Lisa was singing at church in the morning. They come over to our house for lunch and then it's off to her parents for dinner. They give their time to us equally. We have often offered them to forego Christmas Dinner with us, but they won't hear of it and split their time between the parents. We love them dearly for that.
You can read about the tradition of Christmas Crackers at this link and many blogging friends know all about them, even over here. Now, how do they work for those who aren't familiar? They got their name because of the sound they make when they're pulled open. Each one is a tube of cardboard prettily decorated. It has a tiny explosive charge attached to narrow paper strips attached in the middle, which is woven inside the cracker. Sounds crazy I know but I can honestly say they don't burn your fingers like they used to mine when I was a child, and that was part of the excitement as a kid. Nowadays not so much. You give each person on either side one end of your cracker, and on the other they give you theirs. They hold on tight and tug with the strip held by your fingertips. It cracks and things fall out of the inside.
We each enjoy reading the oh so corny jokes on little bits of paper inside, and little bits of trivia, which we did yesterday. We did this with Brad all through his growing up years.
There are also things like this inside. It came in handy. Gregg couldn't find the bottle opener for his coca-cola and I handed him this. It worked! Our Christmas Crackers were more for adults. You can buy them with children in mind.
And now it's time to open gifts.
I forgot to take photos of other ones.
Lisa sang for us, which was a joy as you heard in my post yesterday.
and now...
Lisa's birthday was on December 27th. They went away on a birthday trip. I have been looking at their photos and I can share them in a few days. Now I will end with the photo I turned into a painting at the beginning of this post.
I wish everyone a very blessed ending to the old year. It's hard to believe that a new one is almost upon us.
Your Christmas looks and sounds lovely - and delicious. I am also shocked at the end of the year approaching so rapidly. How did that happen?
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue and yes, how did that happen? Couldn't have said it better :)
DeleteLovely photos of the family there Denise, and cooking, well done..
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and your family.
Thank you Margaret :) Happy New Year to you also :)
DeleteLooks like a wonderful time! I've never had Yorkshire pudding, I have to look for a recipe. Beautiful photos of you and your family. Happy New Year! Take care, have a great day!
ReplyDeleteThank you Eileen, so glad you enjoyed my post :) I wish you and your family the same :)
DeleteLooks like you had a great day, hope your new year is equally as good!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jim and I wish you and Barb the same :)
DeleteIt looks like a wonderful Christmas celebration. The food looks delicious. How nice that your husband and son did the cooking. I love the look of your fireplace. It's so festive.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ann, much appreciated :)
DeleteSo glad that you had a great X'mas with the family. The meal looks scrumptious!
ReplyDeleteThank you Angie, the boys did a great job on the meal :)
DeleteThank you for sharing your beautiful family looks from your Christmas.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I went to spend Christmas with my son who started living in Copenhagen. I'm sorry that I can't also spend it with my daughter and her family, but they live in Macau, very far from us.
I wish you and your family a Happy New Year 🎉
Hello Maria, how nice to see you. I hope it won't be long before you see your daughter and her family. Glad you were able to be with your son. I wish you and your dear family a Very Happy New Year :)
DeleteOh! Dinner looked so Good!! Congratulations to Brad for making the meal!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
hugs
Donna
Thank you Donna, I will pass that on. Happy New Year to you also, with hugs :)
DeleteLovely post!
ReplyDeleteThank you Anne :)
DeleteWhat a great time with family. I loved the food, the Christmas decor, and best of all, the Love. Take care and God bless.
ReplyDeleteThat means a lot, thank you Gigi. We were thinking of you and David over Christmas, and wish you the same :)
Deletethe perfect Christmas and i am so very jealous!!! I have never had a man cook a meal for me, other than when I was still working, he did make a pot of chili, and a pot of spagetti. he has baked the turkey because i have never baked one and never will. love the idea of the crackers and all the fun you had together. Happy Birthday to Lisa with the lovely voice
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the sweet words Sandra. I will pass on your birthday wishes to Lisa :)
DeleteWhat a wonderful post of the holiday shared with your family, Denise. It was wonderful to "see" how the day enfolded from the menfolk doing the food prep and then the resulting dinner to the gift opening and the crackers too. Your day was definitely a wonderful and very happy Christmas. Also glad to see that you have healed well from your recent fall. Sending our best wishes to you and Gregg for the best 2024 🍾
ReplyDeleteHappy you enjoyed it :) and thank you so much! I still have a few sore spots from my Fall but basically all's well and getting spoiled on Christmas Day really helped, lol! Our very best wishes to you and Pat also. Happy New Year!
DeleteIt's so great to have men in the kitchen who know their way around. You were a good supervisor. We enjoyed our crowns and corny jokes, too. Our bottle opener was a reindeer shape. Sweet of your kids to divvy up their day to make sure they spent time with you, too. Our daughter's birthday is on the 27th.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the truth :) thank you Ellen and how lovely your daughter's birthday is on the 27th too :) I like the idea of the reindeer shaped bottle opener.
DeleteWonderful Christmas post...stay blessed!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ashok, very much appreciate your comment :)
DeleteIt looks like you had fun.
ReplyDeleteWe did, thank you William :)
DeleteWhat a beautiful Christmas Day in your lovely home, Denise! I'm impressed by the handsome men in your life making that special meal! Sounds delicious and I'm sure it was. I also enjoyed seeing your pretty face, my friend. Such a lovely sweater you are wearing. How nice your son and daughter-in-law are celebrating her birthday. Our daughter's birthday is on Christmas day, so we set aside time in the afternoon with a small birthday party for her. Happy New Year to you and your sweet family!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Martha Ellen :) and how sweet of you to say. I usually am more comfortable behind the camera but there are many times my fellas insist. That's very special to set a space for your daughter's birthday celebration. A happy belated birthday to her, and A Happy New Year to you and all your sweet family from our home to yours :)
DeleteI've enjoyed seeing how you celebrate Christmas Day and glad you had your family with you.
ReplyDelete:) Happy birthday to Lisa. I'm sure you loved her singing and
I'm happy to know she went away for a birthday trip.
Thank you Linda :) our son and daughter-in-law are having a great time celebrating her birthday, and I will pass on your birthday greetings. Yes, her singing is always a very special time for us :)
DeleteThat was joyful! My daughter made us crackers. It was fun. My dad used to make Yorkshire Pud.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jenn :) How wonderful as I love the idea of having your own homemade crackers! And fun to know your dad made Yorkshire Pud :)
DeleteWhat a glorious Christmas! I love doing the crackers -- we do those two, but reading your description, we've been doing them all wrong -- pulling our own! Next year! Is this a typical British/UK Christmas dinner? I would love to know exactly what the typical UK Christmas dinner is. Rick and I always do a "country" for Christmas dinner but this year we are going to do it on Twelfth Night because we didn't think we'd have time with travel. And would you share your yorkshire pudding recipe? You can email me jeanie@wkar.org. I'd love to know more!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeanie and how lovely you follow the cracker tradition too :) I can't say it is typical to have as a Christmas Dinner. Mum always her Sunday Beef Roasts about once a month with all the fixings, including the Yorkshire Pudding. Other weekends she would cook pork or lamb. However, our traditional meal was a Turkey. Mum would fix the potatoes and Brussel sprouts as a side (very traditional for us, sprouts), with bread sauce (also traditional) and lashings of gravy. Because we celebrate Thanksgiving with a turkey, my boys asked for something else years ago as they were a bit tired of turkey. I suggested the Roast Beef Dinner. They jumped at it and that's what our traditional meal has been for many years now, at least since son's childhood. I'm looking forward to visiting your blog to see your country Christmas and will be over soon. As usual I am late catching up. I will send you the recipe I use for the Yorkshire Pudding also.
DeleteThanks, Denise. I'd love your Yorkshire Pudding recipe. We will try to do this on January 6! And thanks for your ideas. We may well do turkey too (but probably a turkey breast for just two!). And sprouts. I bought a little dessert pudding which I'm sure isn't nearly so wonderful as one that has soaked for a bit! You have my email. Meanwhile, enjoy the new year!
DeleteHow lovely! My daughters cooked Christmas dinner for me, and it was kind of like yours: roast beef and vegetables. It was scrumptious!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely they cooked for you and that it was scrumptious. We both were able to take it a bit easier this year then :)
DeleteHello, my friend! What a beautiful, festive Christmas you celebrated! I loved every single photo! Blessings for a Happy New year!
ReplyDeleteAnd hello to you too my friend :) and thank you so much! Happy you enjoyed. Blessings for a Happy New Year to you also!
DeleteOh my goodness, what a wonderful time had by all. Great pictures too. Really told the story of Christmas. Loved it. Happy 2024 :-)
ReplyDeleteHello there! Thank you so much! I am happy you enjoyed my post :) Happy New Year!
DeleteIt looks like y'all had a blast!
DeleteThat's the best. Cheers and boogie boogie.
It's not Christmas without Christmas crackers! My Mum used to send them from England but now they are everywhere here in the US, and for every occasion which I still find odd.
ReplyDelete