Charming Girls - Holiday Traditions

I've been a bad Charming Girl because I have not been playing with the others! I only have the excuse of work and play has really not allowed me to catchup with my girls. Not really an excuse, so I'm working on this.

The Charming Girls have a Theme going on and we are to post abit about our personal Holiday Traditions. I honestly can't say that my family has an enduring holiday tradition but I have endeavored to establish a few myself so the my daughter can share them along with her own children.

Holiday Ornaments is a big one for me.

Each Ornament has a history, each one holds a memory.

And although some are not as pretty as others, they are all special and go on the tree until they fall apart and need to be retired.

As to traditional holiday foods... Nope. If my mom is around we will definitely make a traditional Puertorican Christmas dinner on Christmas eve. Pork Roast, Rice with gandules, pasteles, bread and butter! All very yummy, but it will not replace the Christmas day meal even if we have left overs. Christmas Lasagna got established when my daughter was about 7 or 8. I don't recall how it became a "tradition" but I do recall that I first made it because it was a one dish meal that everyone liked and was not viewed as Christmasy. I think I just wanted something that didn't require slaving over a stove but could easily feed many. Now, I get asked if I'm making lasagna on Xmas. I always say "Of Course". And it has become expected. Sorry, no recipe since everyone makes lasagna to fit your own personal taste and I've made it for so long, I don't follow anything anymore. I think the most 'dificult' part of the process is a) Seasoning the Ricotta and b) putting it together. The 'easiest' part? You can prepare ahead of time and then just pop it in the oven whenever the time to eat gets close. A cheesecake on the side, a loaf of bread and you are done! If you make it in a disposable pan you will have minimal clean up afterwards too!

You can't beat Christmas Lasagna! :)

Although we don't do it any more since my daughter is older and we have moved away from a strong Art district, we did have a Christmas outing every year as my daughter grew up.

Growing up in NY, my parents used to take me every year to Radio City Music Hall to watch The Christmas Spectacular. As an adult, I realize that my Dad must have saved all year to get tickets to take a family of 5 to this show. We used to walk the streets looking at the window decorations and would top it off watching the skaters at Rockefeller Center. It is a cherished childhood memory and I wanted something like that for my own daughter.

So as soon as she could sit still during a performance, I started taking her to Boston to see The Nutcracker. It was a dress up day and we would put on our finest Christmas wear and go to the city for the show. When she was around 4 I actually drove to NY for the Christmas Spectacular but I don't think she remembers. She will remember The Nutcracker though. I hope she will pass that one on.

Okay, I think I might be getting depressed! This will be the first year that I can ever remember that I won't have my daughter with me on Xmas and although ALL my family will be in house (parents, sisters, nephew and even my reclusive brother) my daughter will not be there. Ok. I'm officially depressed!

Funny story though.. I mentioned it last year in my post about Christmas but it's funny as heck so why not!

Our Nativity set gets laid down as soon as the Christmas tree goes up but baby Jesus doesn't show up until Xmas morning. It's my way of keeping focus on what Christmas is all about. I had done this for many years but it wasn't until several years ago that my daughter (then 19) realized that the baby was missing from the manger. She went nuts! Thought Pepper (our small dog) had eaten it and we would now have to run to the vet with her. We had a good laugh out of that one.

I hope everyone not only survives the Holiday, but also enjoys every minute of them, building new memories to recall all year long!!