Christmas at Tuesday 4...

 Its been a busy couple of months what with the move...fixing up the house..working in my Etsy shop and of course Christmas prep. Im finally at a the satge where I have the time to read other peoples blogs. Boy how Ive missed it. Its like catching up with old friends.

Anyway...today I thought I would take part in Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4. Its been a while.. and its my favourite subject... Christmas!

So lets answer some questions...

1. Is your tree up? How tall... what color lights? Is there a color scheme you use?

Yes...its up. Its about seven feet tall with clear lights. Its  mainly decorated the ornaments that I brought with me from England seven years ago. The majority were chosen by my children as one of our traditions was to buy a new ornament every year. Its a tradition MrD and I continue today. 

Taking centre stage is Sammy... the little snowman made by my daughter almost 30 years ago out of cottonballs and a cardboard toilet paper tube

2. Got a menu for Christmas Eve and Day?

This year...we are taking a drive up the mountain to a pretty festive village..and we plan to eat in one of the little restraunts up there. Although...we have to be back for five for the church carol service.

As for Christmas Day.. well at one time I  couldnt dream of having anything but turkey..with (amongst other things) roasties.. and Brussels Sprouts..and a Plum Pudding to follow! My Boys abolutely loved it...as you can see! But since moving to the US...and Christmas being so close to Thanksgiving.. we get a bit turkeyed out. So this year we are having Surf and Turf... Shrimp and Steak. No leftovers...but thats ok as its only the two of us.

3. When does it go up and how long does it stay up?

I start decorating for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving... and like to have everything done by December 3rd. Thats the day we switch on all the lights in memory of Mum... who died on that date in 2004. I keep it up as long as possible... but it has to be down by 12th Night...January 6th "to avoid bad luck after the season of merriment"

4. What is your favorite Christmas memory. When do you open your gifts?

This may be a cheat...but my favourite Christmas memory is a recurring one... and encompasses many other memories. Every Boxing Day...the day after Christmas... from when I was a baby..til late teens..my aunts...uncles and cousins all congregated at my Nanas House for a party that lasted til the wee hours of the morning. The men would play cards  the piano room.. the ladies would listen to an old record player in the living room and sing along to records dating back to the war..the cousins would play in the sitting room with the new toys we got from Father Christmas. There was lots of fun...lots of food.. and a lot of sherry passed around. When it got too late..the cousins would share the big beds upstairs and there we would stay til the morning. It was the only time of the year we were all together... and gave us so many wonderful memories..especially of those who are no longer with us.

Oh.. and we always open our presents on Christmas Morning... between coffee and cookies... and breakfast.

 

Great questions.... which ] brought back many memories...

I must do this again

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x