is a spice cookie in some
ways similar to spice cookies or gingerbread. However, they are extremely
delicate and time-consuming to make, and truly end up a labor of love to bake. “Only
once a year” I remind myself, and proceed to burn another pan while busy plucking
Mikus off the table he has climbed or helping Lauris find a missing toy.
Day
20: “... four generations, three pans of piparkūkas, two behaving boys and a
Playmobil advent calendar”
The
rain in Greenville reminded me of our adventurous trip up north three years
ago while pregnant with Lauris. What started as rain in the Upstate turned into
snow the farther north we drove, and after traversing only 60 miles in 4-5
hours' time, crossing a snowy median to escape stand-still traffic and detouring
well out of our way, we finally found a hotel before driving the final 6 hours
north the following day. This year the temperatures remained well above
freezing and any driving was thankfully uneventful, which is how we came to have
four generations in one room. What a blessing to be close enough to family to
celebrate the holidays together!
Day 21: "... fiiiiiive
cold little fingers! Four generations, three pans of piparkūkas,
two behaving
boys and a Playmobil advent calendar”
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It looks so beautiful with all the snow - truly a Christmassy scene at your house! Here it will be 36 C, and very sunny, so we are the complete opposite of your experience. Love the family traditions that you are continuing, I think that's what I love the most about this time of year as well. xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Heidi! May you and yours have a beautiful Christmas!
DeleteLove this advent calendar! Am planning to be more inventive with that next year, didn't quite manage it this Xmas... So lucky to have snow :-)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great, I'm thankful the grandmother took care of the search this year. I've seen wooden ones that parents can fill themselves too, they are reusable every year. Happy holidays!
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