Time to relax . . .

That's how I like to spend these true twelve days of Christmas. I wish more of the masses would celebrate, or at least keep the spirit of the Season alive during this time. For me the weeks leading up to the 25th is all the prep and build-up of anticipation of "the big day". The days until the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, should be the time to relax, reminisce and enjoy our families and friends. It's sad to me that immediately the morning after Christmas so many people are done and ready to pack up the Holiday and stuff it away until next year.

I hope you all are having the bestest of Christmases. Our's has been very nice. This year was a bit more low-key than in year's past. The financial crunch has hit us this year as with so many others, and we warned the boys that the gift part of Christmas might not be what they'd experienced before. You know what . . . they didn't seem one bit affected by it.

They even thanked us for a "stellar Christmas" - to quote Son No. 2.

Hubby was good to me . . . as usual. He spoils me! Some of you may remember reading here about how I lost my engagement ring. It was devastating for me. That ring, as you can imagine, has so much sentimental value. Hubby presented it to me on my 18th birthday when he told me he wanted to spend his life with me.

I told him, under no circumstances, to go out and buy a new diamond. First, it just wouldn't have the same "feeling" . . . second, that was an expense we did not need now - especially at Christmas. As usual, he didn't listen! He went out and purchased a new diamond, and gave it to me Christmas morning before the boys were awake. And, ya know, I had strong feeling he was going to do this! Now, it's not anywhere near the quality and value as the original. It was quite inexpensive by comparison, actually, but at least now I can wear my wedding band with the wrap-around setting. The diamond bands on either side side of my wedding rings were gifts commemorating our 15th and 25th wedding anniversaries.

Oh, and I'm currently sporting my tacky Holiday nails! ;o)

If the original never turns up, he wants to replace it with possibly a whole new set once we can really afford it.

Didn't take too many pics this Holiday. Sometimes, I'm just not in the mood to run around being the shutterbug, know what I mean? Not one snap was taken during our Wigilia, Christmas Eve dinner, and only a few taken C'mas Day. I did get some pics of crabcake and bread preparations the night before C'mas Eve.

love my kitchen aid mixer for kneading bread dough

the first rise

that's true beauty to me - risen bread dough

dividing and shaping the dough

after the second rise

mmm, fresh-baked bread . . . where's the butter?

The bowl below is the vessel I always pull out when mixing the Thanksgiving stuffing and the Christmas crabcakes. This huge blue-banned yellow-ware bowl is another one of those treasured, precious family heirlooms that once belonged to Hubby's grandmother.

the mix before the crab above

below the luscious crab has been added

a test cake is fried to check for seasoning

a little over four dozen crabcakes prepared

As I posted before, we have Hubby's family for Christmas Eve dinner. Then Christmas Day, it's just us - me and Hubby and the boys. Later in the evening my whole family joins together for desert and gifts at either our house or my older brother's - we're actually neighbors!

Sons 3 and 1 - Owen and John - in "the zone" opening gifts C'mas morning

Son No. 2, Colin, gifted his girlfriend, Shannon, with a snowboard

aren't they the cutest couple!

cousin love - above, Kyle (my older bros son) and Son No 2, Colin

more cousin love - Rachel (my older bros daughter)

and Son No. 1, John, sharing the love as well

This was a nice Christmas for us. I'm always a little sad when the day comes and seemingly goes so quickly. I want that feeling to last all year long!

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Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia!

Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia!

That's Polish for Merry Christmas.

Among Poles, wherever they are, the most beloved and beautiful of all traditional festivities is that of Christmas Eve. It is then that the Wigilia, (literally meaning "vigil") or Christmas Eve Dinner, is served. It is a solemnly celebrated occasion and arouses deep feelings of kinship among family members.

For days in advance, Poles prepare the traditional foods and everyone anxiously awaits the moment when the first star, known as the Gwiazdka, appears in the eastern sky. For that is when the feast to commemorate the birth of the Christ Child begins.

There is always a thin layer of hay under the white tablecloth in memory of the Godchild in the manger. Before sitting down at the table, everyone breaks the traditional wafer, or Oplatek and exchanges good wishes for health, wealth and happiness in the New Year. This is such a deeply moving moment that often tears of love and joy are evoked from the family members who are breaking this symbolic bread. The Oplatek is a thin, unleavened wafer similar to the altar bread in the Roman Catholic Church. It is stamped with the figures of the Godchild, the blessed Mary, and the holy angels. The wafer is known as the bread of love and is often sent by mail to the absent members of the family.

The Oplatek

The dinner itself is fixed at seven, nine or eleven items. According to myth, in no case must there be an odd number of people at the table, otherwise it is said that some of the feasters would not live to see another Christmas. A lighted candle in the windows symbolizes the hope that the Godchild, in the form of a stranger, may come to share the Wigilia and an extra place is set at the table for the unexpected guest. This belief stems from the ancient Polish adage, "A guest in the home is God in the home."

image found at Flickr

The Wigilia is a meatless meal, no doubt the result of a long-time Church mandate that a strict fast and abstinence be observed on this day before Christmas. Although the Church laws have been revised and permit meat to be eaten on this day, the traditional meal remains meatless. Items that would normally be included in a traditional Wigilia menu include mushroom soup, boiled potatoes (kartofle), pickled herring (sledzie), fried fish, pierogi, beans and sauerkraut (groch i kapusta), a dried fruit compote, babka, platek, assorted pastries, nuts and candies.

(above text borrowed from http://www.polishamericancenter.org/Wigilia.htm)

Hubby and I took over the Wigilia dinner about five years ago after the passings of his grandmother and then aunt. His uncle continued the tradition for several years, but it became too much for him. We were honored to take it over and keep the tradition going. When he and I first started dating some 30 years ago, I'd never seen anything like this gathering. I came from a small family with relatives scattered across the country, so our holidays were always very small, very intimate. There would be 30 or more people crammed into his grandmother's teeny house in the Polish section of the city. Everyone laughing, talking over one another, feasting on delicious homemade Polish food.

The complexion of the dinner has since changed. Quite a few family members have passed, grandchildren, cousins, gone their separate ways. The menu's changed a bit. Since we've taken over, we no longer have fried flounder, which Hubby hated. So the night before Christmas Eve, he and I make trays of crab cakes. His father has taken over the job of making pierogies (ohhh, so yummy!) the way his grandmother did years ago - they keep "threatening" me that I'm going to have to learn the recipe and start making them!

Pierogi

Hubby and I can't wait for time when our boys are married with children and we can host extended families and grandchildren to this very sacred family ritual.

What are your most beloved Christmas Eve/Day family traditions. Link up below and share.

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Happy First Day of Winter

It thought it befitting to share more magical snowy photos from around our homestead. Actually I'm sharing and linking up with Kathy at Creative Home Expressions. She's hosting a showcase of this past ginormous storm's aftermath.

Some are pics I shared on Saturday when the storm came through here, others I just snapped this morning. Everything snow covered in morning light is so beautiful. If I wasn't off to the mall (blech!!!) this morning, I'd love to talk a walk in the crunchy snow with my camera - seriously!

So in case some of you just did not get enough snow and winter weather, here's somemore pics! Enjoy! ;o)

All the photos below were taken Saturday as the 17 inches was coming down hard.

These next set of photos I took this morning.

The path I had to "cut" throw the mountain of snow to get to our front door.

Another path shoveled to allow me to get to the bird feeders.

The shed.

The potting bench.

Check out that huge mound of snow created by the front-end loader that plowed our driveway - yes, they had to use a front-end loader because the drifts were so high. I have to point out Son No. 2's pride and joy - "The Red Dragon". hehe

The little fish pond frozen over.

Hope you enjoyed visiting our little winter wonderland. Now, off to get myself mentally prepared to brave the mall one . last . time . . .

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