Hello again, faithful readers and new friends! December came with a short "after Thanksgiving" rush to get everything prepared for Christmas, and all my thoughts about updating my blog fell by the wayside. As you can see from the photos above we decorated as usual, although we also had to maintain the antics of two "elves on the shelf" every day as our oldest granddaughter was staying with us most of the time along with my daughter, who was recovering from heart valve surgery. Thankfully, our daughter was strong enough to return full time to her home after Christmas, and the elves will return to her home next year. Finding new situations and places for them to be every night, for our granddaughter to discover, created a lot of last-minute sneaking downstairs in the wee hours for us (smile). In case you don't know the legend behind the elves, click here.
There is also a photo of my husband in the collage above, pressing cooked potatoes as we prepared one of our favorite holiday traditional treats--savory Italian zeppole. You can see how we make these every year on this blog post: click here.
I was also busy baking the traditional Christmas cookies that my family enjoys every year, as well as a few Nordic Ware holiday pan pumpkin cakes. You can find some of my cookie recipes here and the pumpkin bread recipe here. This year I had extra fig, date, and nut filling leftover from making cookies and added it to the pumpkin bread dough. It made the cakes really extra moist delicious!
As always, we hosted our traditional Italian Christmas Eve Fish Feast. My husband's family always made at least 13 different fish, so I follow suit. My daughter helped me this year and it was so nice spending that time together. Everyone takes home a tray of leftovers and nothing goes to waste! This year my son's in-laws, including his sister-in-law and her family, were our guests.
Our four grand blessings!
Of course, we also had lots of fun all month! We made a gingerbread house, visited Santa Claus at a party at our neighborhood ranch house, went to a drive-through at a nearby "Christmas in Color" light show, and continued to move those pesky elves around the house!
We took a horse and carriage ride around our neighborhood...
...plus attended an "Old Fashioned Christmas" holiday open house at the beautiful 100 years plus Manor House that is located in our community. I have more photos to show, and an interesting history to tell about this house, that I'll share in my next post.
I wish you all a Healthy and Happy New Year, and a new decade! 2020!
Do you make resolutions or chose a special word to define what you hope for in the new year? My word is "health."
More than ever this year, we have learned the expression "health is wealth" to be true and we hope all the health challenges that my family faced will be behind us. We hope to improve our health as much as possible this year and to be even more grateful for each new day.
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40 comments:
You are amazing how you prepare so much food. Don't you ever get tired? The spread looks amazing. You somehow found time to do entertaining activities too. All the best for next year and I hope those pesky health issues stay away.
Good news about your daughter! And your grand blessings are adorable as are all your decorations! Wishing you a healthy 2020.
Hello Pat,
I am so glad your daughter is well after her surgery. That was a scary time, health is wealth for sure! Your Christmas photos are lovely, the food looks delicious. The elf legend is cute, great idea. You are bless with a beautiful family. Enjoy your day and week ahead. Thanks for visiting my blog this past year! Happy New Year, I wish you all the best in 2020!
I loved this post, Pat. It tells such a wonderful story of family and fun and food and holiday cheers. And what a beautiful family you have! I wish you all the very best for the coming year.
Amalia
xo
You had a fabulous Christmas and I am looking forward to your post on the Manor House - gorgeous!
Lovely photos! It looks like a fun time was had by all. Glad that your daughter is recovering well...Happy New Year
Your decorations and food all look so wonderful. I keep my decorations to a minimum .Oh yes, I do enjoy them, but it is just too much for me to do alone.
Wonderful images! Hope you enjoyed every moment with your family!
Thank you for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2019/12/happy-chinese-new-year.html
Best wishes to you for 2020!
Pat - I can see why your posts have gone to the wayside - you have been busy! Moving those elves; cookies; thirteen types of fish!!! Wow!
I do like to set resolutions; many of them don't make it through the year, but I don't get too wound up about it …
Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday, and Happy New Year. May it bring you the health you most desire!
"Health is Wealth." I like that saying. I'll take good health any day over gold doubloons an such. :-) Thanks for sharing your Christmas merriment with us. You remind me that Family is Wealth, too. Cheers to a Grand 2020!
Beautiful images of the season. Happy New Year.
Worth a Thousand Words
Looks like you had a festive (and delicious!) Christmas.
Thank you for such a lovely post and the photos are beautiful. You do a lot of baking for Christmas and I am sure it is appreciated by your family. Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year.
So many dazzling colors, especially blue! Happy New Year!
My family had a Fishmarket, though we were Scandinavian, the store was filled with Italian shoppers on the days coming up to Christmas Eve. I always wanted to see---what all the purchases were for. I remember hand showing ever single clam-oyster-mussel to each discerning customer...to take home.
Such a beautiful post. We will have fresh oyster stew tonight....New Years as part of our traditions!
Happy New Year. I have shared this post on my FB...with a special note about your fabulous feast!
Sandi
It looks like you had quite a Christmas.
Happy New Year!
Your decorations and foods look amazing. We have a very small Christmas because there's only me, my husband and a good friend. I remember the Christmases from my youth when there were many family members to enjoy the season with us. - Margy
A beautiful post, Pat. I am coming late to wish you and your family a healthy and happy 2020. Those Grands of yours are really growing! Some of mine are driving and taller than I am now. Hugs to you and Vinny.
Love these gorgeous images of the season.
Happy 2020!
May I come spend Christmas at your house next year? I'll do anything you ask! It looks like the perfect Christmas to me -- all that baking (I'll even do the clean-up!) and oh, that fish! What glorious traditions you have and the young people to appreciate them. I know it was filled with much joy.
Onward, my friend, to a new year, new joys and yes, to good health. Happy New Year!
13 different fish dishes?! That's quite impressive. Your decorations were lovely and the treats looked yummy. Have a happy 2020!
You really packed in a lot of great things over the Christmas season. Beautiful collages. All that great looking food makes my mouth water.
A very happy New Year to you and yours, Pat!
Beautiful celebrations around your house, Pat. I know you enjoyed the time with your daughter and grand staying with you post surgery, and thrilled to know your daughter is doing well. Good health is everything!!!
All the best to you and yours in the coming year. Happy 2020!
My goodness, you certainly go all out for the holidays! What great smiles and fabulous scenes and food :)
It's so nice to see you at 'My Corner of the World'!
My Corner of the World
Beautiful photos! Glad your daughter is recovering well from her surgery. I wish you all health and happiness in the New Year.
Wow, what a wonderful spread of sweet treats! It looks like you had a very special holiday spent with your family with all the festivities of the season. I'm visiting from Hearth and Soul ~ April J Harris.
You went all out. Your grandchildren will remember what do at the Holidays the rest of their lives so you are leaving a legacy. I love all the cookies and decorations and hearing about all the activities.
I wish you and your family a healthy and happy 2020!!
Pat, I always enjoy peeking into your life and the traditions you and your husband keep alive. Also glad to hear your daughter continues to recover and is able to return home. Thank you for linking up!
What a wonderful tribute to your holiday season! Wishing you and yours a healthy and happy New Year!
Everything looks so amazing!
Happy New Year! You really had a magical Christmas!
What a wonderful holiday you had!! I do so enjoy your posts!! Happy New Year to your and ;yours!
wow, you are amazing! it would take me ages to prepare that many delicious (and so good looking) treats.
Looks like you had a happy Christmas with your 4 grandbaby blessings! Wishing you a wonderful new year! Thanks so much for linking up at the #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 8. Pinned.
Have you seen my short story link party? It is a creative writing exercise for fun and without a lot of editing. Just start typing and see what you come up with! Remember, no story is too short! See the party on my site for the current prompt, closes on the 9th.
I'm laughing because we had the same elf antics at our house this year. TWO elves that had to be hidden every night before we went to bed, trying to find creative places to put them, but it was the very first thing my granddaughter wanted to do every morning! Really a lot of fun. Happy New Year!!
Everything looks so beautiful and delicious Pat. You had so much going on in your family, I’m amazed at how you got it all done. All the best to you and yours in 2020.
I'm so glad your daughter has recovered so well, Pat. Heart valve surgery can be daunting for both the person and their families! It looks like you all had a wonderful Christmas together, full of fun and lots of very delicious food. Thank you for sharing this little glimpse into your life with the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Happy New Year to you and yours!
That is good news about your daughter.
I do like the photograph of your grand blessings, it's lovely.
My good wishes for 2020.
All the best Jan
Wonderful to see all those delicious foods beautifully prepared. It must have been enough to feed an army. Yes, to good health in 2020!
Happy New Year to all Pat and I am so glad to know your daughter and your husband are doing well after their health scares. I am in utter awe that you managed to pull off this perfect and amazing Christmas with all your wonderful traditions in spite of all the challenges (the elf on the shelf alone probably would have done me in ))!
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