Fun Things to Do – Page 33 – Just An East Coast Girl

Just hanging out in the kitchen

Today seemed like a good day just to be hanging out in the kitchen. It’s Saturday and it’s the first Saturday in December which means that Christmas Daddies is on television. ( Normally it’s on the first Sunday but this year is the first year for the new day Saturday) I REALLY enjoy watching this telethon. BUT, to be honest sitting all day…during the daytime in front of the TV doesn’t thrill me so I had an idea…

I can just hang out in my kitchen all day with the TV on and I can do my Christmas baking. Why not? It’s PERFECT!

And to start, well before I started Christmas baking…a new baked treat for Abby girl.

She was thrilled and VERY polite when I gave her the whole plate. One at a time was fine with her, no need to devour them all at one.

And then it was on to the really fun stuff. Cranberry Bliss Bars, Peppermint Bark, Almond Bark, Pecan Bark, Peppermint Patties and Peanut Butter balls. And poor David is not here to sample…he’s off exploring Charleston, SC today before he heads home on Monday.

Poor David…he’s missing out… haha

And…6 hours or so later…my table looks like The Land of Sweets…Who doesn’t love tasty treats at Christmas. These are the special ones, reserved only for Christmas time.

And the plus to all day baking in my kitchen, I saw the whole Christmas Daddies program with the grand total of over $410,000. pledged to go to make Christmas special for children in the Maritimes!!!

I have a bone to pick with you…

On June 5th 1873, two brothers James and Gilbert (G.W) Ganong founded Ganong Bros., Limited in St. Stephen New Brunswick.

In 1885, Ganong candy maker Frank Sparhawk invented the “Chicken Bones”, a pink,spicy cinnamon flavoured hard candy shell filled with bittersweet chocolate. Do you remember these?

Ganong Original Chicken Bones is a Canadian Holiday treat, passed down through family traditions and Holiday memories. This year celebrates 130 years of tradition. A Canadian tradition!

Yum! I just had to pick some up.

Home Alone

This week I am Home Alone. Well not all alone, James is here but busy with school and work. David is in meetings all week in the USA, so I feel like I am alone.

I have been spending my evenings passing time watching Christmas movies…like 3 movies a night!!!! I NEVER do that, it’s just too much TV. But, it’s been a rainy dull week and besides last night when James was off and we went out, I am cozy inside.

Do you remember the movie Home Alone? It’s a Christmas movie.

When 8-year-old Kevin McCallister acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, his mother makes him sleep in the attic. After the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without Kevin, he awakens to an empty house and assumes his wish to have no family has come true. But his excitement sours when he realizes that two con men plan to rob the McCallister residence, and that he alone must protect the family home.

Yes, that movie.

This Christmas marks the 25th anniversary of Home Alone. Most people will probably just celebrate this momentous occasion by re-watching it with their family or friends. But director David Javier decided he would honor the iconic film with his very own dance-filled homage to the beloved family Christmas movie. It’s… interesting. …. you should probably just watch and decide for yourself.

( Click on the link below)

https://youtu.be/88gb95z0Izw

Happy 25 years Home Alone!

It’s December!

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Today is December1st and time to send out our Annual Christmas Card.

From our family to yours…

Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas!

Folklore from days of old…it’s a childhood fantasy land

Father Christmas often appears as a large man, often around seventy years old. He is dressed in a red suit trimmed with white fur, often girdled with a wide black belt, a matching hat or hood, often long and floppy in nature, and dark boots. Often he carries a large brown sack filled with toys on his back. It has been said that the red suit only appeared after the Coca Cola company started an advertising campaign depicting a red suited Father Christmas in the 1930s.

The Father Christmas Festival in Mahone Bay is this weekend and next, and I love all the different Father Christmas figurines.

David having a little chat with Norman the Gnome
It has become a somewhat new tradition for me to visit Mahone Bay for this festival and…pick up my new Amos pewter ornament. Living away makes you really appreciate local and what your community and neighbouring communities offer. I love Amos pewter things and have decided a few years ago to collect these special ornaments.

Each year the Amos Pewter company create a new collector ornament. This year is the Winter Blossom. Each has a lovely inscription about the ornament …” There is a beauty in the cycle of the changing seasons. We wonder at the uniqueness of each softly falling snowflake, joining with others to blanket the earthen a magical whiteness. As the days become longer and warmer, each melting snowflake helps to foster new life that grows, transforms and ultimately fills summer with bursts of blossoms and butterflies. Change is the hope for newness and transformation. Nourish your dreams you embrace the changes in life’s seasons.”

For the last few years at the festival the image of Father Christmas has changed. This year’s 2015 “signature” Father Christmas is Della Robia. He has a gentle face and an Old World European look.

And a new feature this year… The Nutcracker Fantasy. It was my favourite. The creativity and the detail. I am AMAZED that every year there is something new that tops the year before. I could spend hours wandering around here…

And David’s favourite…

Mahone Bay is definitely ready for Christmas and after this weekend with all the specials my mood is very festive, It really is a wonderful time of the year!

Who doesn’t love a parade complete with fireworks

The town of Bridgewater kicks off the Christmas season with it’s annual parade and fireworks! I just love this tradition…even on a cool rainy evening.

Such a wonderful evening. Thank you Town of Bridgewater for an awesome event!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…with Pirates!

Have you ever tasted roasted chestnuts? They are good. Not as good as one would think listening to the famous song…”chestnuts roasting on an open fire jack frost nipping at your nose, yule tide carols being sung by a choir…” I love that song and this time of year! It’s about a month til Christmas now and it is when all kinds of wonderful, special things happen around town.

Tonight…in Lunenburg, NS, the lighting of the fishing vessels down on the waterfront. Hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts, a few of the shops open later, Christmas music playing, carollers singing …and PIRATES!!! I didn’t expect pirates! We enjoyed a nice dinner ( our favourite apps at our favourite place) ahh…it’s a great start to the weekend!

Time to light things up!

It’s one month til Christmas and time to light things up! I have had some of my inside lights on for the last week or so. We will decorate our Family tree this weekend ( a little early) because David will be away with work. But it’s time to have the outside lights on!

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Haha, no snow yet…just some flurries. BUT it’s looking VERY Christmasy!

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Just one month!!!!

I made my own

Hmm…yum!

Don’t you love those tasty treats once and awhile to enjoy with your coffee? I like the gourmet cranberry bars that are at Starbucks this time of year with my coffee. However the nearest Starbucks is 45 minutes away…

My solution

I made my own!!!! Sooooo….good!!

Just a little taste of what’s to come. Next week I will start my Christmas baking.

too early?

decorations-early-

I don’t think so.

I was talking to some friends in China last night and they asked what I’ve been up to. I said well…not a lot but I am thinking about EVERYTHING Christmas these days.

Decorating, gift buying, what to bake…all consume my thoughts. I told them I have my home pretty much decorated for Christmas. ( Just the Family room left to do, which I will do today)

Isn’t it a bit early they asked? For Christmas?

Not for me. I asked if they remembered when I was in China, and how my apartment looked in November and December? I LOVE the coziness that Christmas decorations bring. The lights are just so wonderful. They bring a warmth and coziness, almost magical atmosphere to this dark grey time of year. Darkness falls so early and the evenings seem long and the lights and a nice scent simmering on my scentsy burner just really help. I love it!

So…is it too early? I don’t think so. I am enjoying it and besides there’s only 5 weeks left til Christmas! It’s time to deck the halls!

5 wk to xmas